Media personality Carrie Bickmore and her co-host Tommy Little recently engaged in a heated on-air debate regarding the appropriate age to discuss menstrual cycles with children. The conversation, which took place on the Hit Network’s Carrie & Tommy radio show, was sparked by a listener who argued that discussing menstruation on live radio was inappropriate, particularly for younger children who might be listening.
The Debate Over Age-Appropriate Education
The controversy began when a caller challenged the hosts, questioning whether it was appropriate to discuss periods with children as young as eight. The caller stated that while she discusses bodily functions with her own children, she believes that menstruation is a topic best reserved for children between the ages of 10 and 12.
The caller expressed concern that radio hosts were overstepping their bounds by broadcasting information that parents might not yet be ready to share with their children. I’ll discuss everything with them, but not through a radio station,
the listener said. I don’t think that’s your choice to announce that to other people’s children.
Bickmore, a mother of three, countered that menstruation is a natural, reproductive part of life that should not be shrouded in shame. She argued that children should be educated about their bodies from a young age, noting that some girls begin their periods as early as eight years old.
“A Bodily Function” vs. “Taboo”
During the exchange, Tommy Little compared the biological process of menstruation to other bodily functions like pooing or weeing.
He expressed confusion over the caller’s resistance, stating, A period is not a sexual thing.
The caller drew a sharp comparison, suggesting that just because a parent might discuss “everythingwith their children, it did not mean those topics—such as
threesomes—should be broadcast to the public. Little characterized the caller's comparison as
the most wild stuff” he had heard, while Bickmore maintained that there is a clear distinction between discussing reproductive health and sexual topics.
Emotional Accounts from Listeners
Following the initial debate, other listeners contacted the program to share personal experiences. One woman shared that she began her period at age eight and found the experience “terrifying” because she had not been prepared for it. She explained that she was raised by a single father who did not know how to discuss the topic with her, an account that left Little visibly emotional and tearing up on air. Bickmore reiterated her position that normalizing the conversation is essential, adding that it is beneficial for boys to understand what girls are going through to foster empathy and biological understanding.
Public Response and Social Media Discourse
The radio segment prompted a surge of discussion on the Carrie & Tommy Instagram page. While the initial caller expressed discomfort, the majority of social media commenters praised the hosts for tackling what many described as a “taboo” subject.
Supporters of the discussion emphasized that education is key to removing shame surrounding the topic. Comments left under the show’s posts included:
* Love that you are talking about this. It’s totally normal!!!!
* Talk about periods! Boys and girls both need to know.
* Why make it a secret… it’s not the olden days don’t make it taboo!
* It should never be a shameful topic.
Bickmore, who was recently named the 2026 Victorian of the Year for her advocacy work in brain cancer, has remained firm that menstrual health should be an open, shame-free discussion for children of all ages.
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