vaginapagina | Period Shame? (Reply)

I'm a menstrual cup user but my friend is not. We were talking about gross things that dogs do and she said that her dogs will eat her used tampons out of the bathroom trash if she doesn't keep the door shut during that time.

Our husbands happened to have over-heard that part of our conversation and while her husband shrugged it off, my husband was a bit horrified at the thought. (Which I found amusing...) Thinking back to nature programs I've seen on TV, it seems to be part of nature for female animals to hide any evidence of either being in heat (and not ready to mate) or placenta from a birth to protect their newborns -- often by eating it.

Most of us consider having our periods as "private" and might even change the subject or deny it if asked -- but reactions can range to and beyond "shameful."

I wonder if we humans don't still have some of that same animal instinct to hide our periods.

What are your thoughts on this? Nature versus nurture? Instinctual versus societal?

Or am I way off base?

EDITED TO ADD:
I'm pleasantly surprised at how much discussion this generated.
THANK YOU for so many thoughtful and insightful replies!
And there are so many INTERESTING tangents, it's like a flower with beautiful petals. :o)