Leave our girls alone

Published on Substack on 17-Jan-23 - https://utopiankerala.substack.com/p/28-leave-our-girls-alone

Today's front page news on Malayala Manorama got me thinking about the times and the world we live in. Menstrual leave is being considered at every University in Kerala.

As if women start menstruating when they do higher studies and stop when they graduate.

Not long ago, I had a chance to look at a study done by a doctor among adolescent girls in a government-aided high school. One of the most important revelations was that many girls skip school during menstruation. Yes, they go through unbearable pain but that was not the reason for them skipping school. The school lacks good toilets for them to use. Girls cannot access toilets as they want. They do not have access to napkins and using clothes make their life difficult at school.

Providing leaves to menstruating girls is not helping their cause. Leave them alone. They do not need such sympathy. Let the focus be on the infrastructure we build for women at schools, colleges and public spaces.