"I Feel It Should Be...": Chai Company Founder Anubhav Dubey Joins Period Leave Debate

Amid the ongoing debate over paid menstrual leave, Anubhav Dubey, the founder of Chai Sutta Bar, wrote on social media about how his company started giving period leave around three months ago. Taking to LinkedIn on Monday, Mr Dubey highlighted the diverse experiences and needs of women when it comes to menstruation. He revealed when his company introduced the idea of period leave, he received different responses from the women members of his team. His approach acknowledged that while some women may not require leave during their menstrual cycle, others experienced severe discomfort that hampered their ability to work. 

"Giving leave for menstrual days was not a tough decision," Mr Dubey wrote in his post. "I believe there are a few things that only women understand, and we, as men, only get to see and hear about them," he continued. 

The chai company founder recounted the varied reactions from his female team members. "Some of them said that they did not need any period leave, while others said that they needed this leave because they felt unbearable cramps," he wrote. The entrepreneur said that the discussion was healthy as everyone respected the difference of opinion and different experiences faced by different women. 

"I think every human body is not the same," he stated, adding, "There are some women whose bodies can bear this pain, and then there are these women who we have seen fainting because of the intensity of the pain. Both of them are justified". 

Mr Dubey revealed that his company's policy allows women who suffer from intense menstrual pain the option to take leave, while not imposing it on those who do not feel the need. " If we talk about the leave for this natural process in women, I feel it should be kept open. We have implemented this leave, understanding the importance of it for those who need it," he wrote.

Since being shared, Mr Dubey's post has accumulated nearly 7,000 reactions and over 250 comments. "Love the perspective here, great initiative!" wrote one user. "The most important thing is to discuss this in an open meeting along with female staff and it will also show that we care for them also, giving period leave is a really good concept though," expressed another. 

"Amazing thought. Appreciate that a man knows it's well than a corporate woman. I hope others company start this kind of rule. Lots of best wishes for your company & your future as well," commented a third user. "This is the very tough time for a women. If a person like you take such steps towards this, it will create the positive impact on our culture," added another. 

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Notably, Mr Dubey's post comes at a time when the topic of menstrual leave has sparked a debate online. It all started when Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani while responding to Congress minister Shashi Tharoor told the Lok Sabha that there is "no proposal under the consideration of the government to make provision for paid menstrual leave mandatory for all workplaces".

Ms Irani said, "As a menstruating woman, menstruation and the menstruation cycle is not a handicap, it's a natural part of women's life journey... We should not propose issues where women are denied equal opportunities just because somebody who does not menstruate has a particular viewpoint towards menstruation".