This Women’s History Month, it was encouraging to see many organizations stepping up their efforts towards empowering women in the workplace. From new parental leave policies to educational campaigns, there was a palpable momentum in recognizing and supporting the unique challenges women face. One area that garnered particular attention was the often-overlooked topic of women’s health issues and their impact on work.

As someone who has grappled with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) for years, I was heartened by the increased dialogue around reproductive health. PMDD is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome that causes physical and mental symptoms- extreme mood shifts, irritability, and anxiety in the weeks leading up to and/or during a woman’s period. While the symptoms are cyclical, the impact on work performance and overall wellbeing can be constant. Even with treatment and coping strategies, there are days when the brain fog, fatigue, and emotional ups and downs make it hard to feel fully present and productive.

In our journey toward more inclusive workplaces, we often overlook the subtle yet impactful ways in which women’s health issues like PMDD, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and menopause can also take a significant toll, both physically and mentally. The effects may not be visible to others, but for those experiencing them, the struggle is very real.

Cultural Influences on Women’s Health

How we view and respond to reproductive health issues is heavily influenced by cultural norms and beliefs. In some societies, these topics are still shrouded in taboo and stigma, making it difficult to openly discuss experiences. In others, there may be more open dialogue, but a lack of understanding or accommodation in the workplace.

It’s crucial to recognize that our cultural conditioning shapes our attitudes and assumptions around these topics in deep, internalized ways. The narratives we absorb from an early age pervade our unconscious biases and emotional responses, even in seemingly progressive environments.

For many menstruators, centuries of being taught that their cycles are something shameful, impure or to be hidden creates hesitation to be fully open and face additional barriers to seeking support. There’s an ingrained fear of being perceived as weak, unreliable, or sabotaging their own career opportunities by acknowledging their health needs. The prospect of being seen as “less than” their non-menstruating counterparts in terms of capability or devotion to work can be a powerful deterrent to self-advocating.

This internalized stigma stems from patriarchal norms that deemed menstruation as something distasteful to be endured silently. The lingering influence of these narratives means many menstruators instinctively feel they need to push through intense pain, fatigue, and mood impacts lest they be typecast as high-maintenance or unsuitable for demanding roles and responsibilities.

Even well-intentioned organizations cementing the premises that parental leave is just for mothers, or providing accommodations only for pregnant employees, can subtly reinforce the idea that menstrual/reproductive health is a disqualifying distraction rather than a normal lifecycle process to be supported.

Overcoming these deep-seated cultural biases requires consistent effort to raise awareness, foster empathy, and proactively counter outdated mindsets. It means giving menstruators the space and psychological safety to share their experiences without judgment. It involves critically examining leadership’s unconscious assumptions and baked-in blindspots.

Only by shining a light on the narratives and norms that created this legacy of stigma and shame can we begin to dismantle them. With open dialogue and an intersectional understanding of how other dimensions of identity compound the issue, we can re-write the cultural script.

Imagine This: A “Bad” PMDD Day

It starts with a feeling of dread as you wake up – that familiar heaviness pressing on your chest and fog clouding your mind. Getting out of bed requires monumental effort as fatigue weighs you down. Simple tasks like brushing your teeth or getting dressed feel utterly draining, both physically and mentally. You’re operating in molasses, disconnected from your body.

By the time you make it to your desk, you’re already fighting back tears. An offhand comment from a coworker about the coffee maker being empty is enough to spark rage – how dare they be so inconsiderate! You have to resist the urge to snap back.

Concentration is next to impossible. Emails, reports, and presentations all blurring together into an indecipherable mess as your focus darts manically from one thing to the next. The swinging between anger, sadness, and anxiety is utterly debilitating.

You make it through the morning in a haze- why can’t you just get it together? An important meeting devolves into a tangled string of half-formed thoughts and apologies as you struggle to collect your words. By lunchtime, you’re battling suicidal thoughts and merciless cramps, escaping to the bathroom for a private sobbing session.

The afternoon is spent battling exhaustion and disproportionate irritability over simple requests. Any ability to focus or produce is laughable – you’re just trying to survive each excruciating hour feeling empty inside.

