“Menstruation at Workplace: An Overlooked Issue – The Male’s Eye”

On 29th October 2022, Inner Wheel Club of Chennai Coral SACAS in association with Association of Accounting & Financial Professionals and SACASians Fin.Tech Club organised an event, “Menstruation at Workplace: An Overlooked Issue – The Male’s Eye”. The event was facilitated by the Chief Guest, Dr. Srinivasan, MD General Medicine, Murugan Hospitals with 100 tertiary-level male students as his audience. 

He thrashed out the fact on how the natural process of ‘Menstruation’ has been politicised and used as a tool to suppress women, in order to establish a male dominant society. Dr. Srinivasan reminded the audience of the certitude of our country’s belief and customs in idolizing women and their menstruation, with reference to the temple of Kamakhya Devi, the Goddess of Menstruation in Assam. Subsequently, he explained the stages briefly i.e. the first five days of the menstrual cycle comprises, the bleeding phase where the layer of endometrium sheds and bleeds. Following that next 5 days, the layer of endometrium starts to grow afresh. 

The phase between 11 to 16 days is when fertilization occurs. In addition, Dr. Srinivasan expounded on the PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) which gives an indication to women that they are going to menstruate soon. The symptoms of PMS include: bloating, pain in abdomen, and frequent mood swings. He also emphasized that men should acknowledge, understand, and support women in all aspects during their periods by lending their ears and listening to their needs, not by judging them for the least.

Furthermore, he underscored the fact that sex before 18 is literally a rape, and made all the male students to pledge that they would not touch or event attempt to speak with a woman without her consent. Dr. Srinivasan concluded the groundbreaking session with the famous Tamil tag, “Ennam pol valkai”