Author: Elisabeth Dewey

Right now it’s cool to be many things…vegan, eco-warrior, even being a menstrual cup user carries a certain cachet….but what about being a pad girl? Ever thought about that..?

The surge in popularity of menstrual cups and period panties has, occured as the conversation about periods is finally opening up. That is really great, for many reasons. However, there is an unspoken truth, particularly in Anglo-Saxon or northern European cultures, that some of us are pad girls... that means exclusively 'pad girls'!

For whatever reason (the ‘why’ should not matter) neither tampons nor menstrual cups are their thing. Over the last 2 years, as a founder of Mondays, I’ve been lucky to be part of 100’s of open and frank conversations during which I’ve witnessed many a moment of courage… that's the moment when a woman reveals her ‘secret’ for the first time. When she dares to “come-out” as ….a 'pad girl'.

Surprise, confusion and disbelief - I’ve seen and heard plenty of reactions. But the mere voicing of this preference despite the shame and embarrassment, is both a relief and a catalyst to more open discussion.

If you truly believe in women’s rights, then you believe in the freedom of choice. Sharing our experiences free from judgement is a step in this direction.

And let it be known that, whilst it may not (yet) feel cool to be a pad girl, 70% of the total period products sold are in fact PADS…..yes there are a great many of us who prefer to use pads…. exclusively! So next time a friend tells you she uses only pads, be proud of her (and let her know where she can