Bella Hadid says it should be illegal to work during period, calls for 2-week menstrual leave | Health

Supermodel Bella Hadid has made a statement, and not for a runway or pap look, but for a strong and honest take on menstrual health, calling it illegal to work on periods. In an interview with Vogue UK, Bella opened up about living with a range of menstrual conditions like endometriosis, PMDD, and PCOS.

As a supermodel with hectic shoots and demanding schedules, she stays busy. But since she has chronic conditions like endometriosis and PMDD, it means that she often needs to push through excruciating pain and emotional distress.

‘Ban women working during periods’

Bella reflected on her early modelling days, recalling how challenging they were. She also opened up about walking the runway while dealing with debilitating period pain and pushing through despite the struggle.

She said, “I was like 17, 18 years old, not knowing or loving myself a hundred percent yet. I had just moved out of my parents’ house and gone straight into a world where you have to stare in the mirror every single day. And we get our periods. You’re shooting Victoria’s Secret on your period, with endo. That should be illegal. I’m going to talk to the White House about it, because we should literally ban women working on the week of their period. And the week before, to be honest.”

Menstrual leave is already an ongoing and important discussion, with many advocating for workplace policies to accommodate leaves or work from home (WFH).

Why it makes sense

While two weeks may sound unusual to some, for Bella, who has been diagnosed with prominent menstrual health conditions like endometriosis, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), and PCOS, period pain and related symptoms can be much more intense and debilitating, not only during menstruation week but also in the week leading up to it. Not just Bella, many women go through the same.

For the uninitiated, endometriosis is a chronic condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside of the uterus. This causes overwhelmingly acute period cramps, much worse than regular pain. Meanwhile, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder is a much more severe form of PMS, or premenstrual syndrome. It typically involves extreme depression, anxiety, and mood swings in the weeks before the period.

Both of these conditions intensify the menstrual experience as endometriosis causes intense physical pain during menstruation, while PMDD contributes to emotional distress in the week before.

This explains why Bella, diagnosed with both conditions, strongly emphasised the need for taking two weeks off, not just during menstruation but also the week before.

Bella’s statement shows how period pain exists on a spectrum. The severity can also be influenced by chronic menstrual conditions, affecting not only the period week but the week before as well. When menstrual leave policies are discussed, it’s important to understand that menstrual pain is not uniform for all, and conditions, including endometriosis and several others, also need to be taken into consideration. 

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