please don’t tell people how they should deal with their periods. not everyone wants to use a diva cup, or a reusable pad. these things can be uncomfortable and miserable.
it’s nice to suggest alternatives that people may not be aware of, but do not demand someone use it because it’s more cost effective or something.
like some things don’t work for some people and if there is an option that works best for them you shouldn’t argue with them over that.
Good: sharing accurate, factual information about a variety of ways to deal with menstrual cycles (the periods themselves and the other parts)
Bad: shaming anything you yourself wouldn’t use, and/or actively insisting everyone else use it
On that note lemme dig up the Sexplanations video that introduced like 3-5 products I wasn’t aware of, including homemade??? Here is a YouTube link. Longform for copy/pasting: https://youtu.be/5Dkn-e7idP0
lmao i’m already getting hate mail over this post from terfs. fuck off.
As a microbiologist, I cannot discourage you enough from using the sponge method. Especially if you’re treating it with something toxic, like Hydrogen Peroxide, Tea Tree Oil, etc. You can a) get chemical burns in your vagina (ow) even at what seem like low dilutions b) absorb toxins via the mucous membranes in there c) destroy the germs that live in your vagina naturally, opening you up to all sorts of yeast and bacterial infection.
Also? The natural sponge is NOT processed for internal use, so it is potentially a reservoir of bacteria, as well as various chemicals that were never meant for internal use. It was processed for use in the kitchen or bath and has been treated with various things to make it look or smell more appealing to customers. If you’re getting it practically straight out of the ocean, it’s still a bacteria reservoir that can, and possibly will, shred when you try and pull it out of your vagina.
Washables? Cups? Disposables? All fine if you use them properly. There’s probably a few other things that I haven’t covered because I saw the sponge and ran back to make sure nobody was putting hydrogen peroxide in there.
Urocyon's Jaunts 2.0 