Men Don’t Understand Period Cramps But They Sure Have Opinions About Menstrual Leave. Tumko Pucha Kisi Ne?
Lack of uterus hasn't stopped men from talking!
Every month mother nature comes knocking at our doors and every single time, it hurts like there’s no tomorrow. Yeah, I’m talking about periods. Gone are the days when menstruation was a hush-hush topic, especially now since the Supreme Court is set to hear a plea demanding 3 days of paid menstrual leave for women across India and rightly so. As women, we not only need but also deserve period leave. Apart from cramps, it’s not uncommon for women to experience mood swings, stress, fatigue, nausea and so much more during periods. But men seem to have a growing hatred for period leaves and sadly it roots from their lack of knowledge and empathy.
Yes, if my dentist is writhing in pain, I'd prefer them to take the day off rather than jeopardize my health along with theirs. Also, what is a non-serious profession? I pity the women who work for this person. pic.twitter.com/N8lVTH6SHr
— Rituparna Chatterjee (@MasalaBai) February 19, 2023
It's touching really how much men care about equality of women at the workplace the minute we discuss period leave.
— Rituparna Chatterjee (@MasalaBai) February 21, 2023
Supreme Court of India is set to hear the menstrual leave PIL on February 24 and just days ago, Spain became the first European country to approve paid menstrual leave. All of this has sparked a heated debate about period cramps and menstrual leave on social media and men seem to be spearheading the anti-period leave section of society.
If men actually realized how much excruciating pain women go through every single month this would not be looked at as a sign of weakness https://t.co/m3abZWohyG
— meredith minkow (@murrminks) February 17, 2023
Also Read: “We Aren’t Going To Party For 3 Days”: Twitter Thread Shows How Little Men Understand Periods, Menstrual Leave
not just how little people, especially men, actually understand periods, but also how devoid of empathy they are of menstruators around them. Example: Tiger Woods handed a tampon to a rival as a joke on being "a pussy" and associated bleeding with being a loser.
— Rituparna Chatterjee (@MasalaBai) February 20, 2023
Several men have taken this opportunity to not just take a stand against period leaves but also to conveniently mansplain periods to women who have been menstruating for longer than some of these men have been alive. Unsurprisingly, most of these men reek of male privilege, ignorance and more importantly lack of empathy and compassion. Take a look at some tweets from men who have some very logical arguments against menstrual leaves (note the sarcasm).
Men mansplaining periods to me has got to be the best thing. 🤦🏾♀️ pic.twitter.com/vopCNz8x7s
— Rituparna Chatterjee (@MasalaBai) February 21, 2023
What would the male equivalent of this be? I'm not knocking on menstrual leave.
— Kiran C. Karunakaran 🍉 (@awaywithkiran) February 19, 2023
Giving birth is "ehsaan" it seems. These men would prefer women to give birth at workplace only and continue to work right after so productivity remains uninterrupted. https://t.co/TN1LoAthwu
— Rituparna Chatterjee (@MasalaBai) February 20, 2023
It’s rather interesting that some of these men have taken a moment to not only disapprove of menstrual leave (not that anyone asked for their hostile opinion) but also to express their displeasure about paid maternity leave. Somehow, men never cease to amaze me with their arrogance and misogyny. Further, some men have managed to point out how some women can play sports even during their periods which means that menstrual leaves are not a necessity. For someone who hasn’t experienced a single period, they sure have loads of uninformed opinions.
Read this account by a friend of mine who gave vaginal birth in the UK without epidural. Midwife was amazed she didn't scream during intense contractions. She said she was used to that level of pain during periods. That's the kind of pain we go to work with and seeking leave for pic.twitter.com/ifVPhkQ4oz
— Rituparna Chatterjee (@MasalaBai) February 21, 2023
Also Read: Explained: What Is The Menstrual Leave PIL In Supreme Court And The Menstruation Benefit Bill?
Allow me to elaborate, as someone who has been a national-level swimmer, I must recount how I handled periods when I had to swim. From high-dosage painkillers to medicines to delay my periods, I have done it all just to get through a competition. And trust me even with high-dosage painkillers, it was no easy feat to compete when all I wanted to do was get inside my bed and sleep. Irrespective of the painkillers, it is essential to understand that when a woman is losing all that blood, she is bound to feel lethargic and fatigued making it extremely tough for her to get through the day.
Having said that, I don’t completely blame the men. Of course, in 2023, they sure are at fault for their ignorance and arrogance but we must take the blame for what we have done too. For the longest time, we’ve had toxic sanitary napkin ads showcasing women wearing white (like who even does that) jumping around and playing sports (yeah, no way we can do that). To make matters worse, women have been told that symptoms like severe period cramps, nausea and fatigue are very normal and that too by doctors. And for forever, women around us have suffered through debilitating pain, taken a deep breath and gone back to work with a brave face. Our mothers did it, our mothers’ mothers’ did it and so on and only because hiding their pain was easier than talking about a woman’s body and period which was a hush-hush topic for the longest time.
https://twitter.com/stonecharioteer/status/1627912642764410880?s=20
However, in 2023 when we have access to a crazy amount of information at a click of a button, it’s sad that men haven’t even bothered to do a simple google search before sharing hostile tweets against menstrual leave. They have put little to no effort to understand period cramps let alone empathise with women. Many of them have conveniently suggested that women can always opt for sick leaves but why should we have to take a sick leave for something that happens to be a monthly phenomenon? Also, what are women supposed to do when they actually fall sick? Take unpaid leaves on top of the already existing gender pay gap?
Men are passionately suggesting "why not just take a sick leave?" Yeah bro, just mentioning the words "period leave" giving you all acid reflux, yes I can tooooootally imagine you as managers willingly allowing women to take sick days without them having to give reason in detail
— Rituparna Chatterjee (@MasalaBai) February 20, 2023
Also Read: 7 Reasons Why Women NEED And Deserve Period Leaves
NGL but this is precisely why men fail at being feminist allies. Their arrogance and ignorance come in the way of understanding and empathising with women. Honestly, why are men even discussing period leave when it has nothing to do with them. Despite the lack of uterus, they continue to share their unwanted opinions on something that don’t even fully understand and more importantly, they seem to have opinions about whether women deserve period leaves or not. But umm, kisi ne pucha tumko? Men somehow start foaming at the mouth the second it comes to period leaves but it’s none of their business. Honestly, period cramps and menstrual leave are not up for discussion and we definitely don’t need a male perspective on something that men do not even experience.
First Published: February 21, 2023 8:35 PMSpain Becomes First European Country To Pass Paid Menstrual Leave Law
