There aren’t many upsides to having your period, but here’s one: A U.K. company called Coexist has instituted a “period policy” where women get period leave, which functions like sick leave.
In a delightfully New Age-y explanation, Bex Baxter, the director of Coexist, told The Guardian, “We wanted a policy in place which recognizes and allows women to take time for their body’s natural cycle without putting this under the label of illness.”
“There is a misconception that taking time off makes a business unproductive — actually it is about synchronizing work with the natural cycles of the body,” Baxter said. “For women, one of these is their menstrual cycles. Naturally, when women are having their periods they are in a winter state, when they need to regroup, keep warm and nourish their bodies. The spring section of the cycle immediately after a period is a time when women are actually three times as productive as usual.”
Coexist manages a space for artists and activists in the bohemian section of the city of Bristol, according to The Guardian. Obviously, you can find a Banksy mural nearby.
This new period policy is not limited to Coexist. The company is trying to make this practice commonplace, starting with hosting an event called “Pioneering the Period Policy” on March 15 in Bristol.
I, for one, hope this period policy extends to companies worldwide, because every time I get my period this happens:
