Sunday, February 1, 2009

Another use for the internet

I'm going to take a brief break from writing about online dating to share with you this lovely (read: horribly offensive) story I heard on the radio yesterday. I couldn't find the reference to it on the radio's website, but I was able to find the original story, courtesy of the New Zealand Herald.

KIWI BLOKES LOGGING ON TO PMS

Kiwi blokes who fear their partner's hormonal hissy-fits are keeping tabs on their "time of the month" with online reminders.

About 10,000 New Zealanders have signed up to American site PMSBuddy.com, which sends email warnings when Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) is due to hit.

The warnings are colour-coded with messages such as "she's on yellow - tread carefully, fella" wand the website claims to be "saving relationships one month at a time."

If you think you can handle it, read the rest here.

P.S. In searching for the story, I came across wikiHow's article entitled, "How to Deal with a Pre Menstrual Girlfriend".

7 comments:

Superquail said...

While I agree that this stuff seems pretty offensive, I also can understand how some guys are just trying to figure things out. A lot of people suffer from the idea that young boys will be damaged if you talk about menstruation in front of them, and many parents are completely uncomfortable with the subject. For the most part, even sex ed programs don't always require the boys to learn about what's going on with girls. So, many men are just lost and don't know what's going on at all.

I dated a guy once who was so high-strung about that shit that if you even said the word "period" in his presence, he would want to leave the room.

Katie said...

I'll buy that. However, I think it's also important for guys to know that not every woman becomes a moody bitch before her period. She may have an even greater penchant for chocolate, but that's another story…

Superquail said...

The other side of that equation is that sometimes women have bad moods or are upset because of something besides hormones. Men are often very willing to assume that everything women feel or think is irrational because we menstruate and they don't. If you look at the actual symptom check list for PMS, most men would qualify.

One of the long-standing problems in medicine is the deeply rooted idea that being female is a medical condition and that all women are simply men who are seriously ill. Reducing all of a woman problems down to her uterus really trivializes her.

Katie said...

I so agree with you…

Fellmama said...

As the wonderful Melissa McEwan of Shakesville puts it, "PMS does not lower one's ability to reason; it lowers one's patience and, hence, tolerance for bullshit."

Superquail said...

Have I ever told you my theory that I get smarter during my period? There is something about a low level of pain that helps me focus my mind better, keeps me from drifting. At least, that's one theory I've got.

Katie said...

No, SQ, I don't think you've told me that. I wish I got smarter. I tend to have a greater chance of getting sick and I'm often extremely clumsy. Oh well, we can't all win, but at least I don't get cramps.