Women twice as likely to connect with other women over this

(Photo by Vitaly Gariev via Unsplash)

From going into labor on the first day of a new job to miscalculating bubble guts, a new survey has unveiled the realest stories of womanhood.

That’s according to a poll of 2,000 women ages 25 to 44, which asked them to get candid about what, when, where, why and how about everything that goes on “down there.”

And the results showed, women are twice as likely to feel connected to another woman than they are to feel embarrassed following a “bathroom habits discussion” (31% vs 15%).

Without sparing any details, one woman recalled peeing “[her] pants while cutting someone’s hair” and then still “finished the haircut,” and another shared “I got off my local city bus and didn't even feel the bubble guts I usually get before I have diarrhea. As soon as I stepped onto the sidewalk, I had a huge accident with no warning.”

Beyond bathroom talk, a woman also shared, “I was at a funeral when my water broke,” while another reminisced when she lost her “[pregnancy] mucus plug on my first day at a new job.”

Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of The Honest Company, Inc., the survey aimed to encourage women to get real and flip the script on topics some consider to be taboo, despite being a universal female experience.

Almost half of women (47%) will admit they have stomach problems in a survey, but 25% won’t discuss it with any real people in their lives. Of those that will, 42% would discuss these problems with their family and a similar amount (38%) would get real with their female friends.

In fact, female friends ranked No. 1 across the board as the most likely confidant for things like menstrual symptoms (59%), love life problems (50%) and even family drama (49%).

And while 16% of those polled would “never” speak about anything that happens in the bathroom with someone else, 42% have general bathroom conversations on a weekly basis and 11% even have them daily.

But these comfort levels may continue to evolve. Two-thirds (65%) of women polled say they’ve gotten more comfortable discussing their body and everything that comes with it as they’ve gotten older.

(Talker Research)

Most women (62%) admit they’ve sent a text message from the toilet, but it doesn’t stop there. Nearly half (48%) took a phone call and 21% have video chatted with someone atop the porcelain throne.

More than one-third (36%) have even texted another person amidst a bathroom crisis and 15% have taken a work call from the toilet.

“Half of women polled (51%) agree that bathroom stigma is a thing of the past, but results show that many remain tight-lipped about completely normal bodily functions,” said a representative of The Honest Company. “But there is camaraderie in womanhood: if those polled were alone in a public setting and got their period unexpectedly, 37% are likely to turn to any other woman for help and 21% gravitate towards moms, underscoring an unspoken support system.”

Results also found that three in five women have at least one “bathroom ritual” they follow.

Almost one-third (31%) keep their rituals within the privacy of their own home, while 11% only follow them in public places. Still, one in five (20%) do so no matter where they are.

These rituals include everything from using bathroom spray (45%) to bringing entertainment (39%) and using flushable wipes (32%).

More than one-third of women (35%) won’t leave the house without flushable wipes, more than those who bring bathroom spray (26%) or makeshift toilet paper like napkins (23%).

Still, almost two in five (38%) admit they often feel “not quite clean” down there after a bowel movement, or after changing their tampon or pad (44%).

And of women who experience a menstrual period, 32% don’t feel quite clean in the days leading up to it and even more so in the days following their period (36%)

“Eighty-one percent of women polled say that feeling ‘not quite clean’ has an impact on their overall confidence levels, yet only 35% already use all-purpose flushable wipes when toilet paper isn’t enough,” said a representative of the Honest Company. “With more than half the world’s population being female, it’s time to reclaim confidence in all aspects of life. These findings highlight an opportunity to normalize conversations around everyday hygiene and comfort. While not every topic is easy to discuss, many women are finding comfort in shared experiences – and realizing they’re far from alone.”

WOMEN SURVEYED SHARE THEIR HONESTLY REAL STORIES

“[I] peed my pants while cutting someone’s hair. Finished the haircut.”

“I was in a hurry because I had to pee, so when I closed the stall door behind me, I was also hiking up my skirt and attempting to take down my thong when they got caught on the door latch and ripped. I then tied my thong in a knot and returned to work.”

“Losing my mucus plug on my first day at a new job while pregnant with my first child.”

“I was at a funeral when my water broke. I was so embarrassed and felt bad because all the attention went to me instead of celebrating the deceased.”

“I’ve had three kids so my bladder has become weaker after each child. There have been multiple incidents when I have peed myself, not being able to make it to the bathroom in time and not being able to control it. It is still a humbling experience whenever it does happen, but I used to be so embarrassed when I would have accidents.”

“I got off of my local city bus and didn't even feel the bubble guts I usually get before I have diarrhea. As soon as I stepped onto the sidewalk, I had a huge accident with no warning.”

“I was in a public stall and had a discharge accident that got on the floor. I stepped out to the sink to get some towels and water [to] try to clean it up but, of course, two other ladies already walked in and saw the mess I had made. It was so embarrassing but they were kind and supportive with their words and went about their business.”

Research methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 women ages 25 to 44 who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by The Honest Company and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between March 12 and March 17, 2026. A link to the questionnaire can be found here.

To view the complete methodology as part of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, please visit the Talker Research Process and Methodology page.