Nosy coworker calls woman out for leaving tampon applicator and wrapper in work trashcan, claims 'she need[s] to be more discreet because it is a mixed bathroom': 'People have different tolerance levels'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Jan 17, 2025 3:00 PM EST

Oftentimes in polite society, we're supposed to pretend like we don't have bodies. We're embarrassed if our stomaches grumble in a quiet classroom because we're hungry for lunch. In the states, we look down on saying the word "toilet," in favor of gentler words like "restroom" "water closet" or even "little girls/boys room." If our bodies make any sort of involuntary noise, we're supposed to say "excuse me," as if our bodies are unruly children we would really rather get rid of. Like it or not, this is the way things run. And sure, we don't need to go around burping in each other's faces, but there has to be some middle ground where we can be humans with bodies and not feel so awkward about it. 

Menstruation is a hot-button topic when it comes to this subject. We've made a lot of progress about demystifying periods, and hopefully younger generations will be more evolved than us. But does that extend to the workplace? And where do we draw the line?

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10455228416
    via Natracare

  • This story reveals some tensions in how we treat our personal waste in a public setting, the workplace. Some of us are more comfortable with the realities of live, it seems, while others would like to be hermetically sealed away from anything potentially gross. Read on for the story and see what you think. 

  • 02

    AITA for not hiding Tampon Trash at work?

    I started my period earlier today while at work. No big deal, I put in a tampon and threw the wrapper and applicator into the mostly empty, medium sized trash can (no lid) without thinking twice about it. Then I just got back to my job.
    via u/Olive___Oil
  • 03
    Two hours later, the only other woman on this floor came into my office and told me I had left the tampon wrapper and applicator "out in the open" and that "anyone could see that." She also said I "need to be more discreet because it is a mixed bathroom."
    via u/Olive___Oil
  • 04
    I immediately thought her comment was ride, but a friend pointed out she might have thought she was helping by letting me know. Still, I don't think there's any need to hide perfectly normal trash. If it were an actual used tampon, I would wrap it for sanitary and smell reasons, but this was just small bits of plastic in the trash can. I grew up in a house full of sisters, and my fiancé is very chill about menstruation. I've heard of men being weird about periods, but I've never personally exper
    via u/Olive___Oil
  • 05
    Another friend suggested I go to HR to make a statement and verify what's expected, but I feel like that's over the top. I'm more inclined to just fume about it for the rest of the day and move on without changing how I throw away things. TLDR: I don't hid my tampon wrapper and applicator in trash at work.
    via u/Olive___Oil
  • 06

    Some commenters were quick to come to the employee's defense.

    Malibu_Cola • 17h ago NTA. You put it in the trash. You didn't leave it out in the open. What did she expect you to do? Stick your hand in and put other trash over it? You don't know what's in the trash can, nor should you find out.
    via u/Malibu_Cola
  • 07
    majordisappointm... 18h ago NTA, women menstrate, everyone knows it. This woman needs to back off. As a guy who might used a mixed bathroom, I'm not analyzing what is on top of the trash can... I'm not even really looking in it except to make sure my trash hits it.
    via u/maj0rdisappointment
  • 08
    And there are better things HR should be doing than coming up with a policy on trash in a shared bathroom.
    via u/maj0rdisappointment
  • 09
    Erchamion_1 17h ago Out in the open in the trash can? Is there a recommended amount of coverage for this trash to be covered by other trash before it's acceptable? How deep is this person digging in the trash in this scenario? How often do they dig through the trash? Why do they feel the need to be looking into the trash?
    via u/Erchamion_1
  • 10
    NTA, but I'm really sorry, I have no idea what you should do here. I don't think HR is a good option, HR is just looking to avoid liability for the company.
    via u/Erchamion_1
  • 11
    Cheezburger Image 10455227392
    via Unsplash+ (Toa Heftiba)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 12
    EmceeSuzy 17h ago NTA You need to seize this opportunity to leave increasingly peculiar and inappropriate items in the bathroom waste basket. Empty Dorito Bags, Condom wrappers, STi pamphlets, spent tubes of hemorrhoid cream, torn men's underpants...
    via u/EmceeSuzy
  • 13
    MissAnth 17h ago • NTA. You didn't leave it on her desk. You put it in the trash, where it belongs. Anyone looking through the trash deserves whatever they see. I'm more inclined to just fume about it for the rest of the day and move on without changing how I throw away things. This is the correct response.
    via u/MissAnth
  • 14
    Youcanreadit 17h ago • Though I don't think periods are shameful I as a women do think you should put the applicator in the wrapper. I don't think you need to hide the wrapper :) more because at the end of the day someone has to empty the garbage and even in my own home i wrap my applicator. Again not the wrapper.
    via u/Youcanreadit
  • 15
    . angels-and-insects • 17h ago NTA. If the applicator had bl d on it, I'd put it inside the wrapper. But why did a bathroom bin have no lid?? (None of us should be flushing tampons, it turns. out.)
    via u/angels-and-insects
  • 16

    And others wondered how far we should take this idea of perceived cleanliness.

    Petty Me wants to advocate hiding the loo paper because it's horrific evidence that people and And any Right Minded Person would be appalled by that.
    via u/angels-and-insects
  • 17
    . Icy-Arrival2651 16h ago If the applicator had blod on it and wasn't wrapped up, then that's kinda gross. But the wrapper? Please. Does this person want all uncomfortable aspects of reality hidden in a nice dark cave somewhere? NTA but your body fluids might gross out others.
    via u/Icy-Arrival2651
  • 18
    LordFunkenstein 17h ago . NTA. It wasn't even a used tampon. Just some plastic and paper. Its the least gross thing in a bathroom trashcan. There are snot filled Kleenex and other nasty sh in there. An applicator and a wrapper aren't even gross. If you had left a fresh used tampon on the top of the trash then yeah that's nasty. But it wasn't. This ain't the 50s.
    via u/LordFunkenstein
  • 19
    Atypical-dude • 17h ago Why would it matter if it is a "mixed" bathroom or not. The "policy" should be the same. As a male I don't have a problem at all with you just chucking it in the bin! I don't care if it's covered or not.
    via u/Atypical-dude
  • 20
    BackgroundGate3 • 16h ago Isn't there a bin next to the toilet for the disposal of pads and tampons? I put the wrapper and tube in there. We were only three women in a building of 25 men, but there was still a bin in the toilet.
    via u/BackgroundGate3
  • 21
    BayAreaPupMom . 16h ago People have different tolerance levels for items that have come in contact with bl d. It's a trigger for some. I get noses on occasion and I make sure the red part isn't visible in trash cans, for this reason.
    via u/BayAreaPupMom
  • 22
    No issue with the wrapper, but we all know where the applicator goes. It is in contact with...biological material, let's just say. Wrapping up in a piece of toilet paper before tossing in a workplace bathroom is a step in discretion that would probably be appreciated. At home, up to you, but I do the same thing as a courtesy to my family.
    via u/BayAreaPupMom
  • 23
    apschizo 16h ago . Why are you all sorting and staring at the trash? Even when emptying trash it's a grab the bag and go kind of thing, not "hmmm what do we have here" kind of thing. Seriously....
    via u/apschizo

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terrible coworkers boss antiwork period workplace-stories toxic-workplace job bosses work coworkers working reddit story toxic-boss workplace tampons reddit thread bad bosses Reddit menstruation toxic-work-environment
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