Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Blood, Sweat, and Stigma

The silent struggle of working women managing their periods on the job—and why it’s time to talk about it

By Alison Brown

"I am doubled over in excruciating pain, but my residents need me. I just have to work through it.”

Local 303 member and personal support worker (PSW) Amanda Shepherd is one of countless working women across the world who must navigate painful—and often debilitating—menstrual symptoms while still clocking in, day in and day out, to a physically demanding job.

The average woman experiences periods for roughly 40 years of her life. If she has a typical 28-day menstrual cycle, bleeds for 5 days each cycle, and works roughly 250 days a year, this means she’ll be bleeding approximately 3,600 working days over the course of her working life.

During a menstrual cycle, the body is preparing for possible pregnancy. If a woman doesn’t get pregnant, she has a period, and the cycle begins again. When a period happens, the uterus contracts to shed its lining, and the woman bleeds. It’s these contractions that cause inflammation and abdominal pain, which is felt as menstrual cramps. Other symptoms often experienced include bloating, irritability, and fatigue.

While periods can be uncomfortable and sometimes painful, most women are able to carry on with work and daily life. Over-the-counter pain medication can help with pain management. But if a woman’s periods are extremely painful—and prohibiting her from going about regular activities—it’s likely a sign that she suffers from a menstrual disorder, such as endometriosis. About 60 percent of women have mild cramps during their period, but 5 to 15 percent report period pain so severe that it affects their work and daily life.

“I’ll get migraines, back pain, debilitating cramps, and have to push through it. The worst is when someone says, ‘Oh, it’s just cramps.’ But my cramps will be a 10 out of 10 on the pain scale. Sometimes, I’ll just say I have a headache because I don’t want to be judged.”

Despite its pervasiveness in the lives of 50 percent of the Canadian workforce, periods remain shrouded in shame and stigma. As more workplaces across Canada try to create supportive environments, understanding the day-to-day reality of menstruation has never been more relevant. For CLAC members—many of whom work in healthcare, education, construction, retail, manufacturing, and other physically demanding sectors—this awareness is not just about comfort; it’s about dignity, equity, and practical support on the job.

However, even in female-dominated workplaces, such as the long term care facility where Amanda works, the taboo prevails.

“We don’t really talk about it. We have such a small facility, and mostly women working there, but only two bathrooms for staff,” says Amanda. “We’re all pretty close and working the same shifts, so a lot of us have had our cycles sync up, and then we’re fighting to use the bathrooms at the same time.”

The phenomenon of cycle syncing (or the McClintock Effect) comes from a 1971 study by psychologist Martha McClintock, who observed that women who live in close quarters (like dorms in universities), or work with each other nearly every day, will sometimes have cycles that align over time. Although there is no scientific evidence for the phenomenon, her explanation is that pheromones—the chemical signals the body gives off—might influence the timing of ovulation in women in close proximity to each other.

While this phenomenon may sometimes create a sisterhood and camaraderie among coworkers, there is no time to rest and reflect. Instead, the job—often physically demanding, as is the case for many CLAC members—must be done as though you’re not experiencing any period symptoms at all.

“It’s rough,” says Amanda. “Because my residents need me, and my coworkers need me to pull my own weight, too. There’s lots of bending down, lifting, and you’re on your feet for almost eight hours a day. You can only sit down on your break. I’ll get migraines, back pain, debilitating cramps, and have to push through it. The worst is when someone says, ‘Oh, it’s just cramps.’ But my cramps will be a 10 out of 10 on the pain scale. Sometimes, I’ll just say I have a headache because I don’t want to be judged.”

This persistent lack of understanding—compounded by society’s ongoing failure to acknowledge the toll menstrual pain takes on a working woman’s well-being—forces many to conceal their suffering, minimize their symptoms, gaslight themselves into believing their pain isn’t valid, and manage major health issues that would never be overlooked if they didn’t involve menstruation or women’s bodies.

“I’m in pain every day. For three weeks, my pain will be a six out of ten on the pain scale, and then for two weeks it’ll be a ten out of ten. And then there’s the fatigue, brain fog, and nausea.”

Megan Brawn is a labour relations administrative assistant who works in CLAC’s Fort McMurray Member Centre. She dealt with a decade of chronic pain during her cycle before receiving an official diagnosis.

“For 10 years, I carefully tracked all my symptoms and saw about 25 different male doctors who told me, ‘You’re okay. It’s normal to feel this way,’” she says. “And I’d have to show them my journals outlining my symptoms and say, ‘No, this is not normal! You have to help me!’”

After years of self-advocacy and travelling five hours for appointments, Megan was finally diagnosed with endometriosis—a chronic condition her new female doctor also lives with.

To deal with the day-to-day pain of an incurable condition, Megan takes a medication that does just enough to take the edge off and must work with a heating pad and be hooked up to a TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) machine—a small, battery-operated device that is used to relieve pain by delivering low-voltage electrical impulses through the skin. But bad flare-ups can occur without warning, accompanied by debilitating pain, brain fog, and exhaustion.

