Men's appalling answers about women's bodies show us why they shouldn't have a say in women's healthcare

Women go through the monthly ritual of menstruation that brings along with it various complications. Very few men understand the biology behind what women go through every month, and though it's a part of their school education, many men remain blissfully unaware of this topic. It's like uncharted territory to them and except for some understanding of the rollercoaster of emotions and weird cravings that women have during that time, most men don't explore much about the natural phenomenon of periods. So when actress and comedian Tiffany Springle–who goes by @tiffanyspringle on Instagram–tested the knowledge of random men about women's bodies, it turned out hilariously disappointing.

In a video she shared in November 2022, Springle was hosting the show "Roe Vs Bros," where she interviews men in public places and asks them women-related questions. Firstly, she asked a few men who were taking a walk in a park about female hygiene products. When asked if a woman can urinate with a tampon still inside, one man replied, "I don't think it's recommended," while another one guessed that women have to take their tampons out while peeing. He based his answer on the tampons he had found in the trash a few times. The actual answer was revealed on the screen, pointing out that "it's two different holes" and women can indeed urinate with their tampon in.

A question about why there are different sizes of tampons met with the answer, "Different sizes of vaginal cavity," while the real answer is that "it's for different flows." Springle asked a young man how many tampons women use on average during their cycle and he guessed "one or two." And here women are, changing 15-20 tampons every cycle, totally amused by his answer. Then came an interesting definition for "a period." The man said it was the time of the month when a woman is "ovulating," while it's actually the time following the ovulation phase when the uterine lining sheds. She asked them whether they were registered to vote and received a "yes" from everyone. Also, she concluded the video by urging women to vote and not let men outvote them.

So far, the video garnered over 4 million views and the comment section was filled with contradictory opinions. There were many defending the men for not understanding how women's bodies work and why it shouldn't stop them from making political decisions related to women. "Just because men don't know about our periods, doesn't mean they can't have an opinion on your choice to murder innocent babies," said @meetthexiongs. "'Oh my God! Men don't know how many tampons I need per cycle. How dare they have a voice in politics.' I'm not seeing a correlation," pointed out @chronic_da_hedgehog.

However, several commentators put the critics in their place by deliberating how this unawareness is the reason why men shouldn't have a say in female healthcare policies. "Exactly why men should not have a say in what women need and are allowed to do with our gender-specific healthcare," stated @coy_malone. "Good lord! Learn something about the half of the population whose rights you're voting on!" mentioned @karen.p.robinson. "I think men should be concerned that they think we're ovulating during our period. Probably should start there when discussing pregnancies," quipped @radicalriss.

You can follow Tiffany Springle (@tiffanyspringle) on Instagram for more content about men's knowledge of women's bodies.