MENSTRUATION IS REAL. PERIOD.

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All genders are EQUAL, not IDENTICAL. Once we wrap our heads around this much discussed subject, we will be able to effect gender diversity in corporate spheres. And this doesn’t just refer to women’s rights – representation on boards and the like. This is about making sure gender is never prioritized over talent. It’s about ensuring men, women and LGBTQ members are all on a similar footing.

Ever heard of Dysmenorrhoea? It’s period pain.

Nor had we, till Zomato introduced a new policy granting leave to women and transgender team members on the first day of their period if they find it difficult to work. Understandably, there is a whole flurry of discussion around the subject. Both men and women find themselves either fervently supporting the move or vilifying it as regressive and detrimental to the quest for gender parity.

At the risk of adding my opinion to the sea of opinions tiding over social media platforms right now – I must confess that I support the move. First, Im am delighted that the policy includes all menstruating team members – women and transgender employees. This is a vocal and well actioned inclusion of the transgender community and a decisive step towards effective inclusion. Menstruation has always been associated with women; this policy moves beyond that and makes a difference.

Detractors must accept that no one is going ‘easy on the women’ or pandering to trends with high-decibel policies. Remember, people menstruate about 14 times a year, but the leave has calculatedly been restricted to upto 10 days a year, taking into account the days that are likely to fall on weekends. To me, it’s a big gain that menstruating employees don’t have to be shamed into calling in ‘sick’ with stomach cramps. They can now officially claim period leaves, removing the stigma around the issue.

Periods used to just be a pain in the stomach for people, now it’s a pain in the neck. No gender has been spared. Women who celebrated the policy are being called out for taking advantage of being women. Men supporting the move are also being called out for different reasons – apparently they are supporting the move to ride the trend and drum up some likes on their social media feed. Somehow, the issue has become much larger than what it is – a progressive policy by a mindful company.

While it is this one policy that has recently sparked the gender / diversity at work debate, the issue is an age-old one. The sensitivity is just the tip of the iceberg. Creating policies and implementing true inclusion are very different things. While progressive companies have made decisive moves to bridge the gender divide, only a handful have been able to ace inclusion. To create an environment where every gender feels valued and included is a tough task. Imperatives include sensitisation of other employees on how to behave and what to say. Infrastructure and communication are other aspects of inclusion. Separate washrooms for transgender people and the structured use of gender-neutral terms can go a long way in making a success of progressive policies.

A far greater hurdle in implementing gender D&I is working with the needs of the ‘beneficiaries’. India, among several other countries falls woefully short on inclusion of transgender people in white collar jobs. Having strategised, designed and then implemented several programs for the inclusion of transgender community members in the corporate world, I have seen what a monumental task we have ahead of us. Because of the lack of acceptance into mainstream jobs, several trans people, particularly those from under privileged classes,  end up begging on the streets, performing dance routines for meagre pay or even entering the illegal flesh trade. So, the first order of business is to ensure that we upskill such people and make them eligible for the job market. Preparing them mentally to even try and enter this hostile environment is a task, because several of them already earn well doing the kind of jobs they are used to, even if it doesn’t earn them respect.

Corporates have a long way to go before India Inc can truly implement diversity and inclusion. Progressive policies are a great start, but they truly are just scratching the surface. Inclusion is a journey, and with concerted effort, we will make strides sooner rather than later.