Hero Pulls A Tampon Out Of His Fannypack At The Gym, Viral Post Ensues

A male’s Facebook post about women and periods is attracting attention for all the right reasons

If you’ve ever found yourself in sudden need of a pad or tampon, you’ve probably mumbled a frantic request to a friend in hopes that they have a spare handy. But what if getting your period was such a non-taboo topic in our society that you could literally look to the dude next to you at the gym and hit him up for a tampon? This dream scenario took place, and it’s going viral because women are sick to death of hiding their tampons and acting like a period is the thing that must not be named.

Chance Ward took to Facebook to describe what was to him, just any other day getting his sweat on at the gym, but saved one girl from having to wear a sweat shirt around her waist, AKA “Fuck, I got my period” couture.

He was on the elliptical at the gym when he overheard a girl ask her friend if she had a spare tampon. When the girl realized that Ward had overheard her, she apologized to him. Most guys would have probably blushed or made a poor attempt at a joke, but instead Ward reached into his fanny pack and handed the girl a tampon from those he always keeps on hand for friends in need like it was no different than offering her a stick of gum. Of all the things a woman might expect when a guy overhears that she has her period, this surely isn’t it. Ward put it best when he said, “By the look on her face you would have thought I did a magic trick and pulled 36 titty-tasseled bunny rabbits out that damn bag.”

While Ward’s description is hilarious, it’s also accurate. Few men are willing to even buy a box of tampons for their significant other without complaining, let alone keep a couple pads on hand in case a female is in need. Ward’s nonchalant attitude about periods is why his post has quickly gone viral, even attracting the attention of celebrity Nicki Minaj.

Ward is absolutely right. It’s high time we stop shaming women for experiencing what is a normal biological process and start viewing having period supplies on hand as something that’s as normal as handing a tissue to someone when they sneeze.”This is so sad. Why don’t y’all love y’all friends that menstruate? Like men will make whole guest rooms in their house just in case someone needs to stay. But god forbid that person menstruate, because I bet you won’t be no extra pads or tampons under that guest bathroom sink,” writes Ward, “Like why? Y’all know literally like half this world goes through this?”

Having your period sucks. Feeling bloated, dealing with cramps and knowing that when you get off the couch to grab a bag of chips there’s a good chance you’re going to feel a splashing sensation in your panties is miserable enough, we don’t need women to feel embarrassed about going through it on top of it all. We shouldn’t have to whisper a request for a pad or purchase tiny, palm sized tampons that we can conceal in our hands on the way to the bathroom so no one knows we’re currently experiencing the worst 5-7 days of our month.

Since this single act of human decency has gone viral, Ward has continued in his trajectory of being The Best by staying humble in spite of all the attention. “While I am getting a lot of attention for doing something (that everyone else should be doing anyway), recognize that there are people and organizations that pour the entirety of their livelihoods into this very same cause.” He went on to say, “So while it’s amusing and all in good jest … remember who the real heroes are.”

While Ward is correct in pointing out that there are great organizations who work hard to support women and deserve just as much attention as he’s getting, knowing there’s at least one dude out there who won’t treat us like periods are contagious is still a huge deal. If we knew we could turn to both our male and female friends for help whenever we’re stuck without a pad or tampon, getting our period would suck just a tiny bit less.

Or, as Ward put it, “@everyone who doesn’t menstruate: keep your menstruating friends in mind and stop being so shitty.”