Heavy metal or hemorrhage (you pick)

Toxic tampons are another reminder that women's wellness is never a priority in a patriarchy

Jul 15, 2024

I hemorrhaged blood for a good part of 2019.

In January, when I was hospitalized with preeclampsia before having my son prematurely, my surgeon visited one night to encourage me to think about getting my tubes tied.

“If we have to go to c-section,” he said, “You may want to consider sterilization.”

Odds were, if I were to try to have another baby, I would end up back in the hospital with the same life-threatening condition, but earlier and more severe.

I told him, “Let’s do it.”

I avoided c-section and tubal ligation, but I was desperate not to get pregnant, so I tried all manner of birth control:

Oral birth control made me feel crazy.

Condoms weren’t 100% effective.

I opted for a copper IUD, which made me bleed uncontrollably for weeks on end. I used eight or more XL tampons a day, with heavy-duty night-time pads, and still bled through my pants.

Still, I thought cheerfully: “this is better than pregnancy!”

Heavy metal tampons

Women are so used to sh*tty options for birth control that we are unsurprised — and even content — with side effects like:

weight gain
headaches
mood changes
severe stomach pain
acne
decreased libido

We’re raised to believe it’s an unavoidable part of “becoming a woman.”

So, after decades of trying to find the least of all menstrual evils, were we that surprised when we found out that period panties were full of PFAs?

Were we that surprised when, last week, measurable levels of 16 heavy metals were found in our tampons?

ICYMI, here are the highlights of the study:

Measurable levels of heavy metals, including zinc, lead, and arsenic, were found
in 30 tampons from 14 tampon brands and 18 product lines
They found ALL 16 types of heavy metals they tested for, but lead concentrations were higher in non-organic tampons while arsenic was higher in organic tampons
Some toxic metals like lead have no “safe” exposure level

Why this matters

Heavy metals are known to cause health problems like:

organ damage
memory loss
cancer
miscarriage
heart problems

And menstruating people use thousands of tampons in our lifetimes.

Reproductive pain is not a priority

The bigger issue is that women’s bodies are not a priority in our patriarchal society. We see it reflected in:

the “pink tax”
an absence of women in drug studies
the minimization of women’s pain and illness
our lack of childcare and mandated maternal leave

Our culture was founded in religious patriarchy in which menstruation and reproduction are “dirty,” and still today these topics are taboo. Even worse, our reproductive rights seem to constantly be under attack.

It’s no wonder that toxic levels of metal went under the radar; the FDA considers tampons a medical device and simply recommends that they not contain pesticide residue or dioxin.

What we want

If we can’t guarantee our access to gender-affirming healthcare or reproductive freedom, could we just (COULD WE JUST!) at least feel confident buying tampons? Is it too much to ask, America? Not even the ORGANIC ONES!?

FFS. As if we needed one more reminder that women’s bodies are never a priority (unless they’re being objectified for a profit).

I had a hysterectomy in 2022, and I would be lying if I said not having a period anymore wasn’t one of the things I looked forward to most.

I found a panty liner in one of my bags the other day, and pulled it out to show my husband:

“I can tell I haven’t used this purse in a long time!”

We laughed about it because that marked a long chapter of my life when time revolved around heavy bleeding.

It shouldn’t. It doesn’t have to.

What to do about it

Reproductive healthcare — and so much more — is on the line this November. Check your voter registration or get registered here. 🗳️

Women’s Sharing Circle

If you’re enraged, discouraged, or motivated by this topic, join me for our upcoming (free!) online Women’s Sharing Circle on Sept. 16.

Get on the zero-commitment “interested” list here.