I don't like running, period.

[Bored Of Education]

Possibly should be in "Sports" but I think it is of wider significance. I am genuinely not passing comment here as it is way outside of my field of reference. Some of the tabs are picking up on her being branded "disgusting"

[Various Artist]

I don't like running, period.

Ms Gandhi was on Jeremy Vine's BBC Radio 2 lunchtime show (by phone) a little earlier today, as the topic — specifically the furore she's provoked, for good or ill — was covered in the half-hour slot from 1:00pm. Worth a listen on iPlayer.

[MsD]

I don't like running, period.

The stigma around periods when I was a gal, and right up until recently, is a blight on women's lives.

When I was younger I felt I would DIE from embarrassment if there was any public leakage - as I've got older, I'm more relaxed about it, but other people still aren't. I had an accident around a friend's house which left a stain on his carpet, he smiled and said "that's OK, now it's witch-blessed" which is a nice way of looking at it.

Staying at someone's house and finding everything white is really stressful.

There were times I would be at work and feel a leak about to occur, and be either trapped in my chair, waiting for an a opportunity to shuffle to the loo, or have to waddle off - actually got into trouble with a boss who would not accept my explanation of why I had to shove my work at her and dash off.

This is why I tell men to give up their seats to women, where they can, not because we're "ladies" per se but because a fair percentage of us will be menstruating and Jo Brand aside, really don't want to announce it.

I still have heavy periods, at my age, and have to plan my life around them. I'd have liked the choice of working from home on those days. Being able to be frank about it without someone looking disgusted or amused or saying "woooooah, TMI" would have helped.

[Fussbudget]

I don't like running, period.

Uh. My first reaction was that it would actually be really fucking uncomfortable to run in soaking wet knickers/leggings. I'm really bad at anticipating my periods, and I've always found having to spend the day in cold wet knickers far worse than the embarrassment to be honest.

Also, this?

Gandhi told Cosmopolitan that she'd decided to run without a tampon because she was afraid of what it could do to her body.

"I didn't really have good information about what happens when you run on your period," she said.

"For example, they tell you that for men, their nipples will bleed because of the chafing between their shirts and their skin. I worried that a tampon might have the same effect."

Bollocks. As if you'd get chafing from tampons. If you want to make a political point about periods then knock yourself out, but this is just disingenuous.

On the other hand, the people who are offended by this and shouting "Disgusting! Yuck yuck yuck! Fanny blood!" need their head examined. Idiots.

[Fussbudget]

I don't like running, period.

MsD wrote: Being able to be frank about it without someone looking disgusted or amused or saying "woooooah, TMI" would have helped.

People are fucking weird about periods, aren't they? Tell somebody you're going for a piss and they won't bat an eyelid, but tell them you need to change your tampon and it's suddenly gross and TMI.

[Bored Of Education]

I don't like running, period.

Come on, love, I didn't start this thread for that sort of talk.

[Toby Gymshorts]

I don't like running, period.

The fact that a lot of men appear to be freaked out by pubic hair and periods is probably indicative of something or other.

[Toby Gymshorts]

I don't like running, period.

I'm feeling vague today.

[ursus arctos]

I don't like running, period.

I wonder what The Donald will have to say about this.

The latest over here/

Following the lead of Femsplain's Amber Gordon, who started the hashtag #PeriodsAreNotAnInsult, women have been tweeting at Trump with real-time updates on their menstrual statuses.

[MsD]

I don't like running, period.

Fussbudget wrote:

Being able to be frank about it without someone looking disgusted or amused or saying "woooooah, TMI" would have helped.

People are fucking weird about periods, aren't they? Tell somebody you're going for a piss and they won't bat an eyelid, but tell them you need to change your tampon and it's suddenly gross and TMI.

Yep. Although I'd rather not have to tell people, I wish they'd have the awareness to realise that women in particular can't always be going two or three hours without a break, they may need to keep their bag with them and take it to the loo, there are days when they just don't feel up to doing things like a spontaneous game of volleyball or. pool party.

Well, I never really want a game of volleyball, but you know what I mean.

My friend had to go on a "team building weekend" with a heavy period, they made everyone play rounders and go canoeing. FFS.

[Toby Gymshorts]

I don't like running, period.

