Hi there!
The announcement of the new Spanish menstrual leave policy has ignited the menstrual discussion in countries like Malaysia or Singapore, which have been added to the list of nations already fighting for this right, next to others like Chile and Mexico. Like Bob Dylan sang in 1964 – ‘the times, they are a-changin’’. However, as we learnt from Part 1 of this series, even if the passing of a bill might represent a huge step forward, it is only that: a step. The existence of a law does not warrant its usage. It is time to unmask the true elephant in the room and ask ourselves: Is our society ready to embrace the period?
In the third and last part of this series I would like to examine two common worries that arise when menstrual leave is under discussion, and introduce what might be the solution we have been looking for. The times, they might be a’changing, but are we a’changing fast enough?
Be there or be square
One of the most recurring monsters hunting the nightmares of those opposing menstrual leave is the plummeting of productivity. The horror! They believe that a reduction of working time will directly impact the output of those adhering to the policy. But is it really as straightforward as it sounds?
In 2017, a group of Dutch scientists spent 4 months looking for women ready to talk about period pain in the workplace. Researchers observed that, within their pool of almost 33,000 participants, it was very rare to skip work due to period cramps: only 1 out of 10 women reported doing so. Outstandingly, the majority of them, 4 out of 5, engaged in the practice of presentism. In other words, they went to work despite knowing that their condition would prevent them from reaching their usual levels of productivity. These workers, when faced with the choice between losing part of their income or enduring the pain, chose to conceal their menstruation the way society expects them to. And the pressure is real. In 2019 a study inspecting how the U.S. population felt about the concept of menstrual leave, 11% of the interviewees (including both male AND female) said that menstruating individuals should just ‘Suck it up!’ - Periods are not that bad, are they? The truth is that, yes, they are. In fact, the Dutch research team estimated that ‘sucking it up’ resulted in a loss of around nine productive days per year.
Shooting ourselves on the foot
Another common fear of those interviewed in the U.S. was that such policies could sabotage our journey towards equality. We have been fighting for so long to be treated with the same respect as men, why would we want to be seen differently in the eyes of the law? Because different doesn’t always mean bad - in fact, the step forward might not require being regarded as the same, but acknowledging our differences and shaping the world accordingly. To reach our goal we ought to provide everyone with the necessary tools to navigate society with equal chances of success; and acknowledge that those instruments might not be the same for all of us.
Which are (some of) the vital devices required to assure equal opportunities for all menstruating individuals? Those which guarantee the appropriate management of the menstrual cycle and guarantee an optimal menstrual health. After a quick thought you might come up with things like washing facilities, period products or medication to deal with the pain commonly associated with menstruation. However, we shouldn’t stop there. Negative attitudes towards menstrual leave policies are as common in countries where the policies have already been established as in those where it’s been barely discussed. The reason in both cases is the same: poor knowledge about menstruation and the importance of menstrual health. To finally emerge as a supportive society - one where periods don’t need to be hidden - we also need education and awareness for all, menstruating and non-menstruating individuals.
A leap of faith
In addition to absenteeism and presentism patterns, the Dutch research team was also looking for suggestions. How would you improve the situation? The most common answer they obtained was: flexibility.
Definitely easier said than done. Governments don’t trust caveats that could allow citizens to bend the rules. However, this harsh approach might not be the most beneficial for laws concerning physiological processes. In the case of menstrual leave, the rigidity of the existing policies is already causing harm to part of the menstruating population by excluding them either due to gender identity or the origin of their pain (Part 2). In addition, we might be able to provide proof that flexibility is the way to go.
All around the globe (India, UK, Australia, France…) there are examples of private companies whose period policies have been written with a more flexible approach. Allowing for arrangements such as: working from home, days where no meetings should take place, and time off between others. The results are widespread employee satisfaction and inconspicuous changes in productivity. Governments might be understandably afraid of flexibility, but all these companies represent a small-scale example of how successful this approach can be. Even if it requires a leap of faith.
You can read the rest of The Menstrual Leave series by clicking on the following links:
Bibliography
The world bank. Menstrual Health and Hygiene (2022)
