Medical Misogyny: Taking the MEN out of Menstruation.
"My male superiors don't seem to recognise the severity of my PMDD symptoms, marketing me as unmotivated for occassionally choosing to work from home when my migraines, sickness and chronic fatigue feel too overwhelming for the office."
In the UK, paid period leave is not a mandatory offer in every workplace. This could leave women having to discuss the intimate details of their often-debilitating period symptoms with their employers. As a result, the decision of whether you will be granted paid period leave is left in the hands of your occupational superior.
According to the GOV.UK website, period sufferers may be granted sick leave in the form of a 'fit note' for a monetary charge, on the understanding that they must have been experiencing symptoms that leave them 'unfit for work' for 7 days or more. So, what happens to the PMDD sufferers whose period symptoms consume the entirety of each month?
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According to the Women's Health Fact Sheet, “5% to 10% of women possess a Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder diagnosis and experience period pains severe enough to disrupt their lives”. Yet even despite this, I found that from a survey featured within a Metro Online article, a third of men think it's inappropriate to discuss anything to do with menstruation in the office.
Whilst 32% of men, according to the same article, deem it unprofessional for women to discuss their periods whilst at work. How can a biological, entirely natural regularity be deemed such a taboo? Specifically, by members of the population fortunate enough to never experience the discomfort of period symptoms.
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I interviewed a customer support provider within the financial sector, working for the Investment Management company, Fidelity, on her experience of suffering with the enfeebling symptoms of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder within a corporate setting.
She stated that "It sometimes feels impossible to progress in my professional field as my PMDD symptoms seem to hold me back so much, in all aspects of my life."
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I asked her how this has impacted her mentally, she stated that:
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"It has definitely taken a toll on my mental health, at the beginning of last year I was signed off work for 3 months due to poor mental health. It was only upon my return that I recognised a difference in the way that my colleagues approached the topic of conversation surrounding my premenstrual dysphoric disorder.”
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So why is it that so often, menstruators are left to suffer in silence? How are so many women expected to progress professionally when the impact of their period symptoms mean that they often require additional support?
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I interviewed an Investment Manager at the leading financial services group, Legal and General Investment. To find out what he believes should be done to remove of the stigma surrounding the discussion of menstruation within corporate settings.
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He suggested that:
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“From an intergender and cultural perspective, it is vital that our schools educate young people to understand each other. However, it has historically been the case that we only explore the differences between men and women in the context of attitudes and behaviours. A young male who is aware of the physiological differences between men and women, is better placed to have a sympathetic and understanding disposition to the often-difficult experiences women have to endure as part of their menstrual cycle. It can only be beneficial to further our understanding, in order to provide the necessary support for our menstruating co-workers.”
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In support of this idea, The British Standard Institute published ‘Landmark menstruation, menstrual health and menopause in the workplace guidance’ in June 2023. Within which, recommended ‘comprehensive change and support for people menstruating at work’. As in November 2023, ‘8% of women surveyed by the CIPD, have considered leaving their jobs due to a lack of support provision relating to menstrual symptoms, indicating that there is a robust business case and clear moral argument for supporting menstruating staff at work’.
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As a result, The CPD Certification Service are holding an online, Menstruation in the Workplace conference on the 9th of July 2024. To discuss ‘guidance on how to support people menstruating in the workplace, enabling companies to develop strategies to improve their organisation’s policies and create a culture free of stigma.’ The event will also allow the attendees to ‘learn from best practice case studies how to best provide wellfare support, manage staff with menstrual conditions and implement effective and reasonable adjustments.’ The event also claims to allow women to share their difficulties and experiences, continuing the conversation and hopefully providing many menstrators with hope for change in the way their employers view the topic and address the challenges of menstruation.
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