Talk about menstruation is no longer a hidden subject. In our patriarchy society, physiological phenomenon about men was positive but women’s physiological phenomenon, including menstruation, was very negative and forbidden. However, menstruation is considered as a valuable thing for pregnancy and a natural physiological function these days. Menstruation festivals were held in several universities during campus festivals last year. Many students are now claiming that they have the right to protect their motherhood. Some universities will begin to carry out a “no lecture system” for women’s menstruation. This system allows women to be absent from class without penalty because of monthly menstrual pains. Several universities, including Donga University and Kyunghee University, are carrying out this system now. We don’t have that system yet however, there are many opinions about this. Now, let’s listen to Keimyung students’ yes and no voice.
Talk about menstruation is no longer a hidden subject. In our patriarchy society, physiological phenomena about men were positive, but women’s physiological phenomena, including menstruation, were very negative and forbidden. However, menstruation is considered a valuable thing for pregnancy and a natural physiological function these days. Menstruation festivals were held in several universities during campus festivals last year. Many students are now claiming that they have the right to protect their motherhood. Some universities will begin to carry out a “excused absence” for women’s menstruation. This system allows women to be absent from class without penalty because of monthly menstrual pains. Several universities, including Donga University and Kyunghee University, are carrying out this system now. We don’t have that system yet, but there are many opinions about this. Now, let’s listen to Keimyung students’ yes and no voice.
YES
I think women always go through endless difficulties, both physically and mentally. Most of the time, they handle or bear their predicament by themselves quietly and are often ignored. However, they have their right to speak and demand a policy that almost every women considers necessary: monthly period leave.
To begin with, many students, including some female students, regard this policy as unfair because students who are absent from classes due to suffering from period pain are likely to receive a free day-off from university. That is why many are still crying out loud, “That’s outrageous!”
Conversely, let’s look ar the bright side and be positive toward this policy from a women’s perspective. What if there are some female students who urgently need to be excused because of period pain? I know they all have different body function structures and differing levels of pain that they go through, but they have something in common: they are afflicted with periods every month. No women can escape from this prison-like biological phenomenon, and some suffer from more intense pain than others. They really need to take a few days off from their classes without delay. It may seem like they are getting special treatment, but there is nothing they can do about this. To be honest, I conducted a survey for three days and came across an amazing outcome: the women all wished to attend their classes continuously without receiving this offer. However, it is because they are women that they undergo this unpleasant experience. I would like you to put yourself in a women’s shoes and be considerate of their situation.
As I mentioned above, I strongly agree with the policy of monthly period leave for female students because it is necessary for them to be relaxed for a day or two in order for them to work more productively and efficiently. Therefore, monthly period leave must be legally enforced.
