“It actually hurts a lot,” recognizes Benjamin Saint-Huile (LIOT).
“It’s a particular pain,” comments Pierre Cordier (LR).
“It’s horrible”, underlines Clément Beaune (Renaissance) who compares the pain felt to “little dagger shots”.
While a proposed law on the establishment of menstrual leave in France will be debated in the National Assembly on April 4, deputies Sébastien Peytavie (Génération. s) and Marie-Charlotte Garin (EELV) have proposed their colleagues from all sides to test a painful period simulator.
Those who agreed to play the game are unanimous on the pain felt.
Between grimaces and little cries, most of them were not able to read a text without interruption.
We had deputies test a painful period simulator.
Their observation is unanimous.
↓ pic.twitter.com/QB8DLLVHd8
— Sébastien Peytavie (@speytavie) March 22, 2024
One in two women suffer from painful periods
In France, one in two women, aged 15 to 49, suffers from painful periods, also called dysmenorrhea, including endometriosis, according to an Ifop survey from October 2022. This represents around seven million French women affected.
To improve and guarantee the health of women at work, a bill provides for the establishment of a specific work stoppage.
Lasting up to 13 days per year, the break prescribed by a doctor would be covered by Health Insurance, with no waiting day.
The text studied in committee from March 27 will then be submitted to a vote by deputies, without much chance of success.
A similar text, providing for two days of leave per month, with no waiting period, was rejected by the Senate last February (206 votes to 117).
Also read “It made me want to work in Saint-Ouen”: one year later, menstrual leave is gaining ground
However, the idea of menstrual leave is gaining ground in France.
In March, the town hall of Saint-Ouen became the first city to offer this leave to its employees.
The pioneering country in this area remains Spain.
On February 16, the Spanish Parliament definitively adopted a law providing leave for women suffering from painful periods.
A first in Europe.