Is hygiene a fake problem?

[ericclayton]

I've seen several articles written by male feminists articulating that women's hygiene products are a product of the patriarchy. Do women not sweat or produce odor like men do?

Updates

9 mo

This question is rhetorical, to be clear. Yes, it's low-hanging fruit, but I thought why not have fun with it!

[TrimmedTip]

Here’s a blunt but balanced take:

**"Hygiene isn’t ‘fake’—it’s biology. Bodies get funky. But the *obsession* with it? Often manufactured.**

- **Real problem:** Skipping showers = stank, infections, social exile.
- **Fake problem:** Corporations convincing you that ‘natural’ smells (even right after a shower) need 17 products to be ‘acceptable.’

**TL;DR:** Basic hygiene = health. The $200 ‘intimate deodorant’? That’s the scam."**

*(Optional spice:)*
*"P. S. Yes, your great-grandma washed with a bar of soap and lived to 90. Think on that."* 💀

[ProbablyClueless]

SOME feminine deodorizing products are the result of a fake problem.

Vaginal scent is a fake problem. The unbelievable level of under boob and armpit stank that comes from working a long, sweaty day in clothing without much ventilation is absolutely not made up.

[FreyaRed]

Clickbait.
It's like: "Red is greener as green" without giving any credible reason or it's basing on individual or subjective opinion of some weirdo.
Journalism is dead, there is no investigation just click baiting and propaganda.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

I’m pretty sure those articles were talking about the pink tax on feminine products that are shared with men such as razors and deodorant, not the products themselves.

[ericclayton]

I don't think they're that deep. This is Guardian-tier discourse, not academic thought.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

It’s… not academic, it’s economic? Buzzfeed did a video about it, it’s not really a thinky thing

[Anonymous]

They aren’t saying hygiene, like brushing your teeth or washing yourself in a shower or wearing clothes that have been washed.

Tbh Deodorants I wouldn’t say are Patriarchy created or driven.
There are Patriarchy issues and all, though that is stupid clickbait meant for you to discuss, share, retweet, and read it in rage to share with everyone which fuels engagement.

The writer isn’t the idiot, it is the person who shares it and collectively shit on it because that is what they want engagement. This isn’t a Patriarchy exclusive problem, more so Capitalism.

[Kaneki05]

Women smell much better than guys just naturally to us so kinda yeah tbh
I mean of course hygiene is still good, but a girl does not smell bad to me if she hasn't used any deodorant.
If ya asking how do I know? I've been around girlfriends who've been sweaty or not had a shower in a bit and etc and just smelt them naturally wasn't offensive at all.

[ericclayton]

Women have less apocrine glands than men, but that doesn't matter in the apehouse at the zoo. You think all that smell is only coming from males, lol?

[Kaneki05]

Other animals smell nothing like humans, nor are we attracted to that. But male monkeys are attracted by scent to female monkeys.
It's proven studies that we as humans also are. So yes I do relativity to their own species attraction.

It also even works the other way ya know women being attracted to guys scent but I'm talking about my experience and perspective. And in my experience I haven't smelt a girl who's got Oder I don't like

[SecretsofKB]

Yeah... I need deodorant just like the next person. I don't stink bad, but by the end of a long word day without any deodorant, I can smell myself.

[jshm2]

LOL, that's the scent and deodorant industry - not the hygiene industry.

The "hygiene industry" would be things like tampons, toilet paper, and soap.

[Makeushiver]

Ummm no. It's sort of a ground floor, introduction to, level 100 type of class. It's gernerally a prerequisite to some of the more advanced things mentioned in this forum. Try it, you may like it

[Anonymous]

Male feminists? lol

[Opinion Owner]

And that's the dumbest thing I ever heard. It seems like ANYTHING feminists don't like is automatically the fault of the so called patriarchy.

[glennos89]

I'm a male feminist... I would love to see ultra "I don't need a man" feminist being drafted for war hehe 😈

[Opinion Owner]

@glennos89 Sorry, but...

[glennos89]

You probably are a hardcore feminist 😂😂

[Opinion Owner]

@glennos89 Nope, I'm not any kind of feminist.

[Opinion Owner]

Actually I take that back. I consider myself a traditional feminist. But I want nothing to do with the modern movement.

[glennos89]

Ok that's a good thing then. The modern day movement is delusional and disrespectful towards men to be honest. Being the traditional version is good

[wkhan_87]

Women also need hygiene practice..
They also can produce odor and sweat for sure..

[wkhan_87]

But women are better about maintain hygiene

[Anonymous]

Male feminists are just 'men' who seek easy loving so befriend feminists and claim to be one for that reason

[Sal_Monella]

Much of it is not. You can smell a sweating gorilla across the yard. They don't use deodorant. But yeast is an issue for women and fat men.

[Snakeyes7]

The moment I saw the word "patriarchy," I knew this person is full of it.

[DrPepper12]

There's a lot of patriarchy in all consumerism.

[beefcakebradybatson]

You've never lived in my assisted living centre or you wouldn't come up with this dumb question.

[Anonymous]

Patriarchy? Talk about a fake problem, lol. Conjuring up fake problems is what today's feminism is all about.

[leahzrc]

you can rub rock salt on your armpits

[exitseven]

is it weird if i think that is sort of hot?

[exitseven]

No, it is a real issue.

[Anonymous]

As a woman , yes we do sweat

[Anonymous]

It can be sometimes.