Getting your period is hard enough in regular life, but imagine getting it while competing on Australian Survivor with no access to showers or a flushing toilet, how on earth do they do it?

Australian Survivor: Brains v Brawn contestant Shannon Lawson, revealed exactly what the Blood V Water contestants have access to and how they manage it in the already harsh living conditions they signed up for.

survivor cast
Australian Survivor: Blood V Water contestants have to compete in a lot of challenges, but the females also have to deal with the challenge of having their period. Source: Network Ten.

In an interview with Refinery29 Australia, Shannon explained that contestants are given the option to take the contraceptive pill in order to manage their cycle if they choose to, but only after completing a number of rigorous medical checks first.

“Should we elect to use the pill on the show to help manage or stop our periods, we are absolutely allowed to have them in our medical bag,” she said. “Keeping in mind these are your responsibility and should you lose them or run out, producers find it hard to source more for you while filming.”

Do Survivor Contestants Have Access to Pads and Tampons While Filming?

There is no access to a proper flushing toilet, instead, they have to do their business in a “drop hole”, which is essentially a 10-metre long drop covered with a toilet seat. Good grief imagine the smell! *vomits*

Thankfully there are pads and tampons available to use at the drop hole. Though it can still be difficult when using them.

“Between challenges, should you need to change you[r] sanitary towels or tampons, it would become a challenge if access to the drop hole was out of sight and you would need to go behind a tree,” she said.

How Do Contestants Clean Themselves Without Access To Running Water?

The question of hygiene still remains considering there are no showers or even sinks with running water or soap. So their only real option is to bathe and clean their clothes in the ocean.

This task in itself can be “tricky but doable” she added.

“Privacy is a limited luxury as cameras, producers and contestants are always around suspicious of you as you hunt for idols [which provide immunity from being voted out].”

So no flushing toilet, no running water and no privacy…no thank you!

Female survivor contestants
There is no access to running water on Australian Survivor making it difficult to keep up normal hygiene standards. Source: Instagram @nina_untwined

“It’s pretty intense having this as another factor to distract you from your game but it just goes to show, women just make it work,” she remarked. Damn straight women are amazing!

Huge props to these women who are not only putting themselves through this extraordinary physical, and mental challenge of the Survivor game but also dealing with their periods while doing so. Seriously, what can’t women do?

Watch Australian Survivor: Blood V Water 7.30 Sunday to Tuesday on 10 and 10 play on demand.

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