-->'''Al:''' You know who is a good woman? Veronica. You know, from Archies comics? She never had a period.\\
'''Steve:''' That's true. But she still had an attitude problem.\\
'''Al:''' You're right, there are no good ones.\\
--''MarriedWithChildren''

-->Modess ... ''because.''\\
--[[http://www.mum.org/modbec.htm Carefully unspecific advertising copy]]

Surfing the Crimson Tide. On the Rag. Riding the Cotton Pony. Receiving a Visit from Auntie Flo. Falling To The Communists. Liverpool Playing At Home. Walking Through a Field of Wildflowers in Soft Focus. Winning A Starring Role In A Period Costume Drama. '''That''' Time Of The Month... [[HurricaneOfEuphemisms When I'm Not At My Best]]... Because [[BrutalHonesty My]] ''[[BrutalHonesty Uterus]]'' [[BrutalHonesty Is]] ''[[BrutalHonesty Bleeding]]''.

This does not happen to TV and movie characters. It is rarely even ''indirectly'' alluded to. The only time this biological process is alluded to is under the following circumstances:

# When a woman ''misses'' a period, as an indication that she's about to be tied to a pregnancy plotline.
# As part of a VerySpecialEpisode exploring a young girl's entrance into puberty. (Said girl may be horribly shocked when her period happens, thinking she's dying from some horrible disease. The likelihood of such a thing happening increases if the story is set pre-1960s, before sex-ed and frank public discussion of sexuality became the norm. Alternatively, she may shock the adult characters by having read all the available books on menstruation and talked to the school nurse).
# At the other end, the onset of menopause halts menstruation, making it [[MistakenForPregnant comically ambiguous with pregnancy]].
# A setting with werewolves contains a brief reference to "times of the month". This connection is never explored in detail.
# A [[{{Crossdresser}} Girl is disguised as a boy]] and as a plot point suddenly has to conceal (or is outed by) her menstruation.
# The woman is a main character trying to get pregnant.

Sometimes periods are played for comedy, as when one or both members of a SitCom couple work themselves into a frenzy of anticipation for a planned sexual encounter, but the woman goes "on the rag" just before it happens. Or when a woman's Time of the Month turns her into a rampaging PMS monster, inflicting pain and woe on any hapless man unlucky enough to fall within her line of vision. A less common gag, typically seen in parodies of VerySpecialEpisode-type stories, is that any discussion of the topic will cause all males in the room to flee in horror - which also gives the writers an excuse to shift attention away from the conversation. This is sometimes [[InvokedTrope invoked]] by having two women bring up the topic intentionally to make the men leave. Males always seem to find menstruation a Squicky subject ...

Outside of mainstream television, this restriction is somewhat relaxed, but even so the topic only mentioned in passing, if at all. Naturally, [[DeadBabyComedy Dead Baby Comedies]] are happy to make jokes about menstruation, but usually only allude to the topic. With novels, it depends on the target audience; while adventure and romance stories usually avoid the topic like the plague, some 'serious' women's fiction treats the matter thoughtfully and in detail. In ScienceFiction, it generally only comes up as a contrast to someone else's BizarreAlienBiology. [[TransformationComic Transformation Comics]] often involve at least one throwaway gag on the subject, where a male-to-female GenderBender either has a period and doesn't know how to deal with it, or panics over the possibility of not getting switched back in time to avoid it. Other than that, the topic is usually avoided in favor of the more... [[AllMenArePerverts entertaining changes.]]

An ActionGirl will ''never'' get a menstrual period. Period. Nor does any ''other'' woman in an action-adventure story, unless she happens to be a sorceress, and her powers are somehow tied to her monthly cycle. It's not hard to see why - Sci-Fi and fantasy heroines probably couldn't even ''fit'' a maxi-pad into their skin-tight latex catsuits and {{stripperiffic}} bikinis. When Auntie Flo comes calling on Alice the Barbarian, out on the field slaughtering Scythians in her BreastPlate and leather thong, what's ''she'' going to do? Most writers don't care, [[MostWritersAreMale since they're male]], but female viewers are going to have their sense of immersion dinged at least a ''little'' upon seeing such a character, especially if it's ''obvious'' that she has no change of clothing on her. Ah well. BellisariosMaxim, folks. However, there may be [[TruthInTelevision some truth]] in this, since serious female athletes will often experience irregular and/or fewer periods; the jury's still out on exactly why (body fat composition? stress? hormonal changes?).

Also, due to American [[MediaWatchdogs television broadcast standards]], animated women in family-oriented shows are ''never'' allowed to get periods or even talk about them. Any mentions of menstruation in a Japanese {{anime}} are fully excised before it is allowed to be shown on American TV. This can sometimes cause unexpected plot holes and long missing scenes, because in Japan a girl's first period is traditionally celebrated by her family with a special meal of red beans and rice.

A SweetPollyOliver, however, stands a fair chance of subverting this.

Occasionally a writer will mention periods in order to point out the effect they can have on animals, since predators may be drawn by the scent of blood.

Compare to NobodyPoops. Completely unrelated to NoPunctuationPeriod.
----
!!Exceptions

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:{{Anime}}]]
* ''KodomoNoJikan'' (at least the manga) had Aoki wondering whether Rin was getting hers.
** [[spoiler:As of the latest chapters, Mimi has gotten hers, which led to Reiji telling her to come to the toilet with him, and for a while it was implied something {{Squick}}y had happened - which it turns out, hadn't. He waited outside while she cleaned up and then he bought her some hot tea and wiped the blood off her hands.]]
* Sorceresses in the universe of ''TheSlayers'' lose their powers during their menstrual periods -- which spells a great deal of inconvenience for Lina Inverse, who finds herself having to fight an important battle during such a time. (The only spell Lina was able to conjure during the battle was a weak light spell.) Interestingly, after this battle was finished, Lina's period no longer became an issue in the series. Either she became ''extremely'' good at scheduling her future battles around her monthly cycle, or the writers lost interest in using the issue as a plot complication device.
* In ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'', Asuka throws a ''major'' tizzy about getting her period, as she believes that it is interfering with her ability to synchronize with her EVA. She even goes so far as to state that she wishes she didn't get periods, since she doesn't want to have children. Misato tries to pass this belief off to Ritsuko as the reason why Asuka is having trouble, though Ritsuko flatly states that the EVAs are not affected by that. (It's interesting to note that in one of the Director's Cut scenes, Asuka uses the same word to register her disgust at getting her period [[spoiler: as she does to register her disgust at the end of the movie, upon discovering that she has to share the world alone with Shinji--[[YourMileageMayVary if you think that's]] [[GainaxEnding actually what she meant]].]]). The same series also has the character Rei Ayanami making a vague comment about "a woman who does not bleed", which some fans take as implying that she does not menstruate. Other fans say that the "woman who does not bleed" is Lilith.
* Averted in ''LuckyStar'' like most offhand subjects, where the main girls have a casual conversation about the potential embarrassment of one during the BeachEpisode. One even begins to suspect that another, a 17-year-old who looks like she's still in her early teens, has never had a single period.
