Man Freaks Out Over Used Pads In His Bathroom Trash, Then Demands Girlfriend Carry Them In Her Purse For Days

Sharing space with a partner for the first time can reveal all kinds of surprises, but this one caught a young couple completely off guard.

A woman staying at her boyfriend’s place during her period did what most people would consider normal: she wrapped her used pads neatly and tossed them into the lined bathroom trash.

Nothing was leaking, nothing was visible, and the trashcan had a lid. Still, her boyfriend reacted with outrage, treating the discovery like a violation he couldn’t tolerate.

His demand that she “just keep them in her purse” for days left her shocked and embarrassed, especially when even her own brother agreed with him. Unsure whether she had truly done something wrong or simply met someone with an unrealistic comfort threshold, she turned to the internet for clarity.

A young woman’s first overnight stay turns tense when her boyfriend reacts harshly to her disposing of pads in his bathroom

Some truths are universal: when natural bodily processes clash with discomfort, shame often surfaces, not because of health risk, but because of taboo and misunderstanding.

In this story, the issue isn’t simply a trash can and used pads. It’s about dignity, respect, and how partners address or avoid the realities of menstruation.

At the emotional core, the OP acted responsibly. She wrapped her used sanitary pads in plastic (or wrapper), disposed of them in a covered bin, just as many health-advice resources recommend.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), used disposable menstrual items should be wrapped in tissue or paper and thrown in a trash bin; they should never be flushed down the toilet.

Her boyfriend’s reaction (disgust, anger, refusal to take out trash) reflects not a hygiene issue, but a social or cultural discomfort with menstruation.

From his perspective, perhaps the sight or thought of blood feels unpleasant. But public-health and waste-management guidelines show no reason why a properly wrapped pad in a sealed bin poses a health danger or is “disgusting.”

Research on menstrual hygiene management supports this.

A comprehensive review published in the peer-reviewed article “Menstrual Hygiene, Management and Waste Disposal” emphasizes that safe disposal often involves wrapping used pads and discarding them with regular solid waste as long as privacy, discretion, and proper waste infrastructure are present.

Importantly, this study also highlights how stigma, lack of knowledge, and cultural taboos often create unnecessary shame around normal menstrual waste.

From an environmental and communal-sanitation perspective, the recommendation is consistent: wrapping and binning is acceptable; flushing or disposing used pads in open spaces or toilets is discouraged because it can clog sewage systems and pollute water.

Viewed through this lens, what OP did was completely aligned with accepted hygiene standards. Her boyfriend’s discomfort seems rooted not in valid health or sanitation concerns, but in ingrained menstrual stigma.

The emotional impact of that stigma, labeling a natural process as “disgusting”, can be deeply harmful, especially when leveled at a partner’s discomfort rather than understanding.

So, disposing of used pads in a lined, covered trash bin, wrapped and sealed, is hygienic and socially acceptable. When people react with disgust, it almost always reflects cultural conditioning rather than any sanitary risk.

Partners deserve empathy and open communication about these realities. If someone responds with shame or disgust to a normal, health-approved practice, that speaks less about the practice itself and more about their own unresolved discomfort.

Take a look at the comments from fellow users:

These commenters say OP is NTA and the boyfriend’s reaction is childish, misogynistic, and a dealbreaker

This commenter bluntly says the boyfriend should be discarded like the trash he fears

This commenter (the OP in the thread) thanks supporters and shares their decision to go home for now

Can a relationship thrive when one partner refuses to treat natural body functions with basic understanding? Would you stay and educate, or see this as a sign to walk away? Share your thoughts!