I must now confess, my dear readers, to being the most base of hypocrites. For you see I have always preached the holy doctrine: more lube more better.
I have not followed my own teachings. When inserting menstrual cups Iâll basically just shrug and shove it up into my body, reasoning that blood is good enough.
My beloved has always been utterly horrified by this practice but since Iâve been conditioned from a young age not to register most discomfort I just shrugged it off. It wasnât actively painful. Good enough. The topic has been a point of contention that never fails to make them throw their hands up in exasperation at me.
But recently one of my Flex cups tore on the little pull loop. You canât reconnect silicone with melting so the broken pull tab dangles like a little burr causing a lot of discomfort. I put up with it for two days, squirming from an increasing irritation that was impossible to ignore.
On the third day my beloved and I were in the bathroom together. I was in the shower while they got dressed in the mirror. After emptying my cup I huffed with annoyance at the thought of reinserting it. I used some lube. I reasoned that it might help make it bearable for this past day.
The experience was in every way more pleasant, not a routine to be suffered but just another part of my morning.
I said, âBabe. Hey. Oh my god. Iâve had a revelation. Iâve made a stunning breakthrough that no one has ever thought of before.â
âUh huh?â they replied distractedly, getting ready for work.
âNo. Come look at me. I need eye contact.â
The obediently turned and pulled aside the curtain to look at me.
âDid you know. That if you use lube. Putting in a menstrual cup is so easy? Itâs like, why havenât we been doing this all along? Who would ever do this without lube.â
âI told you so!â they crowed, equal parts smug and exasperated. âIâve told you for years!â
âI think youâre mistaken, I just made this discovery, no one has ever thought of this before.â
They rolled their eyes but went away secretly pleased.