* The original ''TenchiMuyo'' {{OAV}}s manage a mention of Sasami's first pretty subtly.
* Sana in ''KodomoNoOmocha'' manages to be subtle for a change in an off-hand comment, saying she's already had "red beans and rice" when someone asks her.
* Also averted in ''GunslingerGirl'', where Triela spends a whole episode having menstrual cramps and subverting her normal "pleasant and kind big sister" thing with a wave of moody aggression that totally confuses her handler. Rather cruelly, it was her spotlight episode! She mentions that she's okay with the pain and blood, it tells her she's alive, and then pretty much repeats the line to the informer she was guarding, after being shot several times. Earlier, she imitates one of the instructors having them read from "The Merchant of Venice" (the line isn't quoted, but I'd lay big money it's "If you cut us, do we not bleed?")
** The same episode has Henrietta [[{{Squick}} casually remark that she can't get periods, since her uterus was removed as part of the cyborgation process]] (with the implication that it was actually the horrific sexual assault that she went through before being turned into a cyborg that did it, and the "removed uterus" story is just a cover). Just in case you had any lingering doubts about how badly these girls were violated.
* The series ''TenshiNoShippoChuu!'' featured one of the girls, Momo the Monkey, getting her first period.
* The manga ''{{Hana-Kimi}}'' is unique among all those who have the plot "Girl must crossdress to stay in a All-male boarding school" because it acknowledges that the teenage protagonist menstruates, and the danger to her facade if that fact is discovered. In fact, her periods are mentioned in several episodes, and sometimes concealing them became a part of the plot. The protagonist even compares openly the Japanese and American feminine products, and express a preference for the Japanese ones...
* In an aversion, [[WholesomeCrossdresser Mizuho]] from ''OtomeWaBokuNiKoishiteru'' claims to be on "her" period (being at an all-girls' school helps) to avoid revealing "her" true nature in swimming class.
* In ''{{Berserk}}'', the swordswoman Caska nearly gets killed once when she insists on fighting in battle despite feeling sick due to her period.
**This Troper feels that it was somewhat overplayed, feeling generally icky is to be expected but not the level that {{Intimate Healing}} is required.
*** It wasn't. Periods vary widely from one person to the next, and some unlucky people really do have such heavy bleeding and severe pain that it can cause them to pass out (even without the added stress of going to war).
** Even the "feeling icky" part may be minor for ''normal'' people, but fatal to someone who has to fight. I wouldn't want to have a swordfight when I desperately want to curl up and sleep.
* Averted in ''HighSchoolGirls''. Naturally, since the setting is in Japan in a girls' high school, they aren't going to avoid the subject, leading to one character's explanation of why she can't use Japanese-style toilets on her period, or a star athlete being kept from participating in a sports festival due to unexpectedly severe menstrual cramps.
* Subverted in ''KoiKaze'' in which Nanoka has her first period on three months, causing her to get sick. It turns out to be a moment to bond with her older brother who is [[BrotherSisterIncest sexually attracted to her]].
* Subverted and made plot relevant in ''FafnerInTheAzureDeadAggressor'' [[spoiler: Yumiko alludes to the fact that her period is late, which turns out to be very important, as she is carrying the first child to be naturally conceived on the island for the last 30 years]]
* Subverted in an "Ai-Ao Theater" [[{{Omake}} omake]] in the ''AiYoriAoshi'' manga. After [[spoiler:Aoi and Kaoru have sex for the first time]], Miyabi meets Aoi by the ocean, dramatically congratulates her, and hands her a box of...red beans and rice, to Aoi's immense confusion.
* The short {{gender bender}} manga ''{{Akane-chan Overdrive}}'' actually [[TooMuchInformation shows what happens]] when Mr. Just-Became-A-Girl is ignorant of periods.
* The manga version of ''NaruTaru'' shows Shiina get her first (& possibly only) period towards the end. And in an early volume Satomi is having her period when she becomes temporarily catatonic during a rather vicious battle. Akira is taunted by some girls at school because of her period and she mentions that she did just had her period.
* ''PuniPuniPoemi'':
--> Itsue: "Or is your period -"
--> Mitsuki: "Is that all you can think about, Itsue?"
* The opening of ''GhostInTheShell'' has Batou inquire about the unusual noise in Major Kusanagi's brain. She responds, "Must be that time of the month." Which is odd, considering she has a fully cybernetic body. The English dub replaces the line with "Must be a loose wire."
** She makes this line in every continuity. It's implied that although the visible physical effects don't happen because of her artificial body, her brain-chemistry is unaffected, and ''will'' get periods, lack of required organs be damned.
** ''Or,'' she doesn't feel like answering Batou's questions and wants him to mind his own business, so she deflects him with an obviously nonsensical response.
** Um, yeah, I always sort of assumed that was meant to be a deliberately ironic wisecrack from the Major. It's certainly not like it'd be out of character for her to make a sardonic joke, even if that generally falls more into Batou's domain.
* Averted in ''HourouMusuko'' where main girl Yoshino's period is a regular occurrence, and an addition to the list of reasons she'd [[{{Transsexual}} much rather be a boy.]]
** Probably more that as a trans male the period is a sign she is starting to mature and reach puberty which will change her body to be more female and that can be a very bad thing when you are trans. Not that she just wants to transition to get rid of them.
* Averted in ''TrinityBlood'', at least in the novels. The fact that Cardinal Caterina Sforza has just started her menstrual period is mentioned in passing as one of the reasons she's tired and a little grouchy and wants to return from a trip to sleep comfortably in her own bed. Neither the tiredness nor the grouchiness is exaggerated or used comedically.
** Especially notable: there are many vampire characters in Trinity Blood. None of them notice or care about her menstruation.
* A bumpy road appears for Sei at ''KazeHikaru'' at the dawn of her first period, as she is masquerading as a man to be part of the Shinsen Gumi, fortunately Akesato, a courtesan in Shimabara and her only female friends helps her out, first by teaching her what to use to contain the... erhh... tide? then by having her among the some days using "man's needs" as a pretext.
* In the manga ''{{Futaba-kun Change}}'', Futaba finds out that when he is on his period, he can't go back to being male until it's over. His period also releases pheromones that cause any man he comes in contact with fall in love with him.
* Considering her age, Tsukiko Sagi was probably experiencing a menstrual cramp during the flashback in ''ParanoiaAgent'' in which she starts clutching her stomach in pain [[spoiler: while walking her dog Maromi, causing her to accidentally let go of the leash and release Maromi into traffic where he is struck and killed by a car, ''essentially setting off the events of the whole series...'']]
* First chapter of {{After School Nightmare}}. [[spoiler: To a ''male'' character. Kind of.]]
* ''{{Omohide Poro Poro}}'' AKA ''OnlyYesterday'', directed by {{Isao Takahata}} of [[StudioGhibli Ghibli]] fame, brings out menstruation very realistically as expected from {{josei}} anime and also gives a perspective on the openness of Japanese culture to referencing and more importantly teaching young girls about it. Even sketches pubescent girls' varied reactions to the new life experience and new knowledge, from happy acceptance--it means I'm growing up--to reluctance--but it's messy--to outright shame--boys mock me for it.
