Controversial ‘free bleeding' trend leaves people divided

A growing number of people are changing the way they monitor their flow during the time of the month - with 'free bleeding' becoming more and more popular.

Put simply, to free bleed is to freely menstruate without the use of a tampon, sanitary pad, menstrual cup or anything else designed to soak up your flow.

The reasons why people who menstruate are opting for this method are very interesting - and you might just discover you want to give it a go yourself.

And while whatever you choose to do during your period is entirely your own decision and always will be - whether it's down to health, preference or political reasons - that doesn't stop people from casting judgement or launching your method of choice into a subject of debate.

So let's look at the facts, shall we?

'Free bleeding' is the choice to not use a sanitary product during your menstrual cycle (Getty Stock Image)

Why do some people choose to free bleed?

There are various reasons why people have chosen to let it flow rather than stocking up on period products.

This includes resisting against patriarchal expectations, the ridiculously high price of tampons and pads, and to protest against the negative effects of period products on the environment.

The movement garnered much attention in 2015 after musician and activist Kiran Gandhi opted to free bleed while running the London Marathon in an effort to tackle period secrecy and taboos.

While her family publicly supported her, and others spoke out in support of Gandhi, in predictable fashion the act also received swathes of backlash - much of which came from those who haven't had periods.

Kiran Gandhi chose to free bleed during the 2015 London Marathon (Vartoogian/Getty Images)

Free bleeding backlash

A journalist, James Delingpole, declared that Gandhi had made the choice due to an online joke she had fallen for.

He wrote in an article for The Spectator: "Poor Kiran, and the liberal outlets which had applauded her gesture, were the victims of a cruel hoax", before going on to suggest her free bleeding had occurred due to the forum board 4chan, who had previously littered social media with faux-feminist accounts campaigning for 'Operation Free Bleeding' in an attempt to discredit the movement.

This isn't an accurate assessment from Delingpole, with Gandhi herself explaining that the roots of her decision were much deeper.

She wrote for The Independent following the marathon: "Our culture tells them to hide their monthly flow, despite the fact that the ways to clean it up are either unsustainable or unaffordable. Even women who are able to use pieces of cloth to absorb blood don’t always have private places at school or at work to change them out.

"As a result, they choose skipping school or work as a better, less shameful alternative."

Some people choose to forgo period products (Getty Stock Image)

She continued: "I got my flow the night before the London Marathon and it was extremely painful. It was going to be my first marathon, and I remember already feeling so nervous about it. I had spent a full year training hard, but I had never actually practiced running on my period.

"Running 26.2 miles with a wad of cotton material wedged between my legs just seemed so absurd.

"I knew that I was lucky to have access to sanitary products, and to be part of a society that at least treats periods with a degree of normality. I could definitely choose to participate in this norm at the expense of my own comfort and just deal with it quietly.

"But then I thought…

"If there’s one person society can’t eff with, it’s a marathon runner. You can’t tell a marathoner to clean themselves up, or to prioritise the comfort of others over theirs. On the marathon course, I could choose whether or not I wanted to participate in this status quo of shaming."

Some people with periods free bleed as a response to toxic shock syndrome (Getty Stock Image)

The history of free bleeding

Flo reported findings that it's widely believed that free bleeding gained momentum in the 1970s as a response to the risk of toxic shock syndrome (TSS) - not on an internet forum.

While TSS is rare, the consequences can include incredibly severe consequences including amputation, as was the case with Lauren Wasser, as well as being a potentially fatal condition.

TSS is caused by an infection, and it can happen when using tampons or menstrual cups, which is one of the major reasons why menstruating people are urged to change their tampon every eight hours at least and keep their cups clean.

Cedars-Sinai note 'certain bacterial infections release toxins into the bloodstream,' and that the 'toxins can spread to many body organs.'

Regardless of the reasons behind free bleeding, it's totally your choice.

Gandhi summed up: "Because it's all kept quiet, women are made to think that they shouldn't complain or talk about their own bodily functions, since no-one can see it happening. And if you can’t see it, it’s probably 'not a big deal'.

"And so I started bleeding freely."