“On those days, I’ll have to go home, take a harder medication, and lay horizontal with my heating pad and not move,” she says. “My husband works shifts, so when he’s home on one of those bad days, he steps up and takes care of our three-year-old son. But when he’s working, I just have to deal with it. The pain is so bad I have to use a cane to walk. My body is in fight or flight mode for three weeks of my cycle, so I just try to survive every day.”

Due to the unpredictable nature of endometriosis, Megan notes that it makes consistency in the workplace extremely difficult.

“Chronic pain can interfere with my concentration, while fatigue and the need for frequent medical appointments can make maintaining regular work hours challenging,” she says. “When I worked in retail and was on my feet all day, it was harder to navigate the pain.

“I once had pain so bad that I blacked out and woke up in the hospital. I can’t imagine our female members, many of whom work physically demanding jobs, having to deal with a condition like endo. You just wouldn’t be able to do it!”

Awareness and advocacy for women's health issues is limited in Canadian workplaces.

Megan emphasizes that endometriosis does qualify as a condition eligible for workplace accommodations under disability laws in Alberta—accommodations such as flexible schedules, remote work, or additional leave for medical care.

“These accommodations are only accessible when individuals feel safe disclosing their condition,” she says. “And this is a vulnerable decision that is often fraught with fear of stigma or misunderstanding.”

To avoid judgment or being seen as an incapable worker, many women push through their symptoms in silence—often at the expense of their own health and well-being.

“By advocating for supportive policies, fostering open dialogue, and embracing both medical and personal strategies, those with endo and other conditions can not only manage their careers, but thrive in them. The workplace has a crucial role to play in this journey—one of inclusion, understanding, and empowerment.”

Amanda’s experience of negative side effects after having an IUD inserted brings this into even sharper relief. It wasn’t just a personal medical crisis but a reminder of how women’s pain is often judged or dismissed until it becomes an emergency.

“I had the IUD inserted to help with my painful period symptoms, but that was a nightmare,” she says. “It just made everything worse. I was doubled over in excruciating pain, shaking and sweating, with a terrible headache. But I had a PSW student shadowing me that day, and I just tried to work through it.”

After seeing Amanda doubled over and crying, the PSW student and her coworkers finally convinced her to go to the ER, where she got the IUD removed.

“The pain felt like childbirth,” she says. “But the whole time, I kept saying ‘I’m fine, I’m fine,’ because I had residents to take care of and a student to train. My coworkers had to force me to stop working and go to the ER.”

“Self compassion is an essential tool when navigating endo and other painful period symptoms,” says Megan. “You have to acknowledge that rest and recovery is not laziness, and asking for help is not weakness.”

She notes that respectful and strategic communication with direct managers and HR departments is critical in creating an inclusive work environment, and that it requires strength, resilience, and often creativity.

“By advocating for supportive policies, fostering open dialogue, and embracing both medical and personal strategies, those with endo and other conditions can not only manage their careers, but thrive in them,” says Megan. “The workplace has a crucial role to play in this journey—one of inclusion, understanding, and empowerment.”

Period pain and menstrual symptoms are just one facet in the larger tapestry of women’s health issues that can disrupt work and daily life.

Infertility and undergoing fertility treatments, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause are all phases that can seriously affect a woman’s work-life.

In an infamous monologue from the TV show Fleabag, a successful older businesswoman, played by Kristin Scott Thomas, tells the titular character that “women are born with pain built in. It’s our physical destiny—period pains, sore boobs, childbirth. . . . We carry it within ourselves throughout our lives. . . . We have it all going on in here, inside. We have pain on a cycle for years and years and years, and then just when you feel you are making peace with it all, what happens? The menopause comes.”

This frank portrayal of a woman’s health journey from a businesswoman is one felt deeply by women in every sector, in every profession, and at every life stage. It illustrates how liberating it can be to just speak about it plainly with other women.

By speaking openly about their pain and managing it at work, Amanda and Megan have given voice to countless working women across Canada who quietly endure similar struggles. Their courage to start these conversations with coworkers and managers reflects deep inner strength, and their hope is to empower others to break the silence, too.

Destigmatizing periods at work requires systemic change and a cultural shift that replaces silence with understanding and shame with dignity. Menstruation is a natural biological process experienced by half the workforce, yet it remains heavily stigmatized, especially in male-dominated environments.

Destigmatizing periods is about inclusion, dignity, and gender equity. It’s not just a health issue—it’s a workplace issue.

Behind the Pain: The Hidden Realities of Menstrual Disorders

CLAC staff member Megan Brawn lives with endometriosis, a menstrual disorder that has significantly affected her life and ability to fully thrive in her workplace.

