YT YouTube2Text

YouTube2Text → Transcripts → Should Employers Provide Paid Menstrual Leave? | GynacTalks Debate

Should Employers Provide Paid Menstrual Leave? | GynacTalks Debate — Transcript

by GynacTalks · 5,641 words · 976 segments · language en · Watch on YouTube

Open in transcriber Summarize with AI Download SRT/VTT

Full transcript

0:00All right, hello everybody. My name is
0:02Shala Maheshwari and I'm the founder of
0:03Shred or. Today with us we have Hiba and
0:06Jasleen. This is the Gan Act Dogs
0:08Debate. This is the very first edition
0:10that we are filming.
0:12The topic for this debate, as you can
0:13read on my screen, is going to be this
0:15house believes employers should be
0:17legally required to provide paid
0:18menstrual leave.
0:19We have two contestants as you can see,
0:22Hiba who will be debating in the
0:23negative and Jasleen who will be
0:25debating in the positive. I have
0:27received both of their notes on my email
0:29and I have reviewed them. Uh neither of
0:31them seem to have used any plagiarized
0:33content in any uh you know sort of
0:35speeches or points that they have. So uh
0:38before we start, we'll be following the
0:40broad sort of this
0:42structure that's you know sort of
0:44supplied to us in the brochure that has
0:46been uh sent to both of the contestants
0:49earlier. Um let's I'll just open that
0:51up. First of all, we'll obviously have
0:53our sort of speeches. So you're not
0:57going to be debating for the first time,
0:58you'll just be sort of stating your
0:59stance.
1:00So we'll start with the affirmative cuz
1:03that's what's generally done, right?
1:06All right, so Jasleen, you will be
1:09giving your opening statement now. There
1:10will be a timer for 2 minutes and you
1:14can present your position independently.
1:17No rebuttals are permitted. So Jasleen,
1:19you'll go first and then Hiba, you'll be
1:20going next. Is that okay?
1:24>> Yeah.
1:25>> All right, that's great.
1:27All right.
1:27>> Um hi everyone.
1:29>> Uh Jasleen,
1:29>> Hi everyone, it's Jasleen.
1:31>> Jasleen, wait. Uh we'll start the timer.
1:32You can also see it on your screen.
1:34You'll get 2 minutes and yeah, okay. So
1:36you can start in 3 2 1.
1:40>> Okay.
1:41Uh hi everyone, it's Jasleen here. I
1:43stand firmly in favor of the motion that
1:46employers should be legally required to
1:49provide paid menstrual leave. And for
1:52this debate, I will be going through
1:54three pillars, health, productivity, and
1:58equality. So, health for the whole
2:01factor is that menstrual pain is common,
2:04but it depends on some of us
2:17>> Justine, your camera's off and we can't
2:19hear you, either.
2:31>> Sorry, I think there was
2:33a network issue.
2:37I don't know how long that Sorry, I'm
2:39very sorry. Can I start from starting?
2:43>> Yes, you can start whenever you're
2:45ready.
2:46>> Okay, so I'm really sorry. So, hi
2:50everyone, it's Justine here and I stand
2:52firmly in the favor of motion that
2:55employees should be legally required to
2:58provide paid
3:00menstrual leaves. So, for this debate, I
3:03will be going through three pillars,
3:05which are health, productivity, and
3:07equality.
3:08So, health for the main factor is that
3:11menstrual pain is common, but and for
3:14some people it can be bearable. On the
3:17other hand, for some people it can be
3:19unbearable. So, it may affect today's
3:22activities and participation in the
3:24personal and social
3:26So, the second factor is productivity.
3:29So, being physically present at work
3:32doesn't mean a person is productive
3:36and
3:37in the state of doing a particular work.
3:39So, it affects [laughter] a person's
3:41productivity, too. On the
3:44And the last factor is equality.
3:46>> [laughter]
3:47>> So,
3:48equality is that how a person is treated
3:53on the basis of their health. So, for
3:56these reasons, we support the
3:58motion at a formative side.
4:05>> Okay, that's great, Jasleen. Do you want
4:07to conclude your debate now?
4:11>> Um
4:12yeah. So, I think
4:15Okay. So, um now I should go to the
4:18closing statement?
4:19>> No, not your closing statement. Just
4:21like the opening speech, are you Sorry,
4:23do you want to speak add anything else
4:24because
4:26>> Um no.
