To think this is fine to talk about in a work email

[SandAndSeals]

I’ve NC as this is potentially outing.

An awareness email went out to colleagues about the menopause. Is the email, it lists the symptoms inc. hot flushes, low mood etc and also ‘vaginal dryness and reduced sex drive’.

My colleague has put a complaint email in about it as they don’t think it’s appropriate to mention vaginal dryness is a workplace email. However I disagree. It’s a common symptom and should be listed in an awareness article. You would take out ‘difficulty holding an erection’ when discussing prostate cancer, for example.

The Health team send out other emails about out conditions and illnesses depending on what’s being asked for. I’m in the Women’s Network so I know that menopause info has been asked for.

What do you think? AIBU or is she?

Did your mental health emails discuss lowering of sex drive? do the ones about dealing with pregnant women? I understand your point about censoring symptoms, but its just not acceptable to say as people should be aware of this in the workplace, then they must know all symptoms. Its not an embarrassment thing, I would certainly hope there was a general understanding the menopause is not the same for all women, I still just don't think its appropriate as a WORKPLACE memo to discuss how an issue such as menopause- and i'd be the same about testicular cancer etc, impacts on sex drive, you can always include links to gain additional information for those who wish to read it.

It's the same as the domestic abuse posters on the back of the toilet doors. It's not about raising awareness to managers. It's about raising awareness in general, and to those affected.

As a menopausal woman vaginal dryness is an important issue.If you've had it you'll know how uncomfortable it is,it is not just loss of lubrication during sex.

Indeed - this can cause significant pain at times through the day/month (when combined with irregular periods and some quite heavy ones it can be debilitating).
It does sound more like a "have a look at this website" issue rather than an "email to everyone" issue.

Cancer etc would be covered by sickness. Menopause happens to us all. And therefore the policy presumably is to counter the "just get on with it" attitude.

We actually do have a sickness policy, a terminal illness policy, a MH policy and a parental policy inc. time off for fertility.

We are a little policy crazy here!

Note to self:- Freelance through the menopause.

What the hell is so inappropriate about mentioning vaginas in relation to health symptoms? I can practically hear the pearls rattling, there’s that much clutching going on here. WOMEN’S genitalia get dry during the menopause. It’s a fact, not a dirty story. I feel sorry for any woman dealing with the menopause and having to work with some posters on here.

Stop making vagina a dirty word.

Stop minimising the symptoms of the menopause.

I really hope you don’t back down on this, OP. I actually think it’s sex discrimination, if the boss says they have an issue with the mention of vaginal dryness. I’d point out that you assume any discussion on men’s health will have no mention of men’s genitalia. 🙄

"Sorry, I can't come into work today. My vag is dry."

Nobody’s making vagina a dirty word. Just wondering at the appropriateness of using a workplace memo to “raise awareness”.
Why this, specifically? There are plenty of things people probably should be made aware of, but not all of them are management’s place to initiate.
Seems a bit Big Brother to me.

I’m very open about the fact that I’m going through the menopause. So many women seem shocked when I first mention it, but then we end up in a full conversation about our symptoms. It’s something we should discuss more. I must admit the men tend to look a bit confused when I tell them I’m having a tropical moment (hot flush). 😁

Of course it's not a dirty word. There are lots of things I'm not at all abashed about that I don't want discussed in the office. I had extensive fertility treatment under cover of complicated dentistry.

Besides, I'll break if transwomen also start claiming vaginal symptoms as part of their "menopauses" and wanting special arrangements. So let's not give them ideas.

I would have thought men should be able to handle the information. The only issue I would have is it being made into a source of titivation. However the one discussing erectile dysfunction as a symptom would also do that.

Is the colleague m/f?

I don't really understand why people are arguing about whether it's necessary to include the information - the OP's colleague didn't say 'why did they put this in, bit of a waste of space, isn't it?'. She actually complained that it was inappropriate. It might not have been strictly necessary but to actually complain about it is bizarre and in itself quite offensive - just mentioning the existence of vaginas isn't some kind of terrible affront!

I get all sorts of stuff I don't find particularly interesting in my work email. I just delete it. I feel like OP's drama llama colleague should do the same, rather than complaining!

If so many work places are pushing staff into trans awareness training, silly team building exercises, etc, they can bloody well support their older (yes, I know some younger women can be affected) female staff when going through something not of their own making.

YANBU. We had a global email awareness thing on World Aids Day on 1st December, and the number of US colleagues clutching their pearls because there were pictures of condoms in the mail was something to behold!

As long as this is in a series of emails to educate on health issues, and it is done in appropriate medical terms then there is no issue. In fact I would strongly object to any kind of editing - it negates the whole point of educating and raising awareness!

I don't want my colleagues to be thinking about my vagina.

Hot flushes have direct relevance to the workplace, in terms of heating levels, seating plans and those endless open-plan office disputes about whether to turn the heating up or down, open or close the windows.

Personally I've always been an 'I'm cold' person. If I'm becoming a 'feeling hot' person for a few years, it might be relevant to adjust the office seating plan / take this into account when it is adjusted.

I do not want to feel that stating I am now going through the menopause will lead to my manager, or colleagues, having involuntary speculative thoughts about the state of my vagina.

Call me whatever you like, I think that in some workplaces this would make the difference between me stating to my manager that I am now experiencing the menopause and choosing to power through in private.

One would hope that a workplace would handle things more sensitively and just be aware, for example, that people's 'hot / cold' seating preferences may change over time and it's worth asking everyone now and then what they prefer, or just designing layouts to allow choice, without demanding reasons.

I'll break if transwomen also start claiming vaginal symptoms as part of their "menopauses" and wanting special arrangements.

Sure they already claim to have periods. 🙄

Those are all policies that take into account different conditions but are not specific like a menopause policy.

I think this is all about context. If you send out a single email to all your collegues saying 'hey, just though you should know that vaginal dryness is a symptom of the menopause' then that would be weird/odd/inappropriate.

Sending out an email raising awareness about the condition, as part of a string of health related awareness raising emails, that includes this as one in a list of symptoms is perfectly reasonable.

How in the name of all that’s Holy do trans women have periods? Are we supposed to engage with this delusion?!
Maybe this is the sort of shit that people need to have their awareness raised on!

Note to self:- Freelance through the menopause

Ditto.

I can understand why it's a good idea to raise awareness of some menopausal symptoms if they have a bearing on the workplace, but I'm still don't understand why vaginal dryness is a workplace issue. My colleagues and mangers have no reason to have that kind of knowledge about my vagina, they're never going anywhere near it.

I'm sure there are plenty of symptoms of depression that aren't directly linked to workplace activity either....the point is to help people identify when they are suffering from something that they could usefully seek treatment for surely?

how in the hell are people making this about trans?

That’s ridiculous. A policy should only be relevant to issues that impact the workplace. How does a dry vagina impact the workplace? I completely understand the need to make accommodations for hot flushes, headaches and so forth but what workplace accomodations need to be made for vaginal dryness? My god.

How does a dry vagina affect your ability to work? Are you sex workers?