Listen, I’ve never worked in the pool float design business, so far be it from me to tell those folks how to do their jobs. That being said, if I could offer one modest suggestion, it would be, “Make sure your pool floats don’t look too much like a giant sanitary napkin. (Unless you want to to be laughed at.)”
The pool float in question, a “Pasadena Pool Float” made by Aquaria, first caught the attention of a Reddit user who noticed the resemblance. Then, romance novelist Jillian David Tweeted a photo of the float along with a very sensible observation:
Focus group. This could have been avoided with 1 focus group (of women). pic.twitter.com/C76lv5ji33
— Jillian David (@JillianDavid13) July 3, 2017
Since Aquaria hasn’t offered anything in way of an explanation, all we can do is speculate how it happened. Maybe Davis is right, and Aquaria never consulted a single woman at any point in the process. Or maybe nobody at Aquaria has ever heard of periods. Or, maybe Aquaria WANTED it to look like a sanitary napkin to boost sales. Maybe they’re about to release a whole line of feminine hygiene-themed pool products. We just don’t know!
Lots of people on Twitter had some pretty funny responses to Davis’s Tweet:
Probably the only product that’ll get me through one day of my period.
— General Chach Organa (@ChachiBobinks) July 4, 2017
Won’t it soak up half the pool water? ?
— appalledvoter (@appalledvoter) July 3, 2017
I’ll wear my red swimsuit to complete the cosplay.
— Heather on fire? (@wordblender) July 3, 2017
Be careful not to get any pubic hair stuck to it though. Ouch!
— Cynical Woman (@Cynical_Woman) July 3, 2017
This maxi pad shaped floatie will make your next Elbow River float nice and absorbent. #yyc #Calgary pic.twitter.com/gQAdonpm3H
— ChristyandFraser (@ChristyandFras) July 4, 2017
The pool float is also available on Amazon, and reviewers had similar thoughts:
One thing I can say for certain: if the movie Attack of the 50 Foot Woman came true, 50 ft. women wouldn’t have to worry about their time of the month.
h/t: Someecards