4:27>> All right, that's great. Thank you so
4:29much, Jasleen. Those were amazing
4:31points, and we hope to see discussion in
4:33these. But first, we'll have Hiba's
4:36opening speech. Hiba, you can start
4:38whenever you're ready.
4:39>> All right. Honorable chairperson and
4:41respecting opponents, let me start by
4:43saying something very clearly. I'm not
4:45against women. I'm not against menstrual
4:47health, and I'm not saying that period
4:49pain is not real. I completely
4:50understand that periods can be painful
4:52and difficult, and that some people
4:53generally struggle to work during them.
4:56But today's debate is not about whether
4:57menstrual health matters. It absolutely
4:59does. The real question is should every
5:01employer be legally required to give
5:04paid menstrual leave? And my answer is
5:06no.
5:07Why, you may ask. First, because
5:09everyone's experience is different. Some
5:11people have mild symptoms, some have uh
5:13severe pain, heavy bleeding, migraines,
5:15other serious health problems. So,
5:17should the law give exactly the same
5:19leave to everyone simply because they
5:21menstruate? I don't think so. Instead,
5:23if someone is generally unable to work
5:25because of severe menstrual symptoms,
5:27they should be able to use sick leave or
5:29receive appropriate medical support. We
5:31should support people based on their
5:32needs, not simply put everyone into the
5:34same category. Second, a separate
5:36mandatory menstrual leave could have an
5:38unintended effect. Imagine an employer
5:40choosing between two equally qualified
5:42candidates,
5:44and knowing that one employee may
5:45legally uh be entitled to additional
5:48paid leave. Even if that employee is
5:50fair, the extra costs could become a
5:52factor in hiring decisions. And we
5:55absolutely do not want a policy meant to
5:57support women to accidentally create
5:59another reason for employers to hesitate
6:00when hiring them. Third, there are
6:02better and more flexible solutions.
6:04Instead of creating a completely
6:06separate category of leave, workplaces
6:08can provide flexible working hours, work
6:10from home options where possible,
6:12general sick leave, access to menstrual
6:14products, and other medical
6:15accommodations. This gives people
6:17support without forcing every workplace
6:20to follow one single rule. And finally,
6:22we have to think about small businesses,
6:24too. A large company may be able to
6:26manage additional paid leave easily. Um
6:28but a small business with only a few
6:30employees may struggle when several
6:32employees are out at the same different
6:34times. A good law should protect
6:36employees while also being practical for
6:38employers. So, please do not
6:40misunderstand my position. I'm not
6:41saying that if you're in pain, just go
6:43to work. I'm saying if you're generally
6:45unwell, you deserve support, but that
6:47support does not necessarily have to
6:48come through a separate mandatory
6:50menstrual leave law. We can fight
6:51menstrual stigma. We can improve
6:53workplace flexibility. We can provide
6:55medical support. We can make workplaces
6:58more understanding.
6:59But we do not need to create a new legal
7:01requirement to do all of that because
7:03equality does not mean ignoring
7:05differences. And it does not mean
7:07creating separate rules for every
7:08difference. Equality means making sure
7:10that every person gets the support they
7:12genuinely need to participate fairly.
7:14So, today, we ask this house to support
7:16fairness, flexibility, and practical
7:19solutions rather than one-size-fits-all
7:21law. Menstrual health deserves
7:23understanding. Employees deserve
7:24support, but good intentions must also
7:27lead to good policy. So, for these
7:29reasons, I respectfully oppose the
7:31motion. Thank you.
7:34>> That was great, Heba. Thank you so much
7:35for putting your points forward. You
7:36went a little bit over time, but that's
7:38okay.
7:39Anything that you said after the
7:422-minute mark, 2 minutes
7:44mark, uh 15 seconds mark was not you
7:46know sort of written down in your
7:47verbatim. But again, there's not really
7:49a winner here. So, I will just simply
7:50not be scoring you after that time sort
7:53of limit whatsoever.
7:54>> That's fine.
7:55>> Yeah. All right. Okay.
7:57So, I have had your opening statements
7:59and I have understood what exact stands
8:02both of you are you know sort of
8:03presenting here and what your main
8:04points are. My The next thing that we'll
8:07be doing is the constructive debate as
8:09mentioned in the the Brain Act Talks
8:10brochure. The time and the turns were
8:12not specified, so it again really
8:13depends on the day on the judge. What
8:16I'll be following today is going to be
8:17you go each going to get 3 minutes two
8:19times. So, first of all, Justleen's
8:21going to present her debate for 3
8:24minutes and then Hiba is going to sort
8:26of you know
8:27mainly sort of speak about the points
8:30that Justleen mentions and you know give
8:32her stands on why those points are false
8:35or can be reformed into a better way.
