Viewers of The Last Of Us were sent into a frenzy this week after the post-apocalyptic drama openly featured a menstrual cup.
The scene, which aired in episode six of the latest series, was praised by female viewers for period representation.
But many then found themselves in a delicate position as they explained to their male friends, husbands and even fathers about the item, which had left them perplexed.
Screenwriter Craig Mazin admitted that discussion is what he had hoped for, revealing: ‘The intention was that if you don’t know what it is, you can ask someone or you can Google.’
Viewers of The Last Of Us were sent into a frenzy this week after the post-apocalyptic drama openly featured a menstrual cup
The scene, which aired in episode six of the latest series, was praised by female viewers for period representation
In the scene, Maria leaves 14-year-old Ellie a selection of essential items on top of her bed including a menstrual cup – sometimes referred to as a ‘DivaCup’ based on a well-known brand.
The teenager then tentatively picks up the silicone cup along with an instruction pamphlet.
Figuring out its use, she squishes the cup a little before folding it as per the directions, simply uttering: ‘Gross.’
‘Did you get the thing I left you?’ Maria later asks, to which Ellie responds, ‘Yeah, weirdest gift ever.’
Despite only being a fleeting and relatively unassuming moment, female fans were quick to heap on the praise at the cup’s inclusion.
One wrote: ‘I loved that they casually showed a menstrual cup in The Last Of Us. Normalizing menstruation one zombie show at a time!’
Another said: ‘[The Last Of Us] truly does something amazing and yes groundbreaking (which it shouldn’t be at this point but still is) with the way it shows tampons and now a menstrual cup as casual everyday things that they are and I’m so happy to see it in a TV show of such popularity.’
And a third added: ‘Props to The Last Of Us for acknowledging women have periods even during the apocalypse, something I’ve always wondered to myself when it came to women in apocalyptic scenarios, that period cup was a great representation.
Despite only being a fleeting and relatively unassuming moment, female fans were quick to heap on the praise at the cup’s inclusion
But it seems that most male viewers were left perplexed, with one admitting: ‘The Last Of Us just taught me what a menstrual cup is…’ alongside a mind-blown emoji.
And dozens of women said that they were left explaining the menstrual device to their male counterparts.
One wrote: ‘That one moment in The Last of Us when Ellie receives a Diva Cup, and you gotta inform your man. #TheLastOfUs.’
Another said: ‘Was watching The Last of Us with my dad and the scene with the diva cup comes of ofc he goes “what is that thing.”‘
Someone else commented: ‘Watched the latest episode of The Last Of Us… had to explain to my stepdad what a menstrual cup is.’
Speaking about the decision to include the menstrual cup, screenwriter Craig Mazin previously explained to Vulture why there was a lack of in-depth explanation during the scene.
‘It goes by very quickly,’ he told the publication.
‘The intention was that if you don’t know what it is, you can ask someone or you can Google. It’s more for the people who do know what it is.’
He added: ‘We do this all the time in shows with things like guns.
Screenwriter Craig Mazin admitted that discussion is what he had hoped for, revealing: ‘The intention was that if you don’t know what it is, you can ask someone or you can Google’
And dozens of other women said that they were also left explaining the device to their male counterparts
‘People don’t know how to load guns, and we don’t explain it to them. Why should we have to explain this?’
He said that the idea was prompted while buying tampons for his wife and daughter at a Target during the pandemic.
Mazin continued: ‘These are basic items that we’d need or would want.
‘In a post-apocalypse, it’s annoying to have to deal with that and have a shortage of options.
‘Why wouldn’t we show it? Especially because our co-lead is a 14-year-old girl. This is part of her life!’
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