Thoughts About "First Day Of Period Leave," Written On The First Day Of My Period

Is this, finally, the integration of women's experiences into corporate culture? Or is it a setback for feminism? Can I have chocolate? Does anybody love me?

There are two things you must know right away. First, that Mumbai-based digital media company Culture Machine recently announced that all its female employees can now take the first day of their period off from work each month. The company also plans to petition the government to make "First Day of Period" (FOP) leave national policy.

Second, you must know that as of this morning, I am bleeding. My Red Wedding has commenced. My ek chutki sindoor has asserted its keemat, Ramesh Babu. My red sea has waved ashore. Like Rajpal Yadav in Bhool Bhulaiyaa, I am redder than usual and losing my mind. I'm freedom-fighting the tyrannies of my uterus. Call me Lala Lajpat Crie.

What better day, then, to try to make sense of this policy that's been yaaass'd and poo-poo'd in equal measure in the bloodbath that is public discourse?

ere, I present: my first-day-of-period thoughts on first-day-of-period leave.

1. Periods suck. They suck differently for different people. For some, they bring crippling, debilitating pain. For me, mild irritation and a heightened need for snacks. For most, some hell between the two.

2. It's neat for companies to acknowledge that working under those conditions can range from impossible to at least kinda unpleasant.

3. This morning, when I discovered my laal chaddi malmal ka, I very much wanted to stay home. My back hurt, my mood was off, ditching office in lieu of a Handmaid's Tale binge-sesh was tempting.

4. I came to work anyway because I knew I'd feel better if I showered and entered the world. Now I'm at work and I feel chill AF.

5. But it's 1 p.m. Can I start drinking?

6. In contrast, one of my colleagues took the day off earlier this week because she got her period and she has endometriosis, a condition that makes period pain unbearable. I felt happy that she put her own health and comfort before some wild, unfair expectation of productivity. That was chill AF too.

7. I'm feeling Salaam Namaste Preity Zinta levels of ice-cream craving. It's very difficult to think through my brain's benandjerrysbelgiandarkchocolate refrain.

8. I've seen some women – especially older women – criticise the concept of FOP leave. They've been working for years through all manner of pain and discomfort, they say, and it's "normal" to do so. They've ranted that requiring a day off for periods is the grumbling entitlement of a younger, brattier generation of women who should suck it up, pop a painkiller, and get to work.

8. That makes me really sad. I am sad now.

9. Also, I think I'm leaking. Have to run to the loo and do a pad-check, brb.

10. Hi. No leak, just paranoia. Waste of fuckin' time.