** This trope's aversion is generally cited as a major reason (if not ''the'' only reason) this is the only Ghibli film Disney has the rights to that it has not dubbed and released stateside (see Miyazaki's famous "No Cuts" policy).
* ''{{Karin}}'' features a teenage girl reverse-vampire who has a monthly problem with blood - which has nothing to do with her reproductive system. She chooses not to disillusion her friend who assumes her problem is her period. It's also revisited later when her younger sister comes into her vampiric power, and the same friend makes the same misinterpretation.
* One chapter of the ''OhMyGoddess'' manga includes Keiichi thinking that Skuld's strange behavior is due to her getting her first period - she's actually growing into more of her goddess powers.
* An episode of ''[[BubblegumCrisis A.D. Police Files]]'' involves a stern, capable businesswoman who's insulted by her male peers for allegedly letting her menstrual cycle affect her judgement. She has herself cybernetically altered to get rid of her periods, but finds that CyberneticsEatYourSoul. FridgeLogic sets in when the viewer inevitably wonders how replacing your pelvis with machinery could be preferable to a hysterectomy.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{ComicBooks}}]]
* Semi-subverted in ''{{Runaways}}'', Nico has the power to manifest a magical staff whenever her blood is spilled, something which she finds very unpleasant since it forces her to frequently cut herself and she has never been a cutter. After one particular magical battle, another team member expresses confusion at the fact that she seemed to manifest her staff without bleeding this time, only for Nico to reveal that not all bleeding comes from knife wounds. It is still not a regular issue for the characters (Despite the fact that the gang has four girls, all in or entering puberty, and more women get added later), but at least it was brought up without it being [[VerySpecialEpisode A Very Special Issue]].
** And of course, subverted in Molly asking several characters about her changing body and mysterious bleeding. Each and every character (Including her doctor parents) mumble, stutter, and brush her off with the obvious assumption that she's "becoming a woman," only for TheReveal that her body is changing into a [[CuteBruiser super-strong mutant]] and she was suffering from a PsychicNosebleed from her emerging mutant powers.
*** Also, on one shopping trip, Karoline and Nico buy "enough feminine hygiene products to last until the end of the world or menopause. Whichever comes first".
* Averted in ''{{The Boys}}'' quite [[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v646/bobmitchell/blog%20pics/boys2.jpg staggeringly.]]
* A ''{{Dilbert}}'' strip mentions this by implication. Alice wants a day off to see her doctor, and the PointyHairedBoss refuses until she starts vaguely describing her condition as a "woman thing". The Boss quickly agrees and runs away with his hands over his ears looking panicked. Whether this was Alice's actual condition or just a method of getting her way is left unaddressed.
**In another strip, Alice apologizes for her bad mood, saying that it's almost time for her "friend" to visit. Dilbert doesn't understand, and says that a visit from a friend should be a happy occasion. Alice is not amused...
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{Film}}]]
* The title character of the film (and book) ''{{Carrie}}'' has her PsychicPowers [[PubertySuperpower start to manifest]] after a sickening incident in the gym shower, when she discovers herself menstruating. Her classmates mercilessly torment her about it, and as a result, she has to be sent home. Carrie, of course, was ignorant about how her own body worked thanks to the efforts of her mother, a religious fanatic with a pathological fear of sex.
* Amanda Bynes' ''ShesTheMan'' featured Amanda cross dress at an all boys school. A running-gag in the movie was Amanda's character telling her male-roomies that the tampons in 'his' bags were used to stuff up 'his' nose if 'he' ever got a soccer ball to the face. Thus, other guys at the school began to imitate.
* In ''GingerSnaps'', Ginger getting her period is a major plot point; the blood attracts a werewolf which had been killing pets in the area and it attacks Ginger. At first her sister Bridget attributes the ensuing personality change to hormones...
* A minor plot point in ''PitchBlack'', the young "boy" travelling with our fleeing group is revealed to be otherwise when Riddick announces it is her menstrual blood attracting the monsters. They can smell it. Apparently, so can he...
* In ''{{A Walk On The Moon}}'', Anna Paquin's character Alison gets her first period, and when she tells her grandmother Lillian, Lillian slaps her. Alison asks why her grandmother did that, and Lillian says it's what ''her'' grandmother did when she got ''her'' first period. Alison hesitates a moment, then slaps her grandmother back... who then says ''she'' did that too.
* In what is intentionally an awkward conversational moment in ''CenterStage'', when Maureen's mother feels she is acting odd and touchy, she asks, "Did you just start your period?" Maureen, who is actually dealing with a serious emotional issue rather than being hormonal, replies with shock in the negative.
* In one of the ''BridgetJones'' movies, the title character reflects that she's had three months of uninterrupted good sex - then realizes that that means she hasn't had a period in all that time. [[FridgeLogic Though the character had realized she hadn't had a period so it must be true]], the statement itself [[NoPreggerSex would not necessarily indicate a missed period]] in the real world.
* In ''MyGirl'' Vada Sultenfuss, raised as she was without a mother, was convinced she was "hemorrhaging".
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2Bs1ZZ-7b8 These people]] In ''TheMeaningOfLife'' seem more embarrassed by a woman giving the explanation of a "heavy period" as to why they are leaving than they are by the diner next to them vomiting uncontrollably.
*In ''{{Superbad}}'', someone points out a red spot on one of the main character's pant legs. The main character is confused about where it came from until someone else asks "Dude, were you dancing with a chick in there?". Indeed he had been, and hilarity ensues.
*In ''Summer School'', the character Pam House convinces her teacher, Mr. Shoop, that she should be allowed to leave class because of cramps. Another student character (Francis "Chainsaw" Gremp) specifically alludes to this trope by saying, "This menstruation thing? It's a scam! Women are so lucky."
* In "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka", one of the female characters beats up a gang sent to kidnap her. When one of the gang members asks if she is possessed by the devil (possibly due to her glowing red eyes) she replies simply "No - cramps!"
*In ''{{Clueless}}'', Cher argues her way out of a tardy mark by declaring that she'd been "surfing the crimson wave". Whether she actually was or is just using it as an excuse is not clear, but it works.
* In [[LethalWeapon Lethal Weapon 3]], after Lorna Cole has finished beating on five henchmen, she rounds on Murtaugh, apparently about to smack his lights out, until she registers it's him and stops. The following dialogue occurs.
--> '''Cole:''' This PMS, it's murder
--> '''Murtaugh:''' [[CrowningMomentOfFunny I know, been married 25 years, got two daughters.]]
* In ''{{Mean Girls}}'', when the principal is trying to mediate problems between members of the school's female population, "lady to lady":
--> '''Mr Duvall:''' Now does anyone have a "lady problem" they would like to discuss? Yes?
--> '''Girl:''' Somebody wrote in that book that I'm lying about being a virgin because I use super jumbo tampons... But I can't help it that I have a heavy flow and a wide-set vagina!
--> '''Mr Duvall:''' ...yeah, I can't do this.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{Literature}}]]
* At least one [[TheBible Bible]] story mentions a woman faking a period so she can get out of having her saddlebag searched. (Since this is ''before'' the days of tampons and maxi-pads, one can see why the guards searching her were hesitant to press the issue.)