While not comprehensive, here are two menstrual disorders that can greatly impact the health and well-being of many Canadian women.

Endometriosis—a growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus, often causing severe pain and irregular bleeding.

Symptoms include daily/cyclical pain, brain fog, and severe fatigue.
It affects 10% of Canadian women of reproductive age.
On average, there’s a 5-year delay in receiving a diagnosis due to normalization of symptoms and limited awareness.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)—a severe form of PMS characterized by significant mood disturbances, including depression, irritability, and anxiety.

Many report short term memory issues, difficulty concentrating, and impaired work performance during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.

Supporting Cycles

In the TEDx talk “Your Menstrual Cycle Is Your Superpower,” Dinara Mukhametianova, a certified hormone and nutrition coach and women’s health advocate, states that while a man’s hormones shift on a linear 24-hour clock, a woman’s hormones have phases that mimic the phasing moon as well as the seasons of nature (winter: menstruation; spring: follicular; summer: ovulatory; fall: luteal). Because of having to adapt to a 24-hour clock, a woman’s health, well-being, and work performance are all affected, often leading to burnout, autoimmune diseases, and hormone imbalances.

“Women are no strangers to pushing through discomfort,” she says, “but we need menstrual cycle awareness in the workplace if we truly want to create a gender diverse and inclusive environment. According to McKinsey research, teams that are the most gender diverse are 48 percent more likely to outperform other teams. So understanding a female body is everyone’s business.”

While some countries, such as Japan, South Korea, and Spain, and many companies in Australia, Argentina, and France have introduced period leave (a type of leave policy that allows women to take time off from work or school due to symptoms associated with their menstrual cycle), Canada does not have a federal law mandating menstrual or period leave.

How can women support themselves at work through every stage of their menstrual cycle?

While severe conditions like endometriosis and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) may warrant formal workplace accommodations, there are proactive steps you can take in the meantime. Here are some practical tips to help you manage your well-being and stay empowered at work throughout your cycle.

Follicular (Spring)

Energy Boost

Your energy is at its highest in this phase, so if you need to brainstorm or engage in creative thinking, this is the time to do it!
Boost your focus with protein and complex carbs: eggs, quinoa, chickpeas, oats.
This is the time to lock in on your strength training and HIIT workouts.

Ovulation (Summer)

Confidence and Peak Performance

If you need to have a tough talk with a coworker or raise a concern with a manager, plan to have it in this phase as ovulation is when your confidence is at its highest!
Zinc and magnesium-rich foods—pumpkin seeds, nuts, whole grains—help manage inflammation and hormone balance.
Running, power-based workouts, and new methods of exercise are the best to try during ovulation.

Luteal (Fall)

Manage Your Mood and Stress

Your mood may be lower and more irritable, so try cutting back on caffeine and sugar as they can exacerbate those symptoms.
Foods high in calcium and B6 such as yogurt, bananas, and sweet potatoes can reduce irritability and mood swings.
Pilates, light yoga, and walking outdoors can help manage your stress and help reduce PMS symptoms.

Menstruation (Winter)

Rest and Recharge

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drink plenty of water to alleviate bloating and fatigue.
You’re losing blood in this phase, so eat iron-rich foods such as leafy greens, lentils, and red meat.
Keep your movement gentle, and go for a quick walk or do yoga stretches on your break.

Sources: dieticians.ca, ted.com

Did You Know?

Scientists are studying stem cells found in menstrual blood because they can help repair different parts of the body, like nerves, bones, and even the heart. These cells are easy to collect and may one day be used to treat conditions like Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and immune system problems.

Source: gilmorehealth.com

Moon Time

Menstruation was not always a dirty little secret that women bear in silence. While attitudes toward it have varied widely across cultures and time periods, there is evidence that many ancient cultures viewed menstruation as spiritual and powerful, and menstrual blood was a potent life force associated with fertility and renewal.

However, as hierarchical social systems became more dominant, menstruation increasingly became stigmatized and framed as a sign of female deficiency and impurity.
In contrast, many Indigenous cultures in Canada hold diverse and deeply rooted perspectives on menstruation, often honouring it as a sacred and powerful time.

Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy)

Menstruation is traditionally seen as a time when women possess heightened spiritual power and are closest to the Creator. Women would often retreat during menstruation to honour this spiritual connection, making space for rest and introspection.

Cree and Ojibwe Nations

Menstruation is referred to as “moon time” and considered a sacred period for purification and spiritual renewal. Women would stay in “moon lodges” to rest and engage in spiritual practices.

Inuit Communities

Menstruation is viewed as a natural law, connecting women to the environment and spiritual realm.

It is worth noting, however, that colonial influences have introduced shame and secrecy around menstruation, contrasting the traditional view of its sacredness. Colonization and the residential school system disrupted intergenerational knowledge sharing, leading to the decline of practices like moon lodges and menstrual teachings.

Sources: beltramhistory.org, helpagirlout.org