Experiencing Menstrual Pain at a Company! Addressing 'Menstrual Challenges' as an 'Organizational Issue' Provides Hints for Improving Systems
Last month, I had the opportunity to conduct a menstrual pain simulation at a certain company.
Approximately 20 people from various backgrounds, regardless of gender or age, and ranging from management to frontline staff, participated in the workshop.
Using a menstrual pain simulation kit developed at Kanazawa University
The menstrual pain simulation kit was developed by Nami Oda from Youth Health Room, with whom I have been conducting sex education activities, when he was a fourth-year student at Kanazawa University. This kit uses EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation) to send electrical signals to the muscles, reproducing the pain felt when the uterus contracts. Low-frequency electrical stimulation can reproduce pain similar to the deep, throbbing ache of menstrual cramps.
An in-house initiative planned based on employee feedback!
It seems this was the first time such a seminar on a very personal health topic like menstruation had been held within the company.
The background is that the initiative was realized after a female employee proposed the idea. I find it truly wonderful that the company understood the value of the proposal, viewing the menstrual pain simulation as something 'interesting' (not funny, but intriguing) and 'important to know about,' and created an environment where it could be implemented.
I was also impressed by the true diversity of the participants in the menstrual pain simulation.
Regardless of gender
Regardless of age
The presence of various people from management to frontline roles (customer service, sales, etc.)
Even within a single company/organization, the people and working environments are diverse. Because such a wide variety of people participated, a diverse range of insights were discovered through the menstrual pain simulation.
Learning through experience is the best shortcut!
What they were looking forward to in this menstrual pain simulation was the 'experiential' aspect.
While it is important to gain insights about menstruation through knowledge and personal stories, gaining insights through experience is the most realistic discovery of all. It is truly a case of 'Even if you understand it in your head, you won't know it until you experience it physically!!'
Since the participants were diverse this time, I carefully explained menstruation, and the simulation was conducted only after everyone had gained an understanding of the topic.
I was moved by everyone's attitude and the atmosphere in the room, as they listened to the information about menstruation with such active interest.
And then, the simulation!
For the menstrual pain simulation, we prepare one device for every group of about five people and have them take turns.
How pain is felt varies greatly depending on body type and regular muscle training habits, so there are significant individual differences. Therefore, each person adjusts the pain level of the simulation kit to a level they feel is slightly painful.
They started the simulation in turns!
They seemed a bit surprised by a pain they had never felt before.Since men almost never feel pain in their lower abdomen or experience such symptoms in their daily lives, they first feel a sense of discomfort at having pain in that area. Then, they gradually begin to feel a throbbing, deep ache.
It's close to what I imagined...
It's really painful...
It might be difficult to work with this pain...
Do women know when this pain is coming...?
Such conversations arose naturally, and they experienced the pain while imagining 'How does having menstrual pain cause difficulties in daily life?'.
Because it is an opportunity to experience menstrual pain, it becomes possible to talk about and consult on menstruation and menstrual challenges!
After finishing the experience, we shared our insights in groups based on the following two points:
What did you realize after the experience?
In what situations would this pain be a problem?
Surprisingly, there was no end to the group discussions, which went beyond just sharing insights to include personal stories from female employees and questions directed at them!!
I think it is rare in daily life to talk about menstruation and menstrual challenges with colleagues of the opposite sex. As some groups mentioned, in recent years, there is a fear that even well-intentioned inquiries from male supervisors about gender-specific health issues, including menstruation, could be perceived as 'sexual harassment,' which I believe makes the environment even harder to talk about or seek advice in.
From male supervisors to female subordinates: 'I want you to work comfortably, so if you have any health concerns due to menstruation, I would like you to tell me, but I find it difficult to ask.'
From female employees to male employees: 'I want to consult, but I'm afraid they won't know how to react, so it's hard to talk about.'
From male employees to female employees: 'I am worried, but I don't know how to approach the subject, or what kind of approach would be helpful?' and so on...
However, I feel thatbecause it is an opportunity to experience menstrual pain, it becomes possible to talk about and consult on menstruation and menstrual challengesas a result.
Facing 'Menstrual Challenges' as an 'Organizational Issue' Provides Hints for Improving Systems
I realized this time that,
for example, when a female employee consults with a male supervisor during a 1-on-1 meeting about menstruation, the supervisor ends up facing the 'consultant's menstrual experience,' and from the female employee's perspective, there might be hesitation about having to open up about personal matters. And as for the supervisor, even if they are sincerely trying to address the consultation, they might feel anxious about how much personal information is appropriate to ask.
On the other hand, in the menstrual pain experience opportunity,
it is not directed at an individual, but rather, by adopting a stance of trying to better understand the pain experienced, they are facing 'menstrual pain and menstrual challenges.'Therefore, since the female employee is conveying 'what it means to have pain,' it may be easier to talk about it as an objective menstrual experience story, even if the content is the same. Also, it may be easier for male employees to shift their thinking toward 'challenges and countermeasures when pain is present.'
While menstrual challenges are often perceived as individual issues, menstrual challenges at work and the resulting decline in productivity can also be viewed as organizational issues.
Therefore, it is important for the organization to understand menstruation. Rather than 'individual issues',facing 'menstrual challenges' as an 'organizational issue' may be the hint to promote understanding of menstruation and to improve systems for menstrual challenges.
The reason I was contacted this time was because of the menstrual pain experience at the Iwate University Festival. Since I have been conducting menstrual pain experiences in the same Iwate Prefecture as this company, they consulted me about conducting one.
That is when I realized that recently, most of theinquiries I receive about the menstrual pain experienceare from regional areas, which I feel is a distinct characteristic. As someone who grew up in a mountainous region of Hyogo Prefecture where traditional values remain, I have felt the 'stifling atmosphere regarding sexuality' and 'male chauvinism' unique to regional areas to an unpleasant degree since I was a child.
Therefore, because I receive many inquiries from regional areas, I personally feel very happy and believe there is great significance in conducting these sessions, thinking that I can change the 'stifling atmosphere regarding sexuality' unique to these areas, even if only little by little, by providing opportunities to acquire correct knowledge.
This time,I was able to gain hints from the diverse participants on 'how to face menstruation and menstrual challenges as an organization', and it was an educational opportunity for me as well. Thank you for this opportunity.
I would like to continue holding menstrual pain experiences all over Japan in the future.
It can be held for various occasions such as regional events, corporate training, and educational institutions, so please feel free to contact me!
Contact:cplus.cosmos@gmail.com
* Photos have been omitted due to privacy concerns.