It’s Time We Stopped Considering It ‘Unladylike’ For Women To Fart

When I was growing up, my mom taught me that farting is gross and unladylike.

I’ve only heard her fart once or twice in my life. And I remember she was quite embarrassed she wasn’t able to hold it in.

On the contrary, my dad was the gas king. He would frequently burp and pass gas whenever he felt like it. It could be in the middle of dinner and he’d let one rip. My mom would give him a dirty look while my sisters and I struggled to hold back our laughs. However, if I broke wind at dinner, both of my parents would scold me for being rude.

Now that I’m in my parents’ position, I want to change the whole culture of flatulence. In our household, there is no shame in bottom burps. Here’s why I encourage my daughter to fart when she needs to.

What does it mean to raise a daughter to be respectful, but not nice? Laura Mullin explains.

Provides Potential Health Benefits For Fart Smellers

First, it’s about science. Farts smell bad, sure, but smelling them can actually be good for you. Hydrogen sulfide is a gas that gives your farts that rotten egg smell. Although it’s stinky, exposing yourself to farts can have potential health benefits.

Several animal studies I've read showed that hydrogen sulfide can prevent cell damage by helping them regulate oxidative stress better. The underlying explanation is that when cells are stressed, enzymes will create hydrogen sulfide to protect their mitochondria (the powerhouse of cells). Therefore, if we expose cells to hydrogen sulfide, it can help keep mitochondria strong and healthy.

It seems that smelling farts, whether your own or someone else’s, could have the potential to lower blood pressure, prevent stroke and heart disease, improve brain health and protect your kidneys.

Even if "whoever smelt it, dealt it," according to these studies it wouldn't be a huge problem that they did. 

The Pain of Holding It In Can Affect Your Mental Health

I remember the last time I had to hold a fart in.

It was during school.

Everyone was super focused on completing an exam. It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

"Elsa said it best: Let it go! Let it go! Can’t hold it back anymore!"

Over time, my stomach was in knots and the bloating became unbearable. The pain and stress of holding it in negatively affected my mental state and concentration. All I wanted to do was finish up as quickly as possible. I didn’t double-check my answers. Once I handed in my work, I ran to the bathroom to relieve myself.

I don’t want my daughter to feel inhibited by her bodily functions when she needs to perform under pressure.

Maybe Elsa said it best: Let it go! Let it go! Can’t hold it back anymore!

Forms A Smelling Bond Between Her and Her Dad

My daughter is a mommy’s girl. She only wants to hold my hand and only wants me tucking her in at night.

I am the one she goes to when she’s having a bad day. I’m the one who she’ll climb up on when she needs to be comforted.

It’s been like that since day one and my husband has been left out too many times to count. Farting isn’t my forte. I’m not trying to toot my own horn (pun intended) but I actually don’t fart often and I've never found fart jokes funny.

To me, it’s merely the body’s way of getting rid of excess gas. There’s nothing hilarious or disgusting about it.

"If farts bring joy to their lives, I won’t stand in their way."

However, my husband is a fart machine who owns his instrument and enjoys making music. Farting is a smelly interest that has brought my daughter and husband together.

Currently, they are in the 100th battle of their long drawn-out fart war. On any given day, my daughter will run up to her dad, turn around and let out a trumpet-sounding one. He will retaliate with a silent but deadly one. They’ll end up laughing on the floor, grossed out but having utter fun with one another.

If farts bring joy to their lives, I won’t stand in their way.

Although, I might just hang around to absorb the health benefits.

Quentin Janes' daughter is an only child, so he sees it as his duty to be her best friend as well as her parent.

Promotes Gender Equality

Lastly, which gender comes to your mind when you think about fart jokes and loud burps?

Males.

When boys do it, it’s often considered funny and entertaining. But when a girl does it, it can be received with disapproval and disgust.

There can be an expectation for girls to be polite, respectful and have good manners. I grew up with those expectations and I held it together for too many years.

I believe it's time to eliminate the double standards when it comes to our bodily functions. We’re all human and we all have digestive systems. Farting is a normal physiological part of that.

All genders should have the opportunity to feel safe farting.

I’m taking the first step to dismantling these unfair stereotypes and empowering my daughter to pass gas as she pleases.

May other families follow suit and allow themselves to toot.