*We spoke to Emmy-winning actress, author, and social media sensation Tabitha Brown to discuss her collaboration with Always Discreet. Together, they are tackling the stigma surrounding bladder leaks, which affect 1 in 2 women and often hold them back from enjoying everyday activities.
Through this partnership, Always Discreet and Brown are inspiring women across the country to reclaim their spontaneity by asking what they would do if they weren’t limited by bladder leaks. Their campaign offers women the chance to overcome these challenges and embrace life without hesitation.
“We knew that bladder leaks negatively affect women, but we wanted to know more about the depth and gravity to which bladder leaks alter women’s lives,” said Balaka Niyazee, Senior Vice President of P&G Feminine Care North America, in a statement.
“The data from our survey speaks for itself, as we’re seeing women who simply want to do normal, everyday things like travel, laugh more or work out. But there was also concerning data about how bladder leaks are holding women back from major life decisions or choices they would wish to make. We’re honored to join Tabitha on this journey of empowering women to live life to the fullest, and you can with Always Discreet which absorbs leaks and odors in seconds,” she added.
“I think it’s a great way to let women know, there is an option, and I think that they’ll use that option and not feel embarrassed about it. This is something to help you stay dry, to help you not have odor,” Brown told EURweb exclusively. “There are two options. There is a full brief that you can wear, but there’s also the one that you line your underwear in. So you have the option that makes you feel comfortable. “
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What inspired you to partner with always discreet? And how does this collaboration align with your mission to empower women to live life fully?
Tabitha Brown: The inspiration comes from, I am a woman and I have the real experience of womanhood, motherhood, and getting a little bit older. It was a no-brainer when I got the call and asked if I was interested. I was like, ‘Oh, honey… the way my bladder tried to leave me after I had my last child.’ I was like, ‘We got to talk about this.’ I’m always trying to help women not feel alone. The more you talk about something that can be a little bit embarrassing or something that you don’t feel comfortable about, the more I talk about it, the better other women feel. I love people, but I love my women. I’m always trying to help them live fully. And so in partnering with Always… after hearing the data and the research and 88 percent of women who have had bladder leaks… I was like… we got to talk about this because I want people to get their life back.
I’m excited about helping women come out of… bondage. When you are trapped inside of emotion and don’t do the things that make you happy or you’re afraid to do some of those things. Let’s break the chains off. Let’s help those women get back to having fun and having no fear and no worry about a bladder leak.
You’ve been open about experiencing bladder leaks. Can you share your journey and how it’s impacted your approach to everyday activities?
After I had my son, I had what they call a prolapsed bladder for a while. It’s where it almost comes out, you can see it kind of protruding. It took a while for mine to go back. It also caused my bladder to be more weak. My bladder has always been a little bit weaker, as a child anyway. So after having children, it just made it even more so. When I first experienced it, it was a sneeze. I said, ‘Wait a minute, Jesus. I didn’t just sneeze and pee on myself a little bit.’ That was my first thing. I remember talking to my doctor and she was like, that’s normal… especially after you have children. I didn’t think it was going to become a thing, but it did for quite some time.
It was a little bit worse than it is now. It’s not as bad, but I do still have the issues. It did make me, I won’t say stop living my life and doing the things that I loved, but I did have that thought in the back of my mind, like, ‘Okay, what am I going to wear? Am I going to wear this?’ Because I’m going to need to wear either a panty liner or a pad just in case. That becomes a little bit overwhelming sometimes because you’re thinking about an outfit. You’re thinking about ‘Where am I going? What am I going to be doing? How long are we going to be there? Where’s the bathroom?’ So those are those moments that I still live with, especially with travel. I travel a lot. I’m constantly in the bathroom on the plane but I don’t let it stop me. It’s a normal thing. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s just part of life. We don’t have to live with a limit on our life.
I’ve had so many issues. Prior to me going vegan, I was not well. During that time, my bladder leaks were worse. I was on the set of a film and when I was running for the scene, I peed on myself. I couldn’t hold it. It just leaked out. Nobody knew, but I knew and I felt terrible. I went to the bathroom to clean myself up and I just broke down crying. But of course, you pick yourself back up and you keep on moving. Thankfully now, I do so many things, I do exercises to try to strengthen, and a lot of the pelvic floor exercises. But baby, I be in that gym and still living my life and running and doing all the things.
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How do you hope your platform and partnership with Always Discreet will help remove the stigma around this issue?
I hope it starts a conversation. That’s the goal. If people start talking about it, the less it is a stigma. The more comfortable you get, the more women start saying, ‘Oh girl. Yeah, me too.’ It’s just like going through perimenopause, which also plays a role. I started talking about that and it was the highest engagement that I had for like, I can’t even tell you. Women were like, ‘Oh my God, girl!’ My DMs were flooded. My comment section flooded. People just want to know they’re not alone. I think that’s what will happen. We will all be talking about it. Women will be chiming in on each other’s stories. I pray that the conversation continues to happen.
What do you think are some of the biggest misconceptions women have about bladder leaks?
I think the biggest misconception is that something is wrong with you. Something is wrong with you or that life has to be altered or stopped in some way, and that’s just not true. We have options. There are different things that we can do to help strengthen ourselves. Life goes on and we still can have a lot of fun with it.
What advice would you give to women who might feel embarrassed or reluctant to talk about their bladder leaks?
The more we talk about it, the better we feel. The more we realize that there are so many of us out there that have the same thing happening and you’re not alone. That always gives us confidence. That always makes us feel included. You’re like, ‘Oh, it’s not just me. I don’t feel alone.’ I think once you do that, the conversations continue, and you become more confident naturally that way. Do those things that scare you. Nothing gives you confidence better than doing something that scares you. But now you have an option to help you push through the fear.
*This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.
READ MORE: Tabitha Brown Wins First Emmy for Her Online Children’s Show
