Introduction
The higher education department and universities are taking a progressive stance by reducing the low attendance rate of menstruating students in Kerala universities by 2% to 73%. While welcoming this move, there is also concern about the possibility of reactionary discussions in society. To counter such debates, the issue of menstruation and leave needs to be thoroughly understood and clarified. For this, along with examining the history and presence of menstruation, the biological process of menstruation should also take into account the physical, psychological, social and, economic difficulties caused by men.
The comfort of vacation
There is no disagreement that menopause can be a relief for those who regularly suffer from menstrual-related physical discomforts like abdominal pain, back pain, bleeding, dizziness, fatigue, loss of appetite, mental health problems like stress, mood swings, premenstrual syndrome (PMS & PMDD) and health problems like PCOD, PCOS, diarrhoea, bloating etc. However, many people do not experience the same discomfort or discomfort during every menstrual cycle. Some people experience abdominal pain, hip pain, etc., even when the amount of water they normally drink is reduced during their menstrual days. There are students all around us who come to school despite their menstrual problems and cannot sit attentively in class. Many go through mental or emotional difficulties despite not seeing any visible physical problems.
Myths and concepts of purity and impurity related to menstruation are something that haunts everyone even today. Most people walk in the dreaded shadow of doubt about whether or not they have blood on their clothes when they travel in public places on their menstrual days. While studying at school, college and university, there are very few people who have not been asked, 'Can I see if there is something in your clothes?' while getting up from their seats. Menstruation is still a problem faced by students who travel for hours in the morning and evening to study. There are many tribal children in Kerala whose education is stunted without a school within five kilometres of their homes. Here, 90% of the tribal children who take admission to class 1 finish their education by completing class 10. Such is the state of primary education of tribal-dalit students while the state of higher education can only be guessed at.
Unhealthy arguments
The announcement to allow menstrual leave has created a lot of controversies. One of them is the argument that 'those who do not suffer from serious menstrual problems should not be considered for menstrual leave'. There is something wrong with this. So many students spend the day lying face down in class with menstrual discomfort. Some people are forced to come to school without taking leave just because of the attendance problem. Those who worry about 'why holiday for those who don't experience any difficulties during menstruation' do not understand the social and economic basis of menstruation.
The argument that schools should only provide adequate restrooms for menstruating students and that their use of menstrual leave is an 'abuse' does not consider the health, well-being and comfort of menstruating students. If such people walk on a wet pad for at least 6-8 hours, they may understand some of its difficulty. Many suffer from having to change pads more than four times on a menstrual day and use the same pad throughout the day even though they know it is unhealthy due to the hassle of changing pads outside the house. Some people have to reach schools after lying on the ground and washing their used clothes and utensils on their menstruating days. Menstruation is a systematic approach to treating a wide variety of problems.
Any laws in favour of women and children or against injustices faced by them (Gynocentric Laws) is a common argument that is raised in general that it will be 'misused'. The same approach applies to laws relating to marital rape, domestic violence and alimony after divorce. It is equally misogynist thinking that students 'just stay at home' because of menstruation. Or, if a student is taking time off for non-menstrual reasons, the education system should engage in a student-centred, socio-political analysis of why. If his school is a place that helps him to learn and cooperate, students try to come to class with enthusiasm and without interruption. We need to think about whether it is the leavers or the atmosphere in the colleges that need to be changed.
They have the electoral power
It is mandatory to have a proper menstrual care system in schools and public places. Educational institutions should have all facilities such as restrooms, basic pain medication, menstrual hygiene equipment (pads, tampons, cups, etc.) and disposal systems for pads and tampons (incinerator, or wastebasket). However, it is up to menstruating individuals to decide whether to use these systems or take time off and rest at home or in another convenient location to relieve their discomfort. Every menstruating person has the right to choose what is best for their health and comfort.
Not everyone in education can be expected to take advantage of menstrual leave to the same extent. Those studying science, information technology, medical and engineering courses are forced to attend classes no matter what the difficulty. Similarly, there is an autocratic situation in families where only if the family members are convinced about the discomfort they are experiencing, they will be allowed to take leave. Students should be given space to make their own choices. It may or may not be menstruating, and the time has come to hand that power over to menstruators.
A similar example of a violation of the right to self-determination can be seen in the debate over raising the marriageable age of women to 21. There is an opinion that raising the age of marriage to 21 will help many women and will give female students more opportunities to study and leave home after getting a job. The truth hidden by such discussions is that women need to gain autonomy over their bodies if they are to end the problems that everyone experiences because of being assigned to be a woman such as marriage, menstruation, sex, and childbirth. Women's right to self-determination in a patriarchal social system will depend on the growth and development of open struggles against the current system. Apart from that, the position that 'the only way to prevent women from being forced to marry at 18 is to raise the marriage age to 21' and 'the way to break the public consciousness related to menstruation is to prove one's ability by working hard even during menstruation' is effectively deactivating women's liberation struggles.
