This custom is still widely practiced in the southern United States. The older people swear by it. When I was growing up (on a rural farm) the girls basically just went along with it so we could get a break from farm work once a month. As an adult I, and many other women, pretend to believe this myth so we don't have to work so hard while we are on our periods. Menstruating is the only time we're allowed a break so we take advantage of it. Men don't understand how sick and awful a bad or painful period can make a woman feel, so as long as they believe we can ruin a crop we can take it easy during our periods. Most women don't do this to be lazy, but to get a much needed break when they aren't feeling good. But I do recall that the lazy girls would lie and say they were on their period just so they could stay in the house instead of working in the heat n humidity.
This custom is still widely practiced in the southern United States. The older people swear by it. When I was growing up (on a rural farm) the girls basically just went along with it so we could get a break from farm work once a month. As an adult I, and many other women, pretend to believe this myth so we don't have to work so hard while we are on our periods. Menstruating is the only time we're allowed a break so we take advantage of it. Men don't understand how sick and awful a bad or painful period can make a woman feel, so as long as they believe we can ruin a crop we can take it easy during our periods. Most women don't do this to be lazy, but to get a much needed break when they aren't feeling good. But I do recall that the lazy girls would lie and say they were on their period just so they could stay in the house instead of working in the heat n humidity.