Originating in 1940s Japan, menstrual leave turns out to be an entitlement in several Asian countries. It might be as much as two days off per month, sometimes with additional pay for women who do not take their biological due: an ingenious solution to the sort of problems raised by Sir Almroth and Berman – supposing non-ovulating colleagues do not start claiming similar allowances for migraines, hay fever, SAD etc. On the other hand, this formal confirmation that all women employees, and not just the minorities who regularly suffer from crippling pains or the acute premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), require special treatment – until such time as they begin struggling with sentences – has to be a mixed blessing, professionally. In fact, were it not that attitudes to menstruation vary from one culture to another, western trade unionists might want to raise with Asian colleagues the downside of pathologising the experience of half the working population any more than is already encouraged by the manufacturers of useless oils and tablets. As things stand, its possible that Japanese women experience their periods differently, as particularly disabling, while they appear to regard the menopause as far less of a rollercoaster, to borrow from Dr Gluck, than do western women. No disrespect to the women asking for more consideration in schools, or the TUCs new advice on menopause-related sickness absence, but Glucks rollercoasters seem to be anything but universal. Not only has the anthropologist Professor Margaret Locks study of Japanese and American subjects revealed experiences of entirely different symptoms – Japanese shoulder stiffness, say, as opposed to US hot flushes – but US studies have also indicated that menopause is not particularly difficult for the majority of women. These positive experiences need to be publicised much more, Lock has said. Indeed they should, no matter what problems such a de-stigmatising process might create for below-the-line political analysts and the Economists adjective-strapped headline writers. ~LA theguardian/commentisfree/2014/may/24/women-menstrual-leave-menopause-equality-biology-not-destiny
Posted on: Sun, 25 May 2014 19:00:02 +0000
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