8:37Then whatever points Hiba's given,
8:38Justleen will sort of you know again go
8:41against them and then present her side
8:43for 3 minutes again. And then Hiba's
8:45going to get the last sort of turn again
8:47to do it.
8:49Then we will have the rebuttal. So,
8:52after this Justleen can sort of ask
8:54whatever questions she wants to ask
8:56Hiba. So, she'll get her opportunity to
8:58ask a question. Hiba will have the
9:01sort of 1 minute to answer whatever
9:03question Justleen has and the same goes
9:05for Hiba and Justleen, you know, that's
9:06where. And then we'll have the closing
9:08speech and then we'll be doing the fun
9:10switch this I think that I'll explain
9:11what it is later on. So, we'll start
9:13with the constructive debate now.
9:14Justleen, please get ready. You'll be
9:16speaking for 3 minutes and you can make
9:19you know you can sort of present what
9:20your stands are and what your exact
9:21points are. And then Hiba, you should
9:23sort of be prepared because Hiba will be
9:25taking notes and she will sort of argue
9:27against them in her
9:29turn. All right. So, Justleen, whenever
9:30you're ready, you can start for 3
9:31minutes.
9:36>> Okay. So, Hiba, We are all saying that
9:40um we heard that a woman menstruates
9:43safely every month, right? We ask who?
9:46People who terminate in the experience
9:49menstrual symptoms [clears throat]
9:51and the doctors which causes problems
9:53during work should get paid leave. So,
9:55talking about health is that a menstrual
9:58symptoms can affect a person's ability
10:01to work. So, according to World Health
10:04Organization's report, after certain
10:06crisis, the study shows that one out of
10:09three out of three women and girls
10:12experience menstrual pain.
10:14For some reason, it can be unbearable
10:18and for some it can be bearable. And its
10:20relative effect is on quality of a
10:23person's life and especially in school
10:26or work. So, WHO recognizes
10:29menstrual health as a health and
10:31well-being issue. So, workplace
10:34policy should support health work for
10:36people to work safely.
10:39Analogy, a person for if talking about a
10:41physical injury, a person has a leg or
10:45hand injury, he she gets a sick leave to
10:48stay at home. You and me.
10:51He she may get a privilege to, you know,
10:54work from home. On the other hand, a
10:56woman suffering from
10:58too much period pain or we can say
11:02apart from period pain, there are a lot
11:04of symptoms
11:06a woman go through in menstruation like
11:09we can say
11:10uh I don't know
11:12dizziness and a lot. How can a woman
11:15work in that state at the
11:17office?
11:19And on the other hand, productivity. So,
11:22imagine a person is physically present
11:25at a workplace but they're not likely
11:28because of the pain. And according to
11:312019 M G of a study,
11:3430,000
11:3632,748
11:39between 15 age to 48 suffer from
11:43menstruation pain and
11:45they tend to avoid
11:49going to schools and their workplaces.
11:51So, the study shows that 13.8%
11:54reported missing school because of
11:57menstruation symptoms like the period
12:00pains
12:01and being able or we can say dealing
12:03with other symptoms like nausea or
12:05dizziness. And 85.7%
12:08reduced productivity still attended. So,
12:12what do you think is that a person being
12:16able to attend a school
12:18and
12:19and suffering from a lot of pain will
12:22further lead to lower
12:24leads to productivity or unproductivity.
12:28And due to
12:30periodism,
12:31it was reported that an average 8.9 days
12:35of lost productivity per year.
12:38If someone is at work, effective work
12:41status in the long run guarantee
12:44productivity no matter how much
12:47the facilities workplaces providing.
12:54>> Well spoken, Jasleen. Those were some
12:56really amazing points. I must give it to
12:58you for that.
13:00Um Hiba, you will be sort of, you know,
13:03arguing against what Jasleen said. And
13:05if Jasleen has asked any questions,
13:07rhetorical questions, you'll also be
13:08answering them. So, whenever you're
13:10ready, you can start and you'll be
13:12speaking for 3 minutes. So, I'll give
13:14you the floor now and you can start
13:16whenever you're ready.
