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11th October 2024
02:29pm BST
A school in England has sparked major backlash online after refusing to accept period pain sick days unless "related medical information" was provided.
Neale-Wade Academy in March, Cambridgeshire has been called out over the unfair policy.
According to the BBC, an email was sent to parents about the updated sick leave rules.
It read:
"From immediate effect, we will not be accepting terms such as 'unwell, poorly, ill' or similar as explanations relating to student absence.
"Communications made using these and similar terms will be recorded as unauthorised."
The school published a list of reasons given by parents that it would record an "unauthorised absence", including:
People have been reacting to the shocking terms online with many women saying the staff don't understand the pain women endure each month.
One wrote: "A man is the head. He clearly has no idea what many young girls go through every single month."
Period pain, especially conditions like endometriosis or PCOS, often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years. For many, it’s hard to get a formal diagnosis, and even then, symptoms can vary each month. Expecting students to provide proof for something that’s so personal and…
— Sid (@CloudWhiz90) October 7, 2024
"Requiring proof for period pain undermines trust and ignores the real, often debilitating impact it has. Women's health should be respected, not questioned," another said.
Another added: "How sad. Evidencing an illness isn’t always possible, even as an adult."
Irish period brand Riley called out the move on social media with the team saying it is a step in the wrong direction.
"48% of girls feel embarrassed about their period. This is a massive step backwards in advocating for female health and stigmatises periods even more than they already are.
"It completely dismisses period pains and sends a message that periods and the pain they cause are not valid until medically proven," they stated.
The English school reversed the decision due to the waves of backlash online, but this is something that never should've happened in the first place.
"Due to the outrage on social media, the school has since reversed this policy to remove proof needed for period pains.
"The only way these backwards decisions can be reversed is by speaking openly about periods and breaking the stigma around female health."
The Riley team couldn't be more right. The only way to make women feel more period-positive is to continue these vital conversations.
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