** Also, the ancient Hebrews regarded menstrual blood (and the woman shedding it) as ritually unclean, making it even easier to understand.
*** Though the story takes place about 400 years before the law about menstruation being ritually unclean was in place, ''and'' the guards in question weren't Hebrew. Gotta chalk this one up to plain old male {{Squick}} at the idea of periods.
** The story was pre-Hebrew. It was Rachel, Jacob's wife.
*** You mean Jacob who was also called Israel? How is that "pre-Hebrew"?
**** Well, the Hebrews didn't become a nation until a few generations later. The guards wouldn't have been Hebrew, as at the time, Jacob and his family were pretty much it for the Hebrews.
**** Actually, though, the "guards" weren't just anybody; it was Rachel's father, searching for property she'd stolen when she left his house. So even though the ritual provisions for menstruation that appear in later books of the Bible weren't in place yet, these people, the soon-to-be Israelites, probably already had the same set of squicks that would later be codified.
** In one of Lynda Robinson's Lord Meren mysteries, Meren's daughter takes advantage of ancient Egyptian men's identical squeamishness to smuggle something out of the house in a basket of used blood-cloths.
** In fact, when the apostle Paul tells us that all his good deeds and general funkiness are "as dirty rags" compared to his faith in God, this is the kind of rag he's referring to. The same applies for Old Testament prophets.
** As a matter of fact, if you've ever wondered what the Jamaican insults "Bumbacloth" and "Bloodcloth" come from... look no further.
* In Kelly Armstrong's ''WomenOfOtherworld'' series, a witch must undergo a certain mystic ritual between her first period and her second, to release her full power, otherwise, she'll forever have the power level she starts with. One of the series protagonists, Paige Winterborne, finds out to her dismay that she'd been taught a truncated version of the ritual, which only partially released a witch's power.
* In Jean M. Auel's ''[[EarthsChildren Clan of the Cave Bear]],'' periods are given plenty of weight and discussion. The Cave Bear Clan (Neanderthals) believe that every woman is protected by her Totem animal, which resides inside her, and that on a regular basis her Totem does battle with a man's Totem. If her Totem wins, it is only injured and she bleeds. If her Totem loses, she gets pregnant. Consequently, there are rules requiring the separation of men and women when the woman is menstruating, lest another man's Totem animal be drawn into the losing battle.
* In ''{{Dust}}'' by Elizabeth Bear, which is sort of Fantasy on a dying space ship, Rien is relieved to reach showers and medical supplies because she is menstruating.
* In JudyBlume's book - ''[=~Are you there, God? It's Me, Margaret~=]'' - Margaret Simon and a group of her friends keep track of who has her period first. Margaret turns out to be the second last of the girls to get hers.
* In Marion Zimmer Bradley's ''[[{{Darkover}} Hawkmistress!]]'', the protagonist is a girl travelling in disguise as a boy. Her menstrual cycle catches her unaware and poses a large problem to her disguise.
* In OrsonScottCard's ''EndersGame'', Valentine mentions that she's not even old enough to have a regular period.
* There's a lovely scene in Douglas Coupland's ''{{Microserfs}}'' where six characters -- three men, three women -- are in a computer room together. One of the women mentions that the local Fry's Electronics carries condoms but not tampons, and the conversation at once turns "entirely tamponic": the women unperturbedly discuss the most intimate biological details, one comparing intimate encounters with minipad adhesive to "getting a drive-by waxing". Meanwhile the men are burying their heads in their workstations pretending they're not there, while frantically instant-messaging each other ("Women have *chunky* days? Are guys supposed to know this stuff? I am experiencing fear.")
* The main character of Alison Croggan's ''TheGift'' has a period. Since she grew up a slave and had no sex education, she panics and assumes she is dying.
* In the second of David & Leigh Eddings' {{Belgariad}}-Universe narrative-flashback prequels, ''{{Polgara the Sorceress}}'', Polgara and Beldaran wake up one morning to discover that they "had become women during the night." Fortunately, they are promptly and matter-of-factly talked down from their fright [[spoiler:by their mother, Poledra, over the psychic link that she has with them.]]
* Tobin, the title character of [[{{Nightrunner}} Lynn Flewelling's]] ''Tamir Trilogy'' (there's a name change later; just go with it), suffers debilitating cramps and discovers blood in his trousers when he's about thirteen, and runs away from his friends because he thinks he's dying of the plague and doesn't want to give it to them. Nope, it's just The Awesome Power Of Menstruation breaking through the spell that's given ''her'' the shape of a boy since birth (a shock to her, but not to the reader). Given the amount of page space devoted to menstruation as the books progress, women in Tobin/Tamir's world must get their periods about once a week.
** If "six months pass," she'll get it six times. If "the next three years pass," she'll get it about 36 times. If "eight months pass and she has periods that suck and is impersonating a boy and has in fact only recently discovered she is a she," those eight periods are going to be distracting, they're going to suck, and she's going to think about them. It only feels like there's an excess of bleeding going on because this trope doesn't happen in these books.
** There are some other questions pertaining to how exactly that works given that Tobin has male genitals, but let's not think about that too hard...
* Periods are mentioned maybe twice, total, in the ''SwordOfTruth'' books. The first is when the main character receives a salve from one of his female bodyguards for a rash on his neck. As he starts rubbing it into his skin, she lists the ingredients, and he gets visibly disturbed when she gets to "and some of my moonflow blood." The second time is a major plotpoint during the fourth book. When a plague is sweeping through the city, the protagonist goes to see his fiancee, only to be told she isn't feeling well; her handmaiden explains that she's on her "moonflow," and does a little LampshadeHanging by saying she normally wouldn't mention it, except to assuage his fears. It becomes more significant later in the book.
** There were a couple more cases. In the second book, Du Chaillu complained she lost her flow of moon (after an undetermined time of being held as a sex slave). In the fifth, when a heroine buys a pregnancy termination potion, she is told it will hurt no more than a normal period.
* Southern humorist Lewis Grizzard wrote of a coworker of his at a newspaper who ''never'' showed up on time. This man, named Robinson, "always had a great excuse," but eventually the managing editor of the paper grew frustrated enough to threaten Robinson's firing the next time he was late. Of course, Robinson was late the next day, and the editor fired him, then demanded an explanation.
--> Robinson: "You know I've been married eight years and have seven children. This morning was the first time in our marriage my wife had a period, and I had to fix breakfast for the kids because she was too sick to get out of bed."
** Grizzard concludes his story by saying "Robinson didn't get fired."
* DianaWynneJones' satiric book ''TheToughGuideToFantasyland'' assures tourists to "Fantasyland" (i.e. characters in fantasy novels) that menstrual periods are suspended during one's stay.
* Periods are mentioned relatively often in MercedesLackey's books. For example, in one story, after being exposed to a bad luck charm, the sorceress Kethry reflects that she's lucky her "moon-days" are generally mild, only to be struck by debilitating cramps.
* Elayne in the ''WheelOfTime'' mentions that since [[spoiler: bonding Birgitte in ''The Fires of Heaven'']], their "cycles" had synchronized.
