‘You need to bleach the bathroom.’ – Ignorant Roommate Bans Woman From Showering During Her Cycle Even Though He Doesn’t Own The Apartment

Let’s face it, guys tend to not know as much as they think they do about women’s bodies. But that sure doesn’t stop them from acting like the experts on it!

That was unfortunately the case for this user, when her roommate made the ridiculous request that she not use the house’s shower while on her period!

See the absurdity for yourself!

I (31F) live in a share-house. One of the housemates Jack (M30) has never lived with a woman outside of his mother but likes to say that he is “aware” of women’s issues and calls himself a feminist.

For instance he doesn’t agree with the saying “no uterus no opinion” because “It’s my job to be informed about any issues that could affect me if I become a father or husband”…Which is fine until it came to this issue.

He seems like a joy to be around, let alone live with!

So, like most women, I have periods. I however, cannot use tampons or cups due to a condition called vaginismus. It’s pads all the time for me – yay.

I also (I know, the shock!) shower during this time! Wow! I prepare a new pad onto a clean pair of undies, shower as normal, dry myself off in the shower, and then step straight into the undies. And obviously check the bathroom for mess. Jack’s never complained – nor has anyone else, so I figured my “system” was working.

Cue today; and I can’t shower for 48 hours due to a heart monitor test. I was jokingly complaining about how I was going to “survive” without my nightly shower and Jack looked up confused and said “How is this any different to when you’re on your period?”

Record scratch. Care to explain your thinking on this one, sir?

I asked him what he meant and he said “well, you can’t shower on your period unless you use a tampon” and I laughed because I thought he was joking – he has shown before that he was at least SEMI educated on women – which he got angry at.

Jack said, “wait – well what do you do?”

I said slowly, “I shower?” – I wasn’t getting it I’m afraid.

Jack said, “without protecting MY bathroom?” (he does not own the house) and then went off.

OP explained her situation, but this only led to more ridiculousness from her roommate.

Apparently my period is unhygienic, it can cause infection if left on the shower floor, and he was under the impression I hadn’t been showering for a week when I had my period or using tampons.

I said that due to reasons I can’t use tampons and he told me then I’m “banned” from showering when I’m on my period which I laughed again at which I did apologise for and say “I’m sorry for laughing – but the audacity of that statement”.

Banned from showering? How would that possibly make sense?

I told Jack he has no way of enforcing this – nor would I be sticking to this, and he said “Fine. Then every time you shower, you need to bleach the bathroom afterwards” to which I couldn’t help but laugh again.

I said, “We’re in a share-house. That’s not reasonable when other people need to shower/use the toilet, and considering I’m sure at least SOMEBODY else pees in the shower, is ridiculous to only enforce on me”.

Who is this guy, the period police?

Jack’s been complaining to other housemates about this and saying that we need to “watch out for me” and we all just think he’s absurd for ‘banning’ me.

A couple think that I should just at least try and compromise so I’m confused.

AITA?

Reddit, unsurprisingly, was very much on OP’s side, and many were baffled by her roommate’s stupidity.

Lots of commenters, like this one, agreed that if he has such a problem with the situation, then he should be the one to clean the shower.

This user was confused what type of “compromise” there could be in this situation, especially with someone so immature.

This commenter pointed out that if he can’t respect women’s basic bodily functions, he shouldn’t live with women at all!

This user pointed out that he sounded like the type of “feminist” that just uses the label to get girls.

And finally this user pointed out that if he was this oblivious about periods, then he’s obviously never had a girlfriend of any kind!

Seems pretty much all of the internet agrees that this guy sucks, and I do not envy OP for having to live with him!

Time to move out!

If you liked that post, check out this story about a guy who was forced to sleep on the couch at his wife’s family’s house, so he went to a hotel instead.