(IntegrityPress.org) – Dr Mindy Pelz, a renowned expert on women’s health from California, has argued that both men and women should be granted three days off work each month to help them cope with the menstrual cycle.
Pelz discussed workplace health on a podcast hosted by Steven Bartlett of Dragons’ Den, who asked her what would happen if all employees wanted three days off a month. Pelz replied that people should take menstrual leave when they want to.
The expert stated that the same option should apply to men if they want it, and that employees should be free to decide when to take the three days off. Policies of inclusion of men in relation to periods have met with harsh criticism from many feminists.
In December 2023 the Finnish company Vuokkoset was blasted over its first tampons for men. The company explained that the choice was made to be inclusive towards women transitioning to men. Tampax has also been slated for suggesting that men can have periods. Author and renowned gender critical feminist JK Rowling has long ridiculed the idea that men can menstruate, and condemned terminology such as “people who menstruate” as misogynist.
Period leave has been a policy at some companies for years. Advocates for the benefit argued that employers should provide it as an option for staff, particularly women who experience more severe periods and need the time off to recharge. Pelz argued that women should be able to recuperate at home and “nurture” themselves on the 25th day of their menstrual cycle.
A 2019 poll found that women believed they were experiencing sexist discrimination at work because of their periods. Over 9 out of 10 women surveyed reported receiving unpleasant comments about their menstrual cycles when at work, with comments accusing the female employees of using menstruation as an excuse to be “lazy”, and suggesting were blaming bad moods on their periods.
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