* Becomes a plot point in StephenKing's [[TheDarkTower Wolves of the Calla]], when Susannah's period keeps coming despite her being pregnant with a baby [[spoiler:which was fathered by Roland, the Crimson King, and a demon.]]
* In Madeleine L'Engle's book ''ManyWaters,'' which is set in the days of Noah (pre-Flood, but only just) the women cite "how near to the time of the moon is it for any of us?" in trying to settle whether to have a strange boy stay in their tent.
* Semi-example: Maddox's ''{{Alphabet of Manliness}}'', with the tagline, "So manly, even its sentences don't have periods.''
* Averted in ''ASongOfIceAndFire''. One POV character ([[spoiler: Sansa Stark]]) has [[HeroicBSOD a panic attack]] when she wakes up to find her bed drenched in blood and proceed to burn the bed and the clothes she slept in. When she has calmed down she's embarrassed over her behavior when she remembers that her mother had already had TheTalk with her. Of course, the fact that she is [[spoiler:alone, surrounded by enemies and set to marry the poster child for TeensAreMonsters as soon as she properly becomes a woman]], and that she was asleep and her menstrual cramps manifested as her being stabbed in the abdomen in a nightmare, probably contributed to this reaction.
** Also, [[spoiler: Cersei]] once has sex with [[spoiler: Jaime]] when in her period. [[{{Squick}} ... Ew]].
* ''{{Twilight}}''.
** WordOfGod says that ''that'' blood is [[YouFailBiologyForever "dead blood"]] and not nearly as interesting to Edward, but it's still kind of awkward. It also still gets the FridgeLogic going.
** Leah, the only female werewolf (or excuse me shapeshifter that changes in wolves exclusively), considers herself to be genetic dead end as her period stopped after she first changed into a werewolf. This is possibly because in ''Twilight'' werewolves/shapeshifters stop growing until they "give up" this ability. It is unknown if her period would return, however.
** [[spoiler:This is also the explanation given for why Bella and Edward are able to conceive when vampires are supposedly unable to. Bella, still human, can undergo the monthly cycles to have a kid, while girl vampires bodies are physically unable to change, even for periods or pregnancy. Guy vampires' bodies do not have to change in order to have kids.]] Apparently.
**What, manufacturing sperm doesn't count as growth?
**''That'' blood isn't actually ''blood'', or not just blood, and doesn't smell even to a human nose especially ''like'' blood. This probably also helps.
* The titular ''[[{{Abhorsen}} Sabriel]]'' consults her dead mother on the subject... it's mentioned as one of the few times she's needed her.
* In TamoraPierce's ''[[{{Tortall}} Lioness]]'' series, the heroine is a SweetPollyOliver who panics when she gets her first period, because her mother died when she was young and never told her about menstruation. Alanna then has to reveal that she's a girl to one of her friends, who takes her to a healing woman who can help her discreetly. Similarly, in Pierce's ''Protector of the Small'' series, Kel's periods are mentioned more than once, although they're not a plot point.
** Lady Knight has a man questioning Kel's authority by basically wondering when she'll have her period and insinuating that she won't be able to lead during it. Kel is apparently used to this. Unfortunately, this happens in RealLife too.
* It is pretty hard not to consider a girl who once chased a woman evading arrest so far that she had to take a cart back to her part of this city an ActionGirl, which essentially describes Beka Cooper from Tamora Pierce's [[TortallUniverse Provost's Dog]]. This troper forgets exactly when, but the aforementioned guardswoman makes a note to buy some pads because she's expecting her period soon. (Oh, and if there remains any question of her status as ActionGirl, consider that Beka works the Evening Watch (busiest time of day for guards) in the rowdiest part of the city ''by choice'', and is frequently involved in breaking up bar fights and other orderly duties.
* Somewhat humorously averted in Terry Pratchett's ''[[{{Discworld}} Thud!]]''. Angua, one of the members of the Watch, is a werewolf - no periods are mentioned, but there's a lot of PLT just before 'that time of the month'... the full moon.
**Can't find the original quote. But at one point, the werewolf's lover, Carrot, explains to Vimes that their relationship isn't that dissimilar from other couples. Once a month, she gets particularly cranky, and he goes out for lots of walks by himself. (someone with a better memory confirm?)
* In AnneRice's ''{{Memnoch the Devil}}'', Lestat very much wanted to go down on a menstruating woman (Dora).
* In {{John Ringo}}'s ''CouncilWars'' series, there's mention of one of the main characters, after the series' titular war commences, having to demonstrate proper feminine hygene to other women working in a village. The lack of need for the knowledge before is somewhat justified, as prior to The Fall with the help of {{nanomachines}} people had much better control over their hormones. (It may just be a case of YouFailBiologyForever on Ringo's part, though.)
* Averted and occasionally played for laughs in Robert Sawyer's ''{{Hominids}}'' series, which deals with a parallel universe in which Neanderthals (''H. neanderthalensis'') achieved sentience and rose to become the dominant civilization, while Cro-Magnons (''H. sapiens'') went extinct. In Neanderthal cities, males and females live separately, with females in the city center and males at the outskirts; the two sides meet up for four days out of every month, which can be timed to either encourage fertility or avoid it. When one of the male characters, for purposes of plot, has to travel downtown to ask a favor of a female colleague during "Last Five" (the last five days before the full moon), several characters of both sexes ask him if he's insane - apparently Neanderthal females have a reputation for spectacular PMS...
* Theodore Sturgeon's ''{{Some of Your Blood}}'' features a nonsupernatural vampire. You figure it out.
* This editor remembers a story deconstructing the "raised by wolves" child, in this case a girl, for whom her period serves as the first push she has toward seeking out civilization.
* In ''BloodyJack'', the main character is a SweetPollyOliver who panics at not only her first period, but several after that, as she's joined the navy and is stuck on a ship with absolutely no one she can trust to ask about it. When she gets shore leave, however, she goes and finds a brothel, gets some answers, and after that her period is never mentioned.
* In the ''{{Kushiels Legacy}}'' series, the women of Terre d'Ange don't have menstrual cycles like other folk, being of the line of Elua and all. The reason this troper says this is that Phedre was very frank about all her sexual experiences and she never once mentioned it. In order to birth children, D'Angeline women have to pray to their goddess of healing, Eisheth, to "open the gates of their womb." This also explains how they can have rampant sex without pregnancy.
** In fact in the recent novel "Naamah's Kiss", the fact that Terre d'Ange women do not menstruate is explicitly established, and creates problems for the main character, a half-Alban half-D'Angeline woman.
* So far, averted in ''TheChroniclesOfAncientDarkness''. Renn gets her first period offscreen, but a red stripe is sewn to her clothes to acknowledge it. When she reunites with Torak ([[spoiler:Who's been on the run for a few months]]) it's one of the reminders of how long he's been away and how much he's missed.
* Similarly in ''{{Catherine Called Birdy}}'', Catherine grumps that she's not old enough to get married, saying that she doesn't even have her period yet.
* ''{{A Prayer for Owen Meany}}'' features a church scene in which a mischievous little boy leaves a Bible under his sister's seat... and it seems both the timing and the circumstances were bad.
