Culture Machine, a Mumbai based media firm, became the first to give their female employees an optional first day of the period (FOP) leave. A lot of other companies and corporate firms followed this policy which erupted a debate whether such a policy is regressive and against the gender equality ideals. Some female employees argue that this policy would further allow the employers to discriminate against them and use this as an excuse to not use female workers or to avoid giving them a promotion that they deserve.
A 2013 research showed that women take lesser breaks and work more to increase their visibility and social capital at their workplaces, which suggests that women have to do the extra bit to create fair competition and thus having menstrual leave can be counterproductive.
This very idea of workaholism is reinforced and rewarded by the corporates, where not taking leave to which one is entitled to, is seen as a matter of pride, creating a fear in the minds of women which results in them outweighing their pain and discomfort to fit the ideal that corporate places in front them. It is to say that Indian male average is taken as the benchmark of productivity creating a situation of a double whammy.
Different Struggles Of Women In The Informal Sector
This opposing argument given by Indian working women in the formal sector is similar to that of middle-class women in white-collar jobs in Indonesia, who saw the provision of menstrual leave as ‘discriminatory’ and ‘old fashioned’ and was of the opinion that it hampers productivity. While Indonesian women engaged in blue-collar work made use of this provision to take rest and fulfil their nutrient requirements and health needs.
Barkha Dutt, a well known Indian journalist wrote in one article, “Sure, our periods can be annoyingly uncomfortable and often painful, but this reality usually demands no more than a Tylenol or Meftal and, if needed, a hot-water bottle” this homogenisation of menstrual experiences, ignores and dismisses the needs of women for whom menstrual leave is a necessity- for health reasons or because they do not have the privilege to work in comfortable offices. In the words of Jincy Thomas, “Being denied access to basic facilities when you’re on your period is not your choice”.
Hence, it is necessary to understand that there cannot be a one-for-all policy or lack thereof. The struggles of workers in the informal sector are worse as there is a lot of physical labour involved and no fixed working hours. Not having the liberty to take breaks to take some rest affects their health. Most of the time, there are no safe and private washroom facilities available rendering these women more vulnerable. Therefore, two days paid leave should be made mandatory for all those women who are involved in blue-collar work apart from the orders of making WASH facilities available wherever women are employed.
The question that still lingers is whether such a step of mandatory 2-day menstrual leave for women in the informal sector will lead to low employability of them. The chances of this being the case are less, as there is an existing vast gender pay gap which results in women labour being cheap and profitable to the employers. Therefore, employers will be reluctant to let go of the profit for the loss that they will incur.
Legitimate Fears Of Women In The Formal Sector
Women face discrimination at the workplace in terms of getting opportunities, equal pay and promotions. The fear that menstrual leave will further exacerbate the inequality at the workplace is legitimate although it can be worked out.
According to Ms Littleton, “Equality as acceptance means that instead of regarding cultural and reproductive differences as problems to be eliminated we would aim to eliminate the unequal consequences that follow from them”, so instead of refusing to acknowledge that women face discomfort, pain and mood swings requiring leave from work, the focus should be on workplaces be made gender-sensitive and equitable.
The aim should be to create an environment at the workplace where women’s health needs do not come in their way of success and equal opportunities. This can be done by conducting regular gender sensitivity workshops. Besides giving incentives to the corporates which allow a ‘two-day optional menstrual leave ’.
As there is a lack of research which proves that every woman uniformly suffers period pain, the choice of availing or not availing the leave should be left at the option of women. As research conducted in IT sector of Bangalore shows, out of 58 female respondents, 54 respondents responded that it is hectic and stressful to work a long day on their first day of periods.
There should be a choice to either avail the paid leave and compensate for the work responsibilities by working on other days, or to work from home as the research by Jyothsna Latha Belliappa suggests that despite the workplaces being made period sensitive, women who work in the lower managerial positions have to travel for long hours by public transports to reach their workplaces.
The third option could be to not avail the leave but be allowed to take breaks in between and have less workload. It is important for the colleagues and the employers to be sensitive to their menstruating employees,
For instance- a Japanese departmental store introduced voluntary period badges for their staff so that if they are wearing it, they can get extra help or longer breaks. Installing Pad vending machines could be an addition in making workplaces more period sensitive.
Menstrual Leave: The Death Of Feminism?
Barkha Dutt in the same article also wrote, “But for women to use the fight against menstrual taboos as an excuse for special treatment is a disservice to the seriousness of feminism. Stop this sexism. Period.” While feminism stands for equality between genders, it does not mean sameness. Women need not fear from acknowledging that their reproductive functioning and health needs differ from men, instead, the male standard of productivity and success should be challenged.
The focus of feminism should be in refusing to allow differences in a male-dominated society to translate into discrimination. The aim of menstrual leave is to normalise periods and uphold the needs of women which is not defined by the benchmark needs of men. We can sum this up in the words of Christine Littleton, “As the concept of equality suffers from a mathematical fallacy that is, the view that only things that are the same can ever be equal.”