Menstrual leave – a real need or an invention?

Menstrual leave – a real need or an invention? Nothing stirs up as much excitement and controversy among men as… the uterus. Many of them snort with disapproval at the mere mention of menstrual leave. After all, how can this be? It’s so unfair that she wants a few extra days off a month!

Meanwhile, during menstruation, many women experience significant weakness, headaches, nausea, migraines… in addition to severe abdominal pains… and often stress, lest co-workers find out it’s “those days.” Because period is still a taboo subject.

According to research, as many as 80.7% of women experience a decrease in productivity during their period. This makes their presence at school or work almost exclusively associated with discomfort. For the employer, this is not an ideal situation either. 

And, after all, it’s not really the number of hours spent working that counts, but the actual results – which are often just better after a moment’s rest.

However, there is still a belief – especially among men – that “menstruation is not a disease.” It causes embarrassment. 20.1% of women who chose to stay at home instead of going to school or work due to menstruation hid the true fact of absence.

This may also be due to the boys’ education not being carried out very well by the school and parents. The subject is often treated in generalities to avoid embarrassing details. This then does not favorably affect the empathy of the male part of society in this regard.

Against all odds, however, you can also encounter kind comments about the menstrual leave: “Super initiative. As a man, I have absolutely no idea what a woman faces during this period so thoroughly.”

Much is expected of modern women. First – they are supposed to be perfect workers (even during menstruation, when the pain can be unbearable). 

Secondly, they are expected to run the house. According to statistics on household chores in a relationship, laundry is the domain of 82% of women (2% of men, 15% variously or jointly), cooking 62% of women (5% of men, 30% variously or jointly), and cleaning 61% of women (4% of men, 35% variously or jointly).

Third – a woman is supposed to be a mother. Only 1% of men in 2021. took parental leave….

According to the Women’s Rights Center’s report “Women in Poland in the 21st Century,” the adjusted wage gap between men and women is as high as 19%. The biggest difference is seen in bonuses and cash rewards.

However, it is not difficult to imagine an example where the bonus depends on, for example, attendance at work, and each L4 distances you from additional money. And who takes time off when a child gets sick? Mostly a woman. After all, a man earns more, so it doesn’t pay(sick leave is 80% of the paycheck). And the vicious circle is closing.

Recently, the topic of menstrual leave has returned with a bill in Spain. The new legislation would introduce the possibility of taking time off from work during menstruation.

It should be noted, however, that in this case it is about time off based on a medical certificate. So there is no question of a European revolution – at least not in the sense of an innovative solution. However, the period is increasingly boldly entering the media and politics.

Menstrual vacations are available in countries such as Indonesia, South Korea and Zambia. Japan was a pioneer in this regard – but there the solution did not work at all, as menstruation is still a taboo subject in that country.

But could it be the same in Poland as in Zambia or Korea? GentleWoman is rooting hard for this solution! Leave on demand or a few standard days off – a small price to pay for employee comfort!

Questions are also often raised, what about working remotely? Does a leave of absence due to menstruation also make sense in this arrangement? Home office is, after all, quite specific – you can read about its pros and cons in an article on GentleWoman Home our office.

Currently, the introduction of days off due to pain during menstruation is a law that can be introduced by the owner/manager of the company. For many brands, it’s a means to show empathy. After all, without people, even the best idea has no right to exist!

An example is the company More Bananas. In a recent post on LinkedIn, Anna Ledwoń-Blacha (Co-Founder & Creative Owner) wrote:

“[…] Why did I introduce? Because I can. […] I don’t change the law in Poland. I don’t change the law in your company or in your colleague’s or friend’s company. I don’t force anyone, I don’t lobby anyone. I did it at my place. My contribution to sisterhood, which has been so devalued lately.”

GentleWoman’s editors strongly support initiatives such as Ms. Anna’s. It is time for menstruation to stop being a taboo subject, and for women not to be forced to work when it proves beyond their strength. We believe that consistent education in this aspect will lead to beneficial changes in our system.

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