Are you sure she wasn't just starring in a feminine hygiene ad?

[MsD]

I don't like running, period.

Ha. She had no idea what was planned, by the way, or would have ducked out.

Another thing is that I get crippling pain for a day or two and it is only relieved by a hot water bottle (or two). I cannot function properly on those days. This obviously interferes with work and social life. Many women are similarly afflicted, so it's something of an equality issue - a good employer should really factor that in, somehow, if they are able to.

[blameless]

I don't like running, period.

I'm all for the normalising of something that should already be normal (50% of humanity will menstruate at some point in their lives, and the other 50% need to accept that this is entirely natural and not something to freak out over), but I'm not wholly convinced this is the way to go about it.

Some people just don't like any blood, regardless of whether it's from something normal (menstruation), trivial (nosebleed) or from a bad injury: mrs b has mild haemophobia, which makes a handful of days each month pretty stressful for her.

[MsD]

I don't like running, period.

It's not really the way, but if it promotes discussion,
I'm all for it.

[Incandenza]

I don't like running, period.

People shit themselves when running marathons, this is pretty mild in comparison. Going by the horrified reactions of some people, I expected it to be like the end of Carrie down her legs.

[Hugh Fatbastard]

I don't like running, period.

"I didn't really have good information about what happens when you run on your period," she said.

You don't just turn up and run a marathon, you train for it. At some point she must have put in a long run or two, and most likely will have done some running during her period.

It might even have dawned on her that the race falls during her cycle, but she makes it sound as though she woke up, realized the race was today and was surprised to find it was her time of the month.

There are runners forums discussions on running with tampons or alternatives. Easy enough to find before the London Marathon, not so much now to the plethora of links to this story.

Nah, I reckon she was probably at the end of her cycle and risked running and not menstruating.

This other business of standing up for her sisters and the stigma surrounding periods is an afterthought brought on by the attention received.

[Bored Of Education]

I don't like running, period.

[MsD]

I don't like running, period.

I'm not that interested in the personality, I'm interested in the issue.

Many people who champion causes do it for narcissistic or self-serving motives - Assange might be one of those, I dunno, he just sprang to mind. It doesn't detract from the argument if there is value in it.

[Fussbudget]

I don't like running, period.

Hugh Fatbastard wrote: It might even have dawned on her that the race falls during her cycle, but she makes it sound as though she woke up, realized the race was today and was surprised to find it was her time of the month.

You make it sound like menstrual cycles are like clockwork, they're often not. Also personally I don't always track my cycle because I often can't be arsed, I expect I'm not alone in that.

(Also I hate "her time of the month" as a euphemism for periods. Actually most of the euphemisms for it are annoying.)

Nah, I reckon she was probably at the end of her cycle and risked running and not menstruating.

If she was at the end of her cycle the bleeding would be sporadic, thick and brown so I doubt it judging by the pictures.

[Bored Of Education]

I don't like running, period.

Now, look....

[MsD]

I don't like running, period.

Yep, can vouch for all that. I am usually fairly regular and planned a three-week trip to be in between periods last year, but my body had other ideas and I had two full-blown periods in one month. One two weeks after the last.

[laverte]

I don't like running, period.

Hugh Fatbastard wrote: I reckon she was probably at the end of her cycle and risked running and not menstruating.

This other business of standing up for her sisters and the stigma surrounding periods is an afterthought brought on by the attention received.

She's an activist with an MBA, I think she knew what she was doing. In any case, her account of the run (which is where the story comes from; nobody noticed her bleeding during the marathon itself) is unashamedly political. The stigma of menstruation leads up to a quarter of girls to quit school in India.

Edit: I'm another who gets irregular periods, can't be arsed tracking them, and hates euphemisms. My wife's boss uses the old 'mad cow disease' gag coz he's the king of banter, and that's obviously the worst of all.

[MsD]

I don't like running, period.

Sporadic, Thick & Brown, the new hipster homeware label.

[MsD]

I don't like running, period.

Laverte, that link doesn't open on my phone, probably this end, but I donated some money towards sanitary products for girls in developing countries, can't remember where. Maybe will find a link later.

[WOM]

I don't like running, period.

I'm with Bored. Can't stand running.