It’s completely common for women to ask their partners to pick up tampons for them at the store. Many men are more than willing to assist in such situations. This was the case for our protagonist today, a 30-year-old married man, who simply wanted to support his wife. However, during his store visit, he unexpectedly found himself caught up in a significant and unpleasant drama. He reached out to us to share his experience, seeking input from both us and our readers on the entire situation.
A 30-year-old man recently submitted a letter to our editorial, recounting an incident that left a lingering sense of bitterness. In his narrative, he shared that he is married to a 28-year-old woman who experiences intensely painful periods, marked by severe cramps, migraines, and nausea, making it difficult for her to leave the house during these days.
During such challenging times, she occasionally requests her husband to purchase menstrual pads or tampons for her. The man admitted that he used to feel uneasy about these requests and went on to elucidate the reasons behind his discomfort.
He wrote, «When Jenny, my wife, asked me to pick her up some pads or tampons, I would feel shy about doing so. I was raised in a very conservative family, where my mom never spoke about periods to my dad or to me. And she used to buy these hygienic things for herself in stashes, always making sure she has some left enough for her next period. I have never heard her asking dad to pick some tampons for her in a local store, so for me, it was a totally new and uncomfortable experience when my wife asked me to do so for the first time.»
The man continued his story, sharing that his wife had always been understanding and rarely requested him to purchase these personal items for her. However, a particular incident changed their perspective. On the first day of her period, while at a supermarket buying pads, she fainted due to intense stomach pain.
Following this incident, they had a conversation, during which he suggested that she should feel comfortable asking him to buy pads and tampons going forward. This topic became normalized within their family, and it soon became a routine for him to purchase pads. The only lingering challenge was buying tampons, as his wife had recently switched to them. He required some guidance and a photo from his wife to ensure he purchased the correct type.
The man proceeded with his account, stating, “Last Monday, my wife texted me as usual and asked me to stop by a supermarket after work and pick her up some tampons. She then sent me a photo of the package that she needed. I’m a man, and I never used one, so I would still be confused without that additional information.”
Things took a turn for the worse when he arrived at the store. Describing the incident, he said, “So I was standing in the aisle looking at all the female products. I was still confused and lost, despite having an exact photo of what I needed to buy, because I didn’t see such a box on any of the shelves. Then I heard a lady say, “Well, no matter how you dress, you’re still born a woman.”
The woman then rolled her eyes and launched into a rant about the transgender topic, displaying unfriendliness towards anyone who is transgender. After concluding her speech, the man was utterly shocked by such an attitude. He recounted, “I just started laughing to show her that her words cannot be taken seriously by anyone. Her face turned very red. She started screaming, but I just cut her off.”
The man attempted to calm her down, stating, “Listen lady, if I was born a woman, would I be looking so clueless and lost as I am right now? Is this the first time when you see a man buying tampons for a woman?”
The man continued his narrative, explaining to the lady that a man buying pads and tampons for his wife is simply being a good husband. He emphasized that his wife needed tampons, and he was doing her a favor. Holding up his phone, he pointed at the picture and asked her, “Now, do you see this brand on the shelf?”
The woman still didn’t even apologize for being so rude to the man and transgender people in particular. She just backed away, with her eyes big, and her face drained, and walked pretty quickly down the aisle. “I then finally found the needed box, checked out and made my beloved wife happy,” he recalled.
We are thankful to the man for trusting our editorial and sharing his story with us.
In our opinion, the lady’s behavior was entirely inappropriate. Commenting on someone’s purchases is rude and constitutes an intrusion into their private matters. Her remarks were out of place and lacked consideration for the personal nature of the situation.
It would have been ideal if the lady had suggested helping the man find the right package instead of shouting and making inappropriate comments about him and transgender people.
We agree that the man handled the situation appropriately. He remained calm and composed, explaining the situation to the lady in a reasonable manner. He refrained from responding rudely and didn’t escalate the confrontation by adding his own anger to the situation.
And here’s a story about a woman whose discovery of a tampon in her husband’s car opened up a Pandora’s box of troubling revelations.