* In ''[[VCAndrews Flowers In The Attic]]'', Cathy is forewarned of her coming menstruation by her mother during a visit and is given some basic supplies.
* Melissa in ''CoramBoy'' is bedridden for several days because of her first period.
* In Cynthia Voigt's fantasy novel ''{{The Wings of a Falcon}}'', a character guesses that the innkeeper is a woman in disguise, since he has seen him burying the cloth rags that women use in their period.
* Nerilka, heroine of a DragonridersOfPern novel, illustrates the closeness of her relationship with her best friend by mentioning that, as teens, they would cycle in synchrony.
* Jame, the protagonist of P.C. Hodgell's ''ChroniclesOfTheKencyrath'', is never seen to have a period; however, this is justified in that she is of a non-human but humanoid race in which females have conscious control over conception; if this also inhibits ovulation, no periods would be a logical consequence. Also, although Jame is in her late teens when the series begins and is in her early twenties in the more recent books, the age of majority for her kind is twenty-seven, and until recently she had no sexual interest whatsoever; she may also simply be not sexually mature yet.
* Connie Willis's science fiction short story "Even the Queen" revolves around a character's decision to have a normal period, in a future world where most women don't.
* In ''The Long Secret'', Beth Ellen wakes up, sees a spot on her sheet, and spends most of the morning panicking, until her "very Victorian" grandmother calls her in for a talk, which includes some rigmarole about rocks. Fortunately, her scientifically-minded friend Janie gives an accurate explanation.
* In June Oldham's 1980s YA novel ''Enter Tom'', the title character buys the female protagonist "a lifetime's supply" of tampons, which take up most of the space in her bedroom. She is not impressed by his gesture, even after he explains the maths to her. This troper had to dig out her copy and re-read it when ''{{The Big Bang Theory}}'' had Sheldon explain almost exactly the same logical argument to Penny.
* Ursula Vernon's book ''Black Dogs'' avoids this trope. When the characters are shopping for supplies pre-adventure, one of the older women asks Lyra if she's brought anything to manage her period. When Lyra replies that she hadn't got that far, they go shopping for some sponges and cloth that will work while traveling, in addition to the normal adventuring gear. They also stop by the local apothecary for some (essentially) morning-after pills, "just in case."
* In ''Enchanted'' by OrsonScottCard, a box of rags is mentioned briefly as a hiding place. The main character doesn't want to be told what they're for, but he almost certainly already knew. Again, after bringing a woman from the past into the present, he briefly thinks of all the things he'll have to explain to her, among which are tampons...which he decides to let someone else explain instead.
* Rachel from ''TheHollows'' mentions that she hasn't had her period in years. Considering that witches are often stated to be genetically very different from humans (and often implied to have physiological differences concerning the genitalia), [[JustifiedTrope it's no surprise]] that their menstrual cycle would work a bit differently.
* In ''The Mirror'', by Marlys Millhiser, Brandy (in 1900) and granddaughter Shay (in 1978) get body-swapped by the titular family heirloom. Shay has problems when she has no idea how women in 1900 handled period sanitation, which her/Brandy's mother-in-law explains to her. Brandy misses this problem because Shay's pregnant at the time of the swap, and by the time Shay's cycle returns to normal (after the events of the book), Brandy will have had time to find out about tampons and maxi-pads.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{LiveActionTV}}]]
* ''HouseMD'': a 6-year-old patient presents with menstrual bleeding; the team wonders if she might have cancer, prompting TooMuchInformation:
--> '''Cameron:''' "If menstruating is a symptom of cancer, I should be getting chemotherapy right now."\\
'''House:''' "Now that's ridiculous. You're way too skinny to be menstruating."
** The show has also featured mentions of Cameron's PMS, as well as House (for reasons unknown) keeping track of Cuddy's menstrual cycle.
*** Few medical shows that appeared before 1995 mentioned periods. Before the mid-80s, menstruation couldn't be mentioned on American TV even in commercials for pads or tampons.
* ''TheThornBirds'' has a scene where a Catholic girl gets her period and panics, believing herself to be dying.
* ''MarriedWithChildren'': Al's worst nightmare comes to pass when Peg, Marcy and Kelly accompany him on a [[HorribleCampingTrip camping trip]] to a small cabin where they all get their periods at the same time. This, of course, compels them to act like PMS-crazed mini-{{Godzilla}}s until just before the trip ''ends'', when they become serene and calm once more.
** Of course.
* Played for comedy in ''TheITCrowd'', where Jenn had a rather angry period and male co-workers Moss and Roy started feeling its effects on themselves, and eventually, thanks to Moss' naivete and some online teasing from fellow techno-geeks, computer technicians ''all over the world'' began rioting in sympathy. The following exchange also occurred between Jenn and constantly depressed Goth Richmond:
-->Jenn: You don't think you're affected, do you?
-->Richmond: I might be, actually. I've been feeling pretty moody; not my cheery self at all.
* ''[[SeventhHeaven 7th Heaven]]'': Oh, where do we start? Well, there's when [[LittleMissSnarker Ruthie]] doesn't want to tell her parents about hers because she knows "there'll be tears, crying, a special dinner that ends with Dad buying me feminine products." This doesn't lead to her parents respecting her wishes and responding in the way that makes her most comfortable, but to the FamilyUnfriendlyAesop that this is important to her parents and she should go along with them!
** There's also the first episode, which centres around Lucy looking forward to hers. Her reaction is the opposite of Ruthie's.
* The ''[[BuffyTheVampireSlayer Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' movie subverts this somewhat. Buffy gets menstrual cramps whenever a vampire is around. This is explained as her body's reaction to something perceived as unnatural (it also underscores the connection between slayer-ness and femininity).
** Although if she was getting them as a form of spider-sense, they weren't exactly ''menstrual'' cramps, just abdominal ones.
** In ''[[BuffyTheVampireSlayer Buffy]]'' the ''show'', however, this was still in place, despite the overwhelming percentage of the main cast being female. Only twice in this editor's recollection were periods ever referenced in seven seasons: Xander going through Buffy's purse in search of a stake and being horrified to discover a tampon, and Willow telling Oz, in response to discovering he's a werewolf, that "for a few days a month, I'm not so fun to be around, either."
* In ''[[BabylonFive Babylon 5]]'', after transforming into a partially human form, Delenn gets help from Ivanova in managing her new head of hair. Later, as the two of them are boarding a lift, Ivanova volunteers to help with any other "questions". Delenn asks her about "these odd cramps" she's started having. As the doors close, Ivanova gives Delenn a look of sympathy with overtones of "Oh, no...."
*** Ivanova seemed to be the go-to target for declarations of [[TooMuchInformation TMI-ness]]. (See also: Vir trying to explain to her the Centauri version of "Getting To First Base")
* In ''TheBigBangTheory'', Sheldon goes shopping with Penny, and observes that she only buys one months' supply of tampons at a time. He suggests that if she buys in bulk, she'll save money - 'they don't spoil'. He eventually starts marking her periods on his calendar.
* In ''RedDwarf'' upon discovering the existence of periods for the first time Kryten points out that you never see this on TV, before, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEj31njaeX0 well just see it yourself]]
** In an earlier episode, Rimmer in the holographic body of Kochanski tries to explain his odd behavior by saying "I'm having a woman's period."
