Do you think that we should get menstrual leave?

[Sarahpaula]

I have had such a terrible period this month. I was in so much pain. I feel so weak and tired. I know that many women feel like this. Do you think we should have an entitlement to menstrual leave from work?

Some countries already have menstrual leave in place. Mainly in Asia, from what I can see.

Here is an article:

in Taiwan, menstrual leave legislation was amended as recently as 2013. It guarantees women three days of menstrual leave a year on top of the 30 days half-paid sick leave given to all workers.
The extra three days came after a coalition of politicians claimed that incorporating menstrual leave into regular sick leave would be a violation of women’s rights. Indonesian women, too, are allowed two days a month menstrual leave and South Korean workers AND students are entitled to take days off when they’ve got their period as sick leave.

3 days a year wouldn’t be too bad in case you had a bad period but every month??

It would put employers off employing all women whether you have bad periods or not.

Some women would take the piss and take their time off each month even if they didn’t need it as they’re “entitled” to it. Everyone else would have to pick up the slack.

Have you seen the trans women on Twitter who claim to have monthly “periods” that just don’t include the blood 🤨 they’d definitely expect to get the period leave and employers would have to grant it in the interests of equality.

Sorry @kittenpeak. Madame Slow on the Uptake here

@LadyCatStark

3 days a year wouldn’t be too bad in case you had a bad period but every month??

It would put employers off employing all women whether you have bad periods or not.

Some women would take the piss and take their time off each month even if they didn’t need it as they’re “entitled” to it. Everyone else would have to pick up the slack.

Have you seen the trans women on Twitter who claim to have monthly “periods” that just don’t include the blood 🤨 they’d definitely expect to get the period leave and employers would have to grant it in the interests of equality.

Oh God yes can you imagine. They’d be the biggest piss takers ever with it too and no one would be able to say anything or they’d scream about discrimination

Periods can be painful and there is NOTHING wrong

Depends what you mean. Yes, women can have painful periods without having underlying pathology (illness) such as endoemetriosis. This is especially true of younger women and teenagers. But that doesn't mean that there is nothing for a doctor to treat. We should be aiming to control the pain, even if there isn't an underlying illness, so that the girl/woman can carry on normal activities.

Young women are often just told 'You'll grow out of it", which is usually true, but not the whole issue. What they should be hearing (assuming there is no reason to think they do have endometriosis or similar) is, "You will probably grow out of this but, in the meantime, here is how we are going to control the pain, so that you can live a completely normal life during your period."

I think it's unworkable because different women experience periods in such different ways. Those who don't have any pain or problems would be caught between a rock and a hard place - which would be worse, to take the time off when there was nothing wrong with them, or not to take the time off, and run the risk that employers would try to use that as a stick to beat other women with if they really needed to take time off?

omg I once took one day of menstrual leave in Japan. I probably could have sucked it up, but I had it and tried to use it. My supervisor sounded kind of confused and then just really taken aback (over the phone anyway) and the experience was so awkward and weird that I never used it again!!!

I totally forgot about that until seeing this thread 😩