Why Period Leaves may be a comma but not a period
Internet bursted, tweet after tweet, IG posts, even leading newspapers celebrated the announcement of “Period Leaves” and many companies hitched their carts to this bandwagon. Finally a change in the system, “you go girl” and the likes were dug out, dusted and reposted. And then what?
As a female employee, would I take a “Period Leave” when I am having those kill-me-now cramps? Would I be comfortable posting on my slack channel, “Hey, nasty chums this time, can’t work today.” Do not misunderstand me, I do not mind talking about periods, this post shall tell you that. I mind my period potentially being used to evaluate me, I am afraid of being praised on the face for my boldness and being silently judged because we do live in a time where it’s becoming increasingly uncomfortable to openly criticise “Feminism” but who is going to stop someone from saying — “I mean I am all for feminism and stuff but that was too much.”
Well I know and you know that equal by definition can’t be too much, but “What will people say?” matters to me, because I do not want to risk my hard work, my dedication and my professionalism being judged on the basis of my monthly cycle. I’d rather work through the pain of cramps than work through the pain of getting differential treatment because I took a leave which by rule I was entitled to. Just because it is legal doesn’t make it acceptable eh? Imagine marijuana getting legalised, would the society be OK and accepting of it? Would you be cheered on and celebrated for showing the courage to smoke a doobie?
Because, the ones who truly understand and support this beautiful decision aren’t the problem, it is the ones who are still closed off, the ones who still think a woman on a period could spoil a jar of pickles (I’d love to wield such power but sadly I can’t). Need I remind you, women still aren’t allowed in temples during their periods?
It can be a big step in the direction of equality, openly talking about anything and everything, celebrating each other and what not, but we still have a long way to go. Till we keep hiding sanitary pads in newspapers and black polybags, till we keep giving it codenames like that time of the month (I mean it is just a human process like digestion and not Voldemort), till we keep women out of kitchens and temples on account of their periods — how much is really going to change? We don’t educate our sons about it, most of them go through their lives not even understanding or knowing what it truly is, let alone be comfortable talking about it or hearing someone talk about it. How do you even expect them to be empathetic and understanding? Is it fair to them? Is it fair to us? Any of us?
Few days back, I opened my mailbox and saw an email, talking about “Wellness Leave.” It talked about how it can be used by anyone and for any purpose (physical/mental/periods/burnout/bad day etc) and I immediately thought — “Another cart hitched to a booming bandwagon.” But the more I thought about this, the more I could appreciate the concept of a “Wellness Leave” over a “Period Leave” because it gives me the comfort of taking an off during my period without the fear of judgement or calling in “sick” because being on period is not equivalent to being sick, and it addresses many other important and valid reason to want to take a break.
So this “Period Leave” may be a comma because in the very least it’s a step taken with good intention, it started many conversations (amongst friends, colleagues and families) but we need more of such thoughtful individuals especially in middle management to implement it. Having said that, the burden of de-stigmatizing a period/chum/menses — whatever you call it(as long as you don’t cover it up) lies on all of us — to take whatever big/small steps we can to ensure that maybe someday this comma becomes a period.