* An episode of ''MurphyBrown'' had the title character acting crabbier than usual, leading to Miles asking the question, "Is it the 18th already?"
** Corky also mentions that it would be a good idea to "Circle the 18th. We all do."
** In the very first episode, Murphy says that she has "very bad PMS".
* Several episodes of ''SexAndTheCity'' mentioned it or used it as a plot point. In one episode, the central characters note that they all got their periods at the same time. In another Samantha thinks that she's menopausal because she's late. It later arrives while she's having sex, much to her delight (and her male partner's horror).
* In one BET family comedy, the father is horrified to discover on the morning of a family trip to some historical site it's 'that time' for both his wife and daughter. He tells his uncomprehending son, 'Let's just say that the colonial is not the only period we are going to be experiencing today!'
* Played with by ''ThePhysicsOfGiving'', where Gary thinks that periods and PMS aren't that unpleasant, but are made to sound terrible as a conspiracy by women so that they can conquor the world.
* For the most part, ''{{Lost}}'' keeps to the rule, rather than delving into the inconvenience of twenty or more female survivors being trapped on an island with no feminine supplies. However, in season 4's "Eggtown," Kate, who has been worried she might be pregnant, is suddenly certain she isn't, ''and'' mention is made that she and Sawyer abstained that night.
* In ''{{Californication}}'' Becka gets her first period while she's staying with her father, a few hours before her mother's wedding. They rush to the nearest convenience store to buy the last package of tampons. HilarityEnsues.
* In the first season of ''[=~Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman~=]'', Dr. Quinn's 14-year-old adopted daughter Colleen gets her first period, and since her mother died in the premiere, she is totally ignorant about what is happening to her. In a perhaps not unrealistic portrayal given the show's setting (late 1860's), Colleen thinks she is dying because she's "been bleeding for three whole days", leading to her being told the "facts of life" by Dr. Quinn's own mother, who has come to visit. Almost a VerySpecialEpisode, but partially subverted by the ''medical doctor adoptive mother of a teenage girl's'' obliviousness to the situation, even though it is revealed later in the episode that Dr. Quinn was 14 when she got ''her'' first period. Toward the end of the series, poor Colleen suffered more menstrual trauma when she grew frightened about missing several periods, thinking that if Dr. Quinn knew, she would think Colleen was pregnant. Subverted in that instance by Dr. Quinn's explaining that a woman's cycle can be thrown off by emotional or stressful situations (Colleen was studying to attend medical school).
* One of the last ''{{Taxi}}'' episodes, "Simka's Monthlies", hinges on her crippling PMS keeping her from the appointment with the immigration board she needs to attend to become an American citizen.
* During a party on ''TheYoungOnes'', Rik once found a tampon in a young woman's purse. Not only did he fail to recognize what it was, he unwrapped it in the mistaken belief that it was a 'present', then innocently ''played with the parts'', in front of a room full of party guests. (In the DVD commentary, the show's writers were astounded that the BBC censors hadn't made them cut the scene!)
---> '''Rik''': Oh look, a little mousie! Mousy, mousy, mousy... (dances it along the mortified girl's arm) Would Mousy like a little drink? (dips it in her drink) Oh look, it's swelling up!
*The first episode of ''Blossom'' revolves around this, as the writers decided to get that [[VerySpecialEpisode issue]] out of the way early (and work a Phylicia Rashad guest spot in).
*Inverted in an episode of ''{{Charmed}}'' when all the sisters have their period at the same time and, predictaby enough, act a bit OutOfCharacter (or is it temporal {{Flanderization}}?) for the entire episode: Piper becomes crankier, Phoebe becomes whinier and Paige becomes jumpier. Of course, when other, magical, stuff happens to them, they write it off to "that time of the month". [[spoiler: The fact that the Moon became blue for a few nights doesn't bother them at all]].
* In a CSI: Miami episode, a teenage girl disappears from her bedroom in the middle of the night and the only sign of a struggle is a small pool of blood on the sheets. It took the CSIs a disturbingly long time to figure out that the girl had started her period during the night.
*In one of the early episodes of Blake's Seven (probably the second episode, this Troper can't remember), a prison guard tells Jenna that the prison ship doesn't have any "female facilities." Three guesses to what he's referring to--then again, Jenna is the only female prisoner.
*In a later episode of ''The Cosby Show'', youngest daughter, Rudy, gets her first period. Her mother, Clair, declares a "Women's Day" to celebrate it and to answer any questions Rudy might have. Rudy doesn't want to talk about it.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{Theater}}]]
* ''Twelfth Night'', Act I, Scene Five, [[WilliamShakespeare William Shakespeare]], in the words of the Countess Olivia: "If you be not mad, be gone; if you have reason, be brief. 'Tis not that time of moon with me to make one in so skipping a dialogue." [[OlderThanSteam And who says Shakespeare isn't relevant?]]
* ''Baby'', a musical which follows two pregnant couples and one who is trying but failing to conceive starts with the "trying" couple believing that the woman has gotten pregnant because her period is late. When they see a fertility specialist, he explains that her overachiever jock lifestyle is the cause of her missed periods and that she should simply reduce the number of miles she runs per day to smooth things out.
* In ''{{Grease}}'', one of the female characters has a minor crisis because her period is late and she doesn't know how to tell he boyfriend she might be pregnant. It is referred to in 50's euphemisms: Menses is "having a visit" (presumably from Aunt Flo) and the possible consequences of its lack are simply "PG".
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{VideoGames}}]]
* ''TheSims'' fans went far enough to make a [[http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=177932 hack]] for it, although for every one person who uses it there's someone protesting the infliction of 'needless cruelty' on their Sims. I kid you not.
* In ''BatenKaitos'', one of the flashback cutscenes involves Lady Melodia getting her first period and it's played out that it's the sign that she is now the rightful heir.
* In ''TheKingOfFighters'', it's implied that every month, Leona has ''one Hell of a PMS''. Makes sense that Orochi heirs awaken their demonic side when their/other heirs' blood is drawn; So, since women have their blood drawn every month... [[SoYeah Yeah.]] It's even clearer at her team's ending in the 2002's edition.
* In ''{{Persona 3}}'' a conversation on 6.8 notes something was effecting Yukari's mood during the monorail incident [[spoiler:they are talking about the full moon, but the comparison seems to be purposeful]]
* ''KatawaShoujo''would like to introduce you to Rin Tezuka. Rin has no arms. The end of Rin's story arc in Act I contains a CrowningMomentOfFunny.
-> '''Rin:''' I'm having my period and I need some help regarding that. However, I don't feel that our relationship is yet on the level where I could allow you to pull my underwear down in the girl's toilet even if you offer to.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{WebComics}}]]
* In ''{{Misfile}}'', Ash ''does'' get periods, and is understandably horrified and irritated when she does, given that she's [[GenderBender supposed to be a guy]]. The first one was a major plot point; subsequent flows less so.
