The recent announcement of a menstrual Leave has opened up a public debate about menstruation. This can benefit a society that is still largely unsettled about this. We have a history of keeping women out of the public sphere and into the home. The patriarchal system took advantage of this shift. However, women’s demand for time off at the workplace considering the pain and difficulty during this time is taking the menstrual debate into a new discourse.
What is menstruation?
Menstruation is a phenomenon that many women experience as a period of pain and discomfort. It has biological, experiential, psychological, cultural, and historical dimensions. Job loss adds an economic dimension to this. Although there are many hypotheses about the biology of menstruation, recent studies suggest that it is a survival strategy developed by the female body to protect itself from an invading embryo. Menstruation occurs only in humans and a few species including some primates. Menstruation is caused by the decidualization of the lining of the uterus after ovulation and its shedding in the absence of fertilization.
Menstruation and the Valuation of Feminine Status
Menstruation is demanded not out of respect for menstrual purity, but because women are underscoring their reproductive rights. This can be seen as a qualitative change in the menstrual cycle. It is based on the feminist view that the reproductive costs of women and other bodies should be shared. It brings out the unseen dimensions of women’s energy expenditure. All must bear the costs of reproduction undertaken by women, as they are required by society. It is seen as helping to reduce the silence and stigma on this topic
Social Environments of Menstruation
Kerala is a state where women are struggling to enter the public sector for work. Statistics show that although women are far ahead in education, it does not translate into the workforce. On the one hand, progressive values are taking root, but strong traditional values and patriarchal consciousness remain in Kerala. Many women follow menstrual hygiene. If we want to instill confidence in them, we need to spread awareness about the financial dimensions of menstruation.
Different areas
While considering the value of menstruation one has to look at the special conditions of the places where it is practiced. It has been implemented in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia, Zambia, Mexico, and some provinces in China. In some places with salary and some places without salary. One to two days per month leave is allowed in most places. Leave has been granted to all women in general in cases where they are unable to work due to severe pain. While implementing this in Kerala, the policy should be made keeping in mind the different situations of women, i.e. schools, colleges, those in the organized sector, those in the unorganized sector, and those who are self-employed.