The economics of menstruation
A topic that has not received much attention in the menopause debate is the economics of menstruation. A small packet of six pads costs 30 rupees. It must be recognized that there are students in this society who do not have the financial means to find a hundred rupees to change a pad twenty times in a menstrual cycle. Some are accustomed to cloth pads and those are forced to do so due to a lack of financial capacity. It is the responsibility of the system to conduct menstrual awareness programs to open up better options for such people and fully prepare them to make such choices. It would be unfair to put the onus on the individual to use the cloth and resolve the reluctance to use the menstrual cup. Comprehensive awareness programs are needed to promote menstrual care, hygiene and sanitation and overcome myths.
Those who suffer from sexual pain disorders among people with a vagina during sexual intercourse cannot use vaginal menstrual hygiene devices. Don't forget that this is a very poor country where leaves and soil are inserted into the vagina without access to clean water. It is cruel to struggle against the system by pretending that it does not see the problems of those who have complex menstrual difficulties, both individually and socially.
If the government intends to solve menstrual health problems, it needs to give equal power over resources to all sections of society. Only through that, people can reach better health and economic condition. In a society where basic nutrition is not available, the idea that menstrual problems can be solved simply by distributing menstrual cups can be distorted. Government should try to treat social problems in their basic essence. We should evaluate this decision keeping in mind the figures of government agencies that the tribal women of Attapadi are facing severe malnutrition. Economic inequality is not something that can be solved through awareness programs alone.
Disparities in attendance
There is another point to be taken into account by those looking for the possibility of abuse of the 2% concession given in the attendance list about menstruation. A 2% reduction in attendance in a semester is not even two days. If a semester is considered to be 90 days, there will be an average of three menstrual cycles and menstrual days of 15-20 days. 2% of 90 days is only 1.8. When there is a situation where menstruating women voluntarily take leave in the absence of menstruation, it is unscientific that they are allowed to write the exam only if they maintain the same attendance as those who do not have to go through the physical process of menstruation. It is an inescapable fact that even people who do not experience any problems during menstruation go through a different physiological process than those who do not. Menstruating and non-menstruating people go through two types of physical processes. The ableist view, then, requires that menstruating and nonmenstruating men perform functions in the same manner and capacity. Some also share the legitimate concern that menstruating bodies may be used to reinforce a morally regressive view of the second gender and weak. We must understand that it will certainly be used and we must defend against it. Disgust or distaste for anything related to menstruation needs to be addressed socially. For that, people from different sections of society have to be given gender awareness. Besides, it is unfair to put the responsibility of creating such awareness on the shoulders of menstruating women.
Menstrual leave in 'Kuzati'; Rules still need to be revised for women
To examine and understand the history and origins of patriarchy; Not to exempt women from work; Rather, it means that society has reined in femininity to assist in the process of reproduction and paternity of the child born, and has established dominance over the female gender and made the family a systematic unit. As the management of menstruation and pregnancy shifted from being a collective responsibility to being an individual or unit (family) concern, notions of purity and impurity arose about menstruation, and it became a process that had to be hidden and banned from public spaces.
It is not right to continue asking menstruating students to compete with non-menstruating students regardless of the difficulty until society's decadent mindset changes. It is the responsibility of the social system to provide space for each individual to function according to their potential. It is also imperative that all individuals have access to resources tailored to their unique needs. Menstruation comes as a result of the struggle for the right to make it compulsory in education. The only way before us is to continue to spread such struggles to all fronts to combat reactionary thoughts and actions.
The cry of queer persons
Menstrual leave should be available to all menstruating persons. Menstruation can help deal with the challenges queer individuals face with menstruation. For many non-binary and transmen who are assigned female at birth by virtue of having a uterus, ovaries or vagina, menstruation is an extremely difficult and repulsive process. Cis women are not the only ones who should be considered menopausal. Care must be taken not to create a situation in which queer individuals who are not even in a position to convince another human being of their discomfort are asked to 'bring a doctor's certificate if they won't leave consideration'. This is because many doctors are copies of social moral misogyny. They are also more likely to ignore diverse disadvantaged groups, especially if they come from marginalized communities as was argued by the leading queer activist Niharika Pradosh in Kerela. Therefore, attention to such matters regarding menstrual leave is essential.
In the field of work?
In the field of education as well as in the field of work, there is a situation where the period cannot be used. The contemporary work environment is highly unequal and exploitative. A very small percentage of working women experience job security. Once menstruation is introduced into the workplace, there is no doubt as to who can use it. In this regard as well, various types of hegemony existing in the labour sector will prevail. Only those who are economically advanced, permanent employees and monthly wage earners can avail of it. Temporary workers, workers in precarious conditions in private establishments, daily wage earners, wage labourers etc. will remain the categories that cannot take menstruation. In a society where even eight- to eight-and-a-half-month pregnant women have to go to work with great difficulty and are denied employment because of pregnancy, it would be impossible for such individuals to take time off because of menstruation.
If we look at the current world situation, school menopause is not a revolution, it is only a reform. Only in the social order promoted by scientific socialism will everyone be able to enjoy the rights related to menstruation, pregnancy and reproduction irrespective of caste, religion, gender and class.