13:18>> All right. So, I agree that severe
13:21menstrual symptoms can affect a person's
13:23ability to work, but does that not prove
13:25that separate paid menstrual leave is
13:27the best solution. Menstrual symptoms
13:30vary significantly. Many people
13:31experience mild or no symptoms, while
13:33some experience severe pain or
13:35conditions such as endometriosis. So,
13:37existing sick leave systems can already
13:40provide paid or protected leave when
13:42symptoms generally prevent someone from
13:44working. Creating a separate legal
13:45entitlement for menstruation will also
13:47increase the perceived cost of hiring
13:49women. That matters because research has
13:51documented how gender stereotypes affect
13:54costing in the workplace. Our position
13:55is not to ignore menstrual pain. Our
13:56position is to support employees
14:01according to their actual health needs
14:03without creating policy that could
14:05unintentionally strengthen the very
14:07gender discrimination we are trying to
14:09reduce.
14:14That's all.
14:15>> All right, that's great. So, you have
14:17a minute left, but um all right.
14:20So, uh thank you so much for your side,
14:24uh Hiba. Now, whatever arguments Hiba's
14:26made, Justleen, you'll be sort of, you
14:28know, arguing against them, obviously.
14:30Uh you can start whenever you're ready.
14:32You will also be getting 3 minutes of,
14:34you know, speech time. So, yeah.
14:37You can start whenever you're ready.
14:40>> Um I would like to add on my equality
14:43point, Hiba. So, imagine, Hiba, a person
14:46Equality doesn't mean here that equal
14:49treatment for everyone. Health means
14:52Health needs are different from person
14:54to person.
14:55>> I agree to that that menstrual leave
14:57isn't mandatory for everyone. But,
15:00imagine if uh like you know, if policy
15:03is there, then it will lead to that
15:06people treating this issue as other
15:08medical
15:10conditions are that.
15:11Not talking about men, but women as they
15:14go
15:16through menstruation every month, each
15:19month. It is totally different from
15:21other medical conditions like fever and
15:23all that. And if, you know,
15:26policy will be there, then open rooted
15:29will be there. It will help to break
15:31social problems, and it will help to
15:33break the already used the menstrual
15:35stigma. Policy can help manage health
15:39needs without losing job. If talking
15:41about countries like Spain and Japan,
15:44people there it um the
15:47policies regarding menstrual paid leave
15:49are issued by government. So, in our
15:53countries, it is said it is not given by
15:56Supreme Court because it may affect the
15:59women's
16:00women's hiring. It can lead to
16:03gender discrimination. But, what I
16:06believe is there e um
16:08paid menstrual leave should be there
16:10because policy can help
16:13manage health needs without losing a
16:15person's job. It will help to remove the
16:18social taboo regarding the menstrual
16:22menstrual
16:23menstruation. And according to WHO
16:27report, we can say that menstrual health
16:29includes being able to attend the work
16:32or social
16:35stigma. So, I think
16:38um policies are mandatory at workplaces
16:42because we don't know when whatever
16:44happens, we can a woman can use that
16:46medical leave. But,
16:48rather we can say it she can
16:50take leave due to other reasons like
16:52fever and all that. But,
16:54um paid menstrual leave will help to
16:57break this taboo of menstrual stigma.
17:01And it will help to create awareness
17:03about a woman's health because in the
17:06our countries, um talking about women's
17:09health is
17:10you can say it's not
17:14um
17:16it's not that
17:19um uh but talking about women's people
17:21are not that much aware about women's
17:25um health.
17:28Yeah, I have that much to say.
17:31>> This is great, Gisleen. Great job. I
17:33think you've really presented your
17:34arguments really well. And the same goes
17:36for Hiba, obviously. So, Hiba, you will
17:38be sort of, you know, again arguing
17:40against whatever Gisleen said. If she's
17:41asked you any questions, you'll also be
17:43answering them. You can start whenever
17:44you're ready, and you will also be
17:46getting a time of 3 minutes to, sort of,
17:48you know, say your debate.
17:49>> All right. So, like, first I'd like to
17:51talk about what- everything she said
17:52about Japan. So, I agree that Japan had
17:55introduced menstrual leave into its
17:57labor law after World War II. Women can
17:59request leave when menstruation makes
18:01working difficult. But the problem is
18:02that research has found that very few
18:04women actually use menstrual leave
18:06despite the legal entitlement. Studies
18:08have linked this partly to workplace
18:10cultures, stigma, and concerns about
18:12revealing menstruation. All of this
18:13suggests that simply creating a legal
18:15entitlement does not automatically solve
18:17a problem.