Heading home at last, maybe with some relief, but your heart sinks at the thought of still having household chores and family obligations to tend to. The emotional drain has depleted every last ounce of energy. You go to bed feeling like a failure in every part of your life.

All that on top of unrelenting headaches, lower back pain making any position uncomfortable, bloating so severe that clothes feel torturous, restless nights waking up drenched in sweat and more exhausted than when you went to bed, hair loss comparable to alopecia, and drastic shifts between not eating at all to insatiable cravings and bingeing. The suffering spans mental, emotional, and a kaleidoscope of physical miseries.

And worst of all – you may have to endure this perfect storm of physical and mental torture again tomorrow for weeks on end. With PMDD, the cyclical lows can feel truly unendurable even as you continue showing up daily.

This portrayal highlights how the compounding debilitation from PMDD’s blend of symptoms can be utterly devastating for many menstruators each month. Having empathy for this level of silent struggle inspires greater care and flexibility in the workplace and beyond.

Maintaining A Supportive Culture

While psychological safety is important, true allyship goes further – it embeds support through inclusive policies, practices and daily actions attuned to diverse cultural perspectives. From educating yourself on the basics, to establishing boundaries around what’s discussed at work unless accommodations are needed. Maintaining privacy and respecting differing norms in both directions is essential.

As a Manager:

• Bring in expert voices and educational resources to build organization-wide understanding, using inclusive terms like “cycle-related needs.”
• Proactively account for potential health impacts when setting team priorities and deadlines.
• Watch for signs of an employee struggling and initiate a supportive dialogue.
• Menstruators managing men: Don’t assume discomfort. Have open conversations to gauge knowledge levels and identify any biases.
• Men managing menstruating individuals: Approach this topic with sensitivity. Make it clear you’re open to listening without judgment, but also respect boundaries.

For Menstruators:

• Gauge your manager’s level of existing awareness and share only what you’re comfortable with.
• Have a plan for difficult days – extensions, work from home, code words/signals with colleagues.
• Utilize employee resource groups and advocate for supportive policies.
• Consider a designated “health liaison” on your team for confidential matters.
• Menstruators reporting to men: Provide the level of detail you’re comfortable with.
• Men reporting to Menstruators: Express privacy boundaries while making clear you aim to be accommodating.
• For cross-gender situations, document agreed accommodations for clarity.

No matter the gender dynamics, the core principles are empathy, openness to learning, providing accommodations without stigma, and inclusivity as guideposts. This cultivates human understanding as the path forward. While personal boundaries must be respected, menstruators shouldn’t have to go it entirely alone at work. Just one invested ally can provide tremendous relief and belonging amid the cyclical challenges.

Ultimately, an environment where menstruators and other minorities can bring their full selves to work is better for everyone. It allows people to do their best work, builds trust, and sends a powerful message about the organization’s values. Building this culture of true belonging is an ongoing journey, but one well worth prioritizing.

References

Allamano, C. B. (2024). A reproductive revolution in the workplace: Meet the startup helping women understand their hormonal health. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/carabrennanallamano/2024/01/18/a-reproductive-revolution-in-the-workplace-meet-the-startup-helping-women-understand-their-hormonal-health/?sh=7493e01736e7

Bono, B., Leu, C., Bono, B., & Leu, C. (2023). Employer support for Women’s Health: Gaps and opportunities. https://www.mercer.com/en-us/insights/us-health-news/employer-support-for-womens-health-gaps-and-opportunities/

Kanem, N. (2024). Why companies need to take sexual and reproductive health seriously. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/01/companies-sexual-reproductive-health-women-work/#:~:text=For%20some%2C%20this%20could%20involve%20offering%20comprehensive,include%20fertility%20treatments%20and%20family%20planning%20services.

Kirkegaard, D. (2022). Left in the dark: How period taboos put women and girls at risk. USA for UNFPA. https://www.usaforunfpa.org/left-in-the-dark-how-period-taboos-put-women-and-girls-at-risk/