In defense of public burping and gas-passing

Let ’er rip… it’s for your heath
By Jessica Berget, Opinions Editor

I think Shrek said it best when he so eloquently stated, “Better out than in, I always say.” This is a philosophy I live by, and I thought many other people did as well. Yet whenever I burp in public, people give me dirty looks, call me rude, and instantly judge my character. I will no longer stand for it.

We should all be free not only to burp in public whenever our bodies tell us we need to without judgement, we should also be able to pass any type of gas freely.

I know what you’re thinking. “But no one wants to smell a stranger’s farts!” I can agree with you there. However, according to WebMD most gas is actually odourless, so you don’t have to worry about that too much.

Listen, we’re all human. We have all basic biological functions that we need to carry out for our health. We shouldn’t be shamed, mocked, or judged for carrying out our fundamental bodily objectives. In fact, I think we should all learn to accept and celebrate our gas-filled flesh vessels. It makes no sense to be ashamed of something that we all need to do everyday. Also, call me immature, but farting and burping is always hilarious. So, I say let ’er rip.

We’ve all had times when we are forced to hold in our gas out of embarrassment. Whether it be on public transit, in the middle of a quiet classroom, or when you’re with an attractive person, we’ve all been there. However, belching, breaking wind, or whatever it is you’re doing, your body is supposed to be doing it, so you really shouldn’t be holding it in. If you don’t belch it out, it can go down your digestive tract and cause indigestion and even more gas in the form of flatulence.

Moreover, holding in your flatulence builds up a lot of pressure in your intestines and can cause awful cramps. Seriously, it’s not good for your digestive health. Furthermore, the fact is that it’s not just going to go away. It has to be released somehow, whether you want it to or not. It just finds a different way out, whether it be through the mouth or the rectum. As Clare Collins, Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Newcastle, wrote in a Newsweek article, “A build up of intestinal gas can trigger abdominal distension, with some gas reabsorbed into the circulation and exhaled in your breath. Holding on too long means the build up of intestinal gas will eventually escape via an uncontrollable fart.”

Moral of the story, if you’ve got gas, you’ve got to let it out—or it will let itself out.

If you really have to pass gas but are too embarrassed about it, go to a washroom or other private place. But please, don’t hold it in.