18:19So, apart from this,
18:20my other argument is that is privacy and
18:22dignity. So, basically, menstruation is
18:24a personal aspect of someone's health.
18:26An employee should not feel pressure to
18:29reveal private medical information to
18:30their employer. If menstrual leave
18:32becomes separate legal category,
18:33employees may have to identify that they
18:35are taking leave because of
18:36menstruation, depending on how the
18:37policy is implemented. This can create
18:39embarrassment, stigma, or unnecessary
18:41disclosure for some people. Or, apart
18:44from this, that a general sick leave
18:46system can allow an employee to take
18:48time off when they are unwell without
18:49having to explain an intimate personal
18:51matter. Supporting employees should also
18:53mean
18:54protecting uh their privacy and dignity.
18:57And my second argument is fairness
18:59towards other health conditions. Many
19:00people experience health conditions that
19:03can affect their ability to work, such
19:05as migraines, severe allergies,
19:08um or other recurring medical problems.
19:10These conditions can be just as
19:12disruptive as severe menstrual symptoms.
19:14If If we create a separate category of
19:16fairly for one recurring health
19:18condition, we must ask where we draw the
19:20line. The principle shouldn't be that
19:22employees who are medically unable to
19:24work receive appropriate support
19:26regardless of which health condition
19:28they have. This creates a workplace
19:30system based on medical need rather than
19:32creating separate categories for
19:33different conditions. My third argument
19:36is practicality and enforcement. A law
19:38must not only sound compassionate, it
19:40also it must also be practical to
19:42implement.
19:43Um employers would uh need clear rules
19:46about who qualifies, how much leave is
19:48available, and whether medical
19:50documentation is required. If
19:52documentation is required, employees may
19:54have to disclose private health
19:56information. If it is not required,
19:58employees may face difficulties applying
20:00the policy consistently. Different
20:02workplaces also have different staffing
20:04needs. Therefore, instead of imposing
20:06one complicated rule on every employer,
20:08we should focus on flexible workplaces.
20:10Policies that can respond to individual
20:12circumstances while still protecting the
20:15rights of the employees. And uh now my
20:19opponent may ask that what other
20:21alternatives can we do? So,
20:23if I reject the motion, I do propose a
20:26lot of other alternatives which are like
20:28flexible sick leave, flexible working
20:30hours, work from home where possible,
20:32menstrual products in workplaces,
20:34medical accommodation for severe
20:36symptoms, better workplace education,
20:38and strong protection against
20:39discrimination.
20:42That's all.
20:43>> Well spoken, Hiba Julie. Um you
20:45presented your argument really well as
20:47well.
20:48Uh so, we I have, sorry if you know,
20:50marked you guys for the constructive
20:52debate, which was ultimately the main
20:55portion of today's debate. Uh because
20:57again, you guys didn't have a prepared
20:58speech and you were just simply arguing
21:00whatever the other side said.
21:02That said, we will have our rebuttal
21:04round now. That means that um
21:06Jisleen, you will be asking Hiba a
21:08question.
21:10Please ask them only a question. So,
21:12sometimes what we end up doing is when
21:14we're framing a question, we actually
21:15end up asking three or four questions in
21:17one sentence. Please avoid doing that.
21:19Again, one, two, that's okay.
21:21But, um,
21:23sort of try doing one. And, uh, Hiba,
21:26you will get 1 minute to answer
21:29uh, whatever question Gisleen has. And
21:31then, Hiba will be answer- uh, asking
21:33Gisleen a question. And similarly,
21:35Gisleen would also get exactly 1 minute
21:37to answer your question. So, uh,
21:40Gisleen, whatever your question you
21:41have, you can ask Hiba.
21:45>> Um, so, Hiba, my question is that a
21:47woman is suffering from
21:50unbearable
21:52period. And she is suffering from
21:54nausea, dizziness, and all. If she is
21:56working at the office, and then she goes
21:59to her boss or manager and tells her
22:01issue to have a sickly and all. And she
22:04wants to go to to face the client
22:06regarding
22:07period or something like that. And then,
22:10the boss would take her sickly. In that
22:13situation, what would the woman build
22:14up?
22:15So, what I think is that instead of
22:18cutting the benefits totally, there's a
22:20law in the policy should be there that a
22:23woman
22:24should not suffer from such a type of
22:27situation. What are your
22:30points of views regarding this issue?
