Paid Menstrual Leave : Do we really need it ??
A very weird thought came into my mind while I watched 22 women struggling at Lord's for the ICC Women's World Cup today. Instead of thinking about India's winning chances or if Harmanpreet Kaur gave another stellar performance today, I was wondering if any of those women out there was bleeding,rather menstruating... Apparently,quite an unusual thought. Right? But not really. Last month I came across an article about a media company in Mumbai providing menstrual leave to their women employees on first day of their periods. Many women had wanted their company to follow the suit. To be honest, I myself was one of them. However, the feeling just passed away after I switched to the another article. What followed in this one month was my coming across n number of such articles, quoting the example of the very same firm and causing an open debate at every media platform if such a move was rational. I thought this was just an another passing issue. What made me voice my opinion today was the morning newspaper which carried the front page news with the headline "Menstruation Matters. PERIOD" and then a full page cover inside... It was about a survey conducted in 6 states of India where men and women alike, supported the idea of a day's paid leave each month.
When I had first heard about the First Day of Period Leave, I was intrigued by the idea. Well, who would not be? We all crave for a mid week holiday after getting the weekends off. And here was an opportunity for me to take a day off, officially, that too, a paid one. But once I thought about it on a larger level, I was forced to rethink. Do we actually need a paid leave on first day of our periods ??There have been a lot many opinions floating at every possible platform. Not every woman is supporting the idea. Not even the most hated Feminists. After having bled every month from past 17 years and badly wishing I skip my periods somehow the next month, albeit without getting pregnant,I still am not in favour of this idea. Every girl, while being given a maiden lecture about menstruation is told how this is a routine of her life now and how she has to treat it as normal as anything else. When she actually faces the discomfort, she is told about all sort of remedies to subside the pain. Every woman's body is different from the other. Some feel a lot of discomfort on the first day, some throughout their flow. Some have physical pain, some suffer mentally. Yes, it indeed is tough for everyone to cross this hurdle every month but haven't we been taught that periods are just a part of our life ?? Why then a dedicated leave for this ? While growing up, I always wondered how could someone take leave for periods pain !! I mean, yes the discomfort is there but we have a large variety of medicines, ayurvedic, homeopathic and also Over the Counter Pills to ease the stupid cramps. What I didn't know back then was that the very thing which I had taken casually would become the topic of national debate someday.
I still today don't understand the funda of paid leave. Being at home,cosily in the bed in your pajamas along with the hot water bag and a tub of ice cream does appear lucrative but what after the pain subsides after an hour or two ? Would that be just another holiday? There are a handful of women who do feel a debilitating pain which for sure, would be very difficult to handle. They could always go for Sick leave just as they would go if they had fever or loose motion.. In my opinion, menstrual leave would not go unavailed by any of the female associates, no matter if they actually need it or not. This indeed would result in low productivity. We already are facing a lot many difficulties while trying to create jobs for women. I have heard many managers at my workplace unwilling to hire lady associates for their requirement as they won't work late hours, might get relocated once married or even go for maternity leave and child care at certain point of time. While the men are trying to cope up with all these issues, there's no point giving then another reason to hate women more at the workplace.
We have a very less percentage of women working in the corporate world. If in case other companies too, follow the same path and do give paid menstrual leave, what about the ones working at another sector ? They'll be left out, despite qualifying equally for the leave. Again,say if all the sectors do provide menstrual leave, then why should students be deprived of the same ? Every school and college needs to have a special leave for girls, no matter if they have other basic amenities or not. On one hand, we are fighting for equality and on the other hand, making a regressive demand. A major portion of the female population in India still fights with the demon of menstrual taboo every day,the fight which no one knows would ever be won. We still come across well educated ladies practicing age old traditions related to periods. This new rule would take us back into the past. I don't find it any different from ostracizing women on periods. While empowering women, lets not forget we are trying to bring them at par with men. Let's not turn the table and create a matriarchal society in the name of women's' rights and needs.
When I had first heard about the First Day of Period Leave, I was intrigued by the idea. Well, who would not be? We all crave for a mid week holiday after getting the weekends off. And here was an opportunity for me to take a day off, officially, that too, a paid one. But once I thought about it on a larger level, I was forced to rethink. Do we actually need a paid leave on first day of our periods ??There have been a lot many opinions floating at every possible platform. Not every woman is supporting the idea. Not even the most hated Feminists. After having bled every month from past 17 years and badly wishing I skip my periods somehow the next month, albeit without getting pregnant,I still am not in favour of this idea. Every girl, while being given a maiden lecture about menstruation is told how this is a routine of her life now and how she has to treat it as normal as anything else. When she actually faces the discomfort, she is told about all sort of remedies to subside the pain. Every woman's body is different from the other. Some feel a lot of discomfort on the first day, some throughout their flow. Some have physical pain, some suffer mentally. Yes, it indeed is tough for everyone to cross this hurdle every month but haven't we been taught that periods are just a part of our life ?? Why then a dedicated leave for this ? While growing up, I always wondered how could someone take leave for periods pain !! I mean, yes the discomfort is there but we have a large variety of medicines, ayurvedic, homeopathic and also Over the Counter Pills to ease the stupid cramps. What I didn't know back then was that the very thing which I had taken casually would become the topic of national debate someday.
I still today don't understand the funda of paid leave. Being at home,cosily in the bed in your pajamas along with the hot water bag and a tub of ice cream does appear lucrative but what after the pain subsides after an hour or two ? Would that be just another holiday? There are a handful of women who do feel a debilitating pain which for sure, would be very difficult to handle. They could always go for Sick leave just as they would go if they had fever or loose motion.. In my opinion, menstrual leave would not go unavailed by any of the female associates, no matter if they actually need it or not. This indeed would result in low productivity. We already are facing a lot many difficulties while trying to create jobs for women. I have heard many managers at my workplace unwilling to hire lady associates for their requirement as they won't work late hours, might get relocated once married or even go for maternity leave and child care at certain point of time. While the men are trying to cope up with all these issues, there's no point giving then another reason to hate women more at the workplace.
We have a very less percentage of women working in the corporate world. If in case other companies too, follow the same path and do give paid menstrual leave, what about the ones working at another sector ? They'll be left out, despite qualifying equally for the leave. Again,say if all the sectors do provide menstrual leave, then why should students be deprived of the same ? Every school and college needs to have a special leave for girls, no matter if they have other basic amenities or not. On one hand, we are fighting for equality and on the other hand, making a regressive demand. A major portion of the female population in India still fights with the demon of menstrual taboo every day,the fight which no one knows would ever be won. We still come across well educated ladies practicing age old traditions related to periods. This new rule would take us back into the past. I don't find it any different from ostracizing women on periods. While empowering women, lets not forget we are trying to bring them at par with men. Let's not turn the table and create a matriarchal society in the name of women's' rights and needs.
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