* ''TheWotch'': [[http://thewotch.com/index.php?epDate=2005-01-14 see here]]
* ''SomethingPositive'', as the main gag [[http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp03032002.shtml here]], [[http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp02112003.shtml here]] and [[http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp02142003.shtml here]], but also used as a throwaway line [[http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp02252008.shtml here]].
* In ''{{Pandect}}'', one subset of (female) Gladiators is able to inflict the pains of menstruation and labor on others. [[http://pandect.comicgenesis.com/d/20070818.html See here.]]
* ''QuestionableContent'', [[http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=36 like this]] and [[http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=609 this]] and implied [[http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1092 here]].
* In ''{{The Order of the Stick}}'' [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0029.html #29]], Haley temporarily splits from the team and discovers a treasure hoard, which she promptly appropriates for herself. Roy attempts to call her on this, finally demanding to know what is in the large bag of holding (labeled "Haley's Loot" and with gold glittering on top) beside her. Haley calmly responds 'feminine products', to which Roy has no reply.
** Later, in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0380.html #380]], Sabine (a succubus-like demon/devil) excused herself claiming it was "''That'' time of the century". Her friend was somewhat surprised, but chose not to press the issue. ("The red knight is requesting lodging" is probably as good as euphemisms get, by the way).
***Actually, since both those characters were lying, maybe people just ''don't'' have periods in OotS world...
* ''ArthurKingOfTimeAndSpace'' [[http://arthurkingoftimeandspace.com/0533.htm here]].
* ''GirlGenius'' plays this straight. In all the time that has passed in the comic there has been no mention of any of the non-Construct female characters having a period (assuming that female Constructs probably aren't equipped to do that)
** Possibly played behind the scenes, given her behavior during the current arc [[spoiler: after she gains control over part of Castle Heterodyne]]. Of course, that doesn't explain where her periods were as she was growing up.
* In ''SluggyFreelance'' a spell causes people to start singing about every little thing Gwynn does. [[http://pics.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=041217 Yes, everything]].
* [[http://xkcd.com/594/ This]] ''{{XKCD}}'' comic uses this to set up a horrible pun.
* [[http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=286 VGCats manages to link this with the current vampire craze.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{WebOriginal}}]]
* ''TheSagaOfTuck'' has a number of points where periods play a mentioned role:
** One of the major factors in [[spoiler:Tuck and Debbie's breakup]] was that Debbie had been having severe cramps that night, and had taken both painkillers and alcohol to ease them; this left her in too unstable a state of mind for the events later that night.
** One night, when Valerie was changing at Rachel's apartment, Rachel commented that it was Val's period. [[spoiler: Use at least 1cc of lubricant for anal sex, and go very slowly at least the first time.]]
** During a house party at the Tuckers, Tuck noticed blood on the dress of one of the freshman girls, and tried to discreetly take her aside to mention it. [[HilarityEnsues Hilarity occurred.]]
* So far averted in the WhateleyUniverse; this may in part be because for some of the protagonists, who have only recently ''turned'' female as a side effect of their mutation, their first period is a pretty big deal. (Fey's first bout with PMS was particularly memorable, thunderstorms in the hallways of the dorm and all.)
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{WesternAnimation}}]]
* And that's why the writers of ''{{Animaniacs}}'' created [[{{Yandere}} Katie Kaboom]] to explain to innocent little children [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar why their big sister chucks a psycho for NO JUSTIFIABLE REASON WHATSOEVER once a month.]] ''' '' ("I'm Not Overreacting!! Im a Teenager!!") '' '''
* ''[[{{Sixteen}} 6teen]]'' has an entire episode dedicated to the boys dealing with the girls who are on their periods. One eats lots of chocolate, on gets irritable and one is cramped. They even have a discussions about how their cycles have synced up which proves that they are such good friends and then go buy chocolate and tampons. Also, all of the men are horribly squeamish about the whole thing. All in all, it was a remarkably open episode about a normally taboo subject.
* The ''KingOfTheHill'' episode "Aisle 8A" was all about Hank's neighbor's daughter Connie getting her period -- and all the chaos that ensues because of it.
* As with other touchy subjects, periods are often fodder for humor in ''SouthPark'':
** In the Halloween episode "Spooky Fish" Stan receives a visit from his Aunt Flo, leading to the inevitable jokes about her visiting his mother once a month.
** Cartman once mentioned that Kyle's mom "gets a bug up her butt" once a month.
** In "The New Terrance and Phillip Trailer", Stan makes a deal with his sister to get her tampons so he can see the titular trailer, as she wanted to watch Buffy instead. The TV blows up, the boys run around town looking for another and forget about the tampons entirely, leading to them breaking in and being washed away by a tidal wave of menstrual fluid.
** The infamous "Bloody Mary" episode centers around a statue of the Virgin Mary that miraculously bleeds out her ass. Under closer inspection, the Pope declares that the blood is coming from the vagina, and that there is nothing miraculous about that.
** In "Are You There, God? It's Me, Jesus" the boys think they are having their period, when it actually turns out to be stomach flu.
** In "Towelie", while at Stan's house, Cartman discovers a used tampon which he mistakes for an aborted fetus in the garbage. In an effort to get the kids to never mention the tampon again, Stan's mother buys the kids a video game system, the Okama Gamesphere.
** In "Summer Sucks", the Mayor's aides have to field a press conference, claiming her to be sick. When the reporters complain about how lame an excuse that is, one of the aides announces "She's having her period!" and they all go quiet.
**In the movie, ''Bigger Longer & Uncut'', Mr. Garrison remarks that he doesn't trust anything that bleeds for five days and doesn't die.
** And lest we forget... Cherokee Hair Tampons.
***Made and promoted by Cheech and Chong, no less.
* ''DrawnTogether'' handles this with the usual grace and sensitivity when promiscuous Foxxy Love is surprised to see she's gotten her period. Implied, of course, is that Foxxy has never been non-pregnant enough to cycle normally.
* The ''RobotChicken'' episode "Slaughterhouse on the Prarie" shows what happens when ''SheRaPrincessOfPower'' has her period while the usual problems arise. ''There were no survivors.'' (Or almost none, anyhow.)
* During a flashback on ''FamilyGuy'' Peter announces Meg's first period to the entire neighborhood during the middle of the night. Quagmire responds that though the news is very hot, he'll deal with it in the morning because now he wants to sleep. In another episode Stewie buys an On The Raggedy Anne doll that shouts abuse at him when he pulls her string, saying that he'll at least get to play with it three weeks out of the month. And in another episode, Meg rushes into a marriage with a doctor who she falls for because she has shown signs that he impregnated her... but at the last minute before walking the alter, what does she tell her mom in the locker room? You guessed it. ;) In still another episode, Stewie reads a book that explains the menstrual cycle, and he reacts with extreme revulsion, saying "that's the most disgusting thing I've seen in my entire life!"
* Ask any ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'' [[{{Fanon}} fan]], and they'll guarantee "The Awakening" took place during [[MemeticMutation Katara's time of the month]].
* Fans speculate that Raven in ''{{Teen Titans}}'' "Trouble in Tokyo" was having her period because she was uncharacteristically mean to Beastboy, smacking him around and yelling at him the whole time (something she normally didn't do in the series).
[[/folder]]
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