22:33>> Uh, thank you for your question,
22:35Gisleen. You'll have 1 minute to answer,
22:37and I'll start the timer whenever you're
22:38ready.
22:40>> Could you please repeat your question
22:41once again, like briefly a bit?
22:44>> Um, um, so, my question is that imagine
22:48a woman is suffering from period pains
22:51or the symptoms.
22:52>> I didn't hear the question.
22:54I got what the question was. It was just
22:55a question.
22:57>> Yeah, so, my question is that if she is
23:00suffering from that type of situation
23:02and the
23:03ultra or the manager
23:05will be expert
23:07and
23:07because she had already taken few
23:09leaves. So, in such a type situation
23:12what a woman should do because if a
23:14legitimate
23:16government policy will be there that it
23:18should be not suffering
23:19a type of such situation. So, what do
23:22you think a woman should do in that
23:24situation? If she will she will suffer
23:26from severe activity and it can lead to
23:29other medical issues too.
23:34>> All right. So, if an employee has
23:36genuinely severe pain and her sick leave
23:38has been rejected, the solution should
23:40be to improve the workplace existing
23:42sick leave and medical accommodation
23:44system, not automatically create a
23:45separate category of paid leave for
23:46menstruation. And what about employees
23:48with migraine, severe back pain, chronic
23:50pain, or other medical conditions who
23:52also exhaust their sick leave? We don't
23:54create a separate paid leave law for
23:56every condition. We provide support
23:58based on medical need. So, the real
23:59question is not what should this woman
24:01do after her sick leave is exhausted.
24:04The question is why is the employee's
24:06existing system failing an employee with
24:08a genuine medical need? Fix the system
24:10rather than creating a blanket menstrual
24:12leave mandate.
24:16>> Well spoken Hiba. Thank you so much for
24:19answering this question.
24:20Jisleen, you will be asked a question by
24:23Hiba now and similarly you'll also get 1
24:25minute to respond to the question. So,
24:28yeah, go ahead Hiba with your question.
24:31>> Okay. So, my question is that how will
24:33you prevent employers from seeing women
24:36as more expensive employees because of
24:39an additional mandatory paid leave?
24:51>> Jisleen, you can answer whenever you're
24:52ready.
25:04>> Honestly, what I wanted to ask is that
25:08why
25:09it is always thought and why a woman
25:11should choose between
25:14their health and their job and their
25:16income. The question is that they are
25:20not seen as expensive employees because
25:22of their
25:24uh
25:25this menstrual pain leave as as
25:28policy is there. Then
25:30leaves will be given to her. But all in
25:32all, the thing is
25:34we can deal with that problem is that
25:36every month, like if a woman is in
25:39trouble, she can get a medical
25:41certificate from the doctor regarding
25:43the problem that she is suffering from
25:45menstruation pain. And she can show that
25:49at her workplace and get the
25:51get the leave. At that point,
25:54um
25:57you can um
26:08>> Justine, is there anything else you'd
26:09like to add to the answer since your
26:10time is already uh finished?
26:18All right, that's great. So, Justine,
26:21you answered the question pretty well. I
26:22must give you that. So, we have done the
26:26rebuttal round as well. So, what we've
26:28done till now is the opening speech, the
26:30constructive debate, as well as the
26:31rebuttal round. Next up is going to be
26:33the closing round, so it's one of the
26:35last rounds that we have. After that,
26:36we'll have the switch the sides round.
26:38Uh so, you're going to be basically in
26:40this round, I want you to summarize why
26:41your side should be winning.
26:43Uh you will get about
26:452 minutes for that. Uh yeah, you can So,
26:49Justine, you'll be going first.
26:51Uh again, please summarize why your side
26:53wins. Um
26:54this is going to be similar to your
26:55opening speech, but there you
26:57established your case. Here you're again
26:58summarizing. I want to emphasize that
27:00more, okay?
27:01>> [snorts]
27:01>> So, Justin, whenever you're ready, you
27:02can get started. You'll have 2 minutes.
27:09>> Um to conclude, um may I start?
27:13Okay. So, to conclude, our case consists
27:16of cycle as I said before. I have found
27:19that productivity and quality.
27:21So, we have shown that our menstrual
27:24systems can affect persons ability to
27:27function. And it can lead to
27:31productivity loss. Our workplace
27:34should recognize general health needs
27:37when a woman leaves on sick medical paid
27:40leave. So, the question the issue isn't
27:44that every person who menstruates need
27:49a leave every month. People who
27:52generally experience menstrual symptoms
27:55which causes problems during work should
27:58get paid leave because it's a basic
28:00right of women when a woman struggles.
28:03He [laughter] she uh she should get the
28:05privilege to get rid of that problem
28:07because
28:08well,
28:10uh it may because it The studies also
28:12show that due to productivity system as
28:14it was the word, it is that
28:18uh there is loss of
28:20productivity per year. And if someone is
28:24at work affected by symptoms, it doesn't
28:26bring the productivity. It may cause
28:29more
28:30more medical issues.
28:33So,
28:34uh how
28:35uh
28:36so that
28:38menstrual health includes being able to
28:43attend work or social activities without
28:46any social stigma, without any
28:51without any fear of losing losing the
28:53job.
28:57>> All right, I just think that was really
28:58well said. I really loved your closing
29:01speech.
29:02We will have Heba's closing speech now
29:05and then after that we will be having to
29:07switch the sides. Heba, whenever you're
29:09ready you can start. You'll get the
29:10floor for 2 minutes.
29:12>> All right.
29:14So, as we close this debate, let us
29:16return to the actual question before us.
29:19Should every employer be legally
29:20required to provide paid menstrually?
29:23So, the negative side has never denied
29:24that menstrual health matters. The
29:25evidence clearly shows that it does.
29:27But, a serious problem does not
29:29automatically make every proposed
29:31solution a good one. Consider Japan.
29:33Japan has had statutory menstrual leave
29:35since 1947. Yes, it its use has remained
29:39extremely low. Government surveys have
29:41found that only a very few small
29:44proportion of eligible women actually
29:46take menstrual leave. This tells us
29:48something important. Creating legal
29:50entitlement does not automatically mean
29:53employees will use it or that workplace
29:55barriers will disappear.
29:57We also need to look at the practical
29:59consequences. Menstrual experiences vary
30:02enormously. Some people experience
30:04severe symptoms, others experience
30:06little disruption. Medical conditions
30:08such as endometriosis can require much
30:10more individualized support. A fixed
30:12legal entitlement cannot perfectly
30:14respond to all these different needs.
30:16And there is another concern, workplace
30:18equality. That is, so if employees are
30:20required to provide an additional paid
30:22benefit specifically connected to
30:23menstruation, we cannot simply ignore
30:25the possibility that some employers may
30:27factor additional costs into hiring
30:29decisions. A policy intended to help
30:31women should never become another reason
30:33to discriminate against them. Most
30:34importantly, we have alternatives.
30:36Employees who are genuinely unable to
30:38work can be supported through sick leave
30:40and medical accommodations. Employers
30:42can provide flexible hours and work
30:44where possible, menstrual products, and
30:47better workplace facilities.
30:51Um
30:53I have a
30:53a bit more to add, okay?
30:55Can I add?
30:55>> Yeah, yeah, of course.
30:57Go ahead.
30:58>> Okay. So, this uh most uh So, this
31:01debate is not uh women versus employees.
31:03It is not compassion versus cruelty. It
31:05is about choosing the policy that
31:07actually works. The formative side has
31:09shown us that menstrual menstrual leave
31:10we already agree with that. What they
31:12have not established is why a separate
31:14mandatory paid leave law is exactly
31:16necessary, effective, and better than
31:18flexible needs based for even if they
31:20are have, but our principle is simple
31:22that support person, respect their
31:23health, protect their dignity, but do
31:25not impose a one-size-fits-all
31:28where more flexible solutions exist. So,
31:31menstrual health deserves action, but
31:32good intentions must be matched by good
31:35policy. So, for these reasons I urge
31:37this house to reject the motion. Thank
31:39you.
31:42>> All right. Thank you, Hiba. That was
31:44very well said.
31:45Um so, we have done the opening, the
31:47constructive rebuttal, as well as the
31:49closing rounds. Now, we'll be going on
31:50to the switch sides sort of round. So,
31:53I'll quickly explain what those are in
31:54case you were confused, but they are
31:56mentioned in the brochure.
31:57Uh so, switch the side sort of round is
32:00basically, for example, Jisleen here
32:02debated the affirmative today. So, she
32:05said that she is in favor of the motion
32:07that you can read on the screen.
32:09Whereas, Hiba was in negative of the
32:11motion. What will happen now is that
32:13Jisleen will be debating for 1 minute in
32:15the negative of the motion. Whereas,
32:17Hiba will be debating for 1 minute in
32:19the affirmative of the motion. Um
32:22Yeah, that's about it, and then we'll be
32:23ending the debate. So, Jisleen, you have
32:25to argue against it, and Hiba has to
32:27argue for menstrual leaves. All right.
32:30So, Jisleen, we'll have you first uh
32:31since you were the affirmative debater.
32:33You'll be arguing against
32:36uh menstrual leaves. You can start
32:38whenever you're ready and you'll just
32:39get 1 minute. Again, please note I will
32:41not be providing you sort of feedback on
32:43this, but this is this is just sort of a
32:45tone court exercise to make your
32:47debating skills better.
32:58You can start whenever you're ready.
32:59Just
33:00>> All right, honorable debate
33:02opposing the
33:04Okay, so may I start?
33:07Okay, so the negative side of debate
33:10opposing mandate free paid menstrual
33:13leaves is that policy backfires the
33:17women. So, I feel rather than helping it
33:20may it may reduce hiring. It may affect
33:24on a person's
33:26on a woman's, you know,
33:29beaches and
33:31um
33:33it can
33:36reinforce workplace stereotypes
33:41and it may increase professional
33:44discrimination
33:46by
33:47branding female workers as a higher
33:51or expensive
33:53cost employers. It may
33:56women can be as financial liability to
34:00employers.
34:01So,
34:03and uh
34:06unplanned monthly
34:07absenteeism can disrupt
34:10team output output.
34:13I have that much to say.
34:19>> All right, well said, Jasleen. That
34:21really shows that you understand the
34:22opposite side as well. Hiba, you have
34:23the floor now. Again, you'll be getting
34:251 minute to argue for the
34:27>> All right.
34:28So, honorable chair and respected
34:30opposition, let me begin with one simple
34:32question. If a medical condition can
34:34genuinely affect a person's ability to
34:36work, why should a flower that it
34:37happens every month make it any less
34:39deserving protection? We are not asking
34:42employees to give women a holiday. We
34:44are asking them to recognize a
34:45legitimate health needs. For some
34:47people, menstruation means mild
34:48discomfort, but for others, it can mean
34:51severe cramps, nausea, headaches,
34:53dizziness, fatigue, and conditions such
34:56as
34:57endometriosis. So, these symptoms can
34:59really affect concentration, mobility,
35:02and ability to work effectively. And
35:05here is a fundamental point, equality
35:06does not always mean treating everyone
35:08identically. Sometimes, equality means
35:10giving people the support they need to
35:11participate equally.
35:13So, the opposition may say, "Why not
35:15just use normal sick leave?" Because
35:17menstrual symptoms are recurring and
35:19predictable. Asking someone to
35:20repeatedly use their limited sick days
35:21for a biological process can leave them
35:23with fewer uh days available when
35:26they're generally ill uh another reason.
35:28So, the answer is strong
35:29anti-discrimination laws and proper uh I
35:31mean, you know, like when you talk about
35:33they may also say that uh menstrual
35:34leave could lead employers to
35:36discriminate against women, but
35:37discrimination already exists. So, the
35:39answer to discrimination is not to deny
35:41women uh legitimate workplace
35:43protection. So, for this, the answer is
35:45strong anti-discrimination laws and
35:46proper implementation.
35:48So, that's all.
35:51>> Uh thank you so much, Heba. That was
35:53very well said again. So, uh that's
35:55actually all about the debate we have
35:58today. There's not really
36:00uh I'll be giving you your feedback by
36:02the end of this week, probably. I might
36:04even send it by tomorrow, who knows?
36:06Whenever I get time to work on it. Uh
36:08this uh video sort of this debate has
36:10also been recorded and will be uploaded
36:11on YouTube, too.
36:13Uh the, you know, you'll get the links
36:16uh on your inbox whenever we upload it.
36:18Yeah, that was about it. If you have
36:20anything, you know, maybe you want to
36:21add any suggestions or something that
36:22you have that could be improved in
36:24future debates or not or not, you can
36:26sort of email it to [email protected].
36:29You already are aware of that email
36:30address. So, that's all about it. Thank
36:32you so much for joining in everybody.

About this transcript

This page contains the full transcript of Should Employers Provide Paid Menstrual Leave? | GynacTalks Debate by GynacTalks, generated from the public captions YouTube serves with the video. The transcript has 5,641 words across 976 segments, with the original timestamps preserved so you can click any line to