Workplaces and Menstruation.
Menstruation is no longer a subject that can be wrapped up in newspaper or a black plastic and tucked in a cupboard. It is not a subject that remains the concern of individuals who experience them. While the individual learning as a person who is surrounded by menstruating individuals needs to improve drastically, I engage in the "M" word and the "P" word almost every other day with corporate leaders.
No change is expected overnight. I cannot suddenly expect that all the taboos related to menstruation will go away with few sessions or articles, but baby steps can be taken. et us look at few elements that workplace leaders can/must adopt right away:
1. Stop making menstruation a woman issue alone. Not all women menstruate and not all who menstruate are women;
2. Adopt the language that aligns with Point 1;
3. Create an environment where individuals should be able to just take a breather on their menstruating days without explaining much to you or any one else in the team;
4. Understand that just because some people in your life did not complain much about their menstruation times does not mean that it is the same for all. It is different for every person;
5. Once you are back to physical spaces, provide sanitary napkins and other hygiene products in a space where anyone should be able to access them and please do not limit them to women's washrooms only; This way you are also making a statement by normalising conversations and experiences of menstruation. By all means, provide them in washrooms too for those who would feel uncomfortable extracting them in public view though;
6. Do not make crass jokes about hormones, that time of the month, and other sarcastic remarks. They were never funny, and now they are out dated too.
7. Put a leave policy that goes beyond the traditional. Think inclusive. Also, in today's times it is expected that "care" will go an extra mile so why shouldn't yours? No one has to declare that they are taking leave due to their periods, but they should know that they have these extra leaves. And if you are concerned that non-menstruators will feel sidelined, let them take similar leaves if someone in their family needs it. Trust me, you might have not seen the worst of menstruation due to all the fancy advertisements that show how a simple pad can change these days for us. They are not true at all- especially not for the masses.
There has never been any harm that has come from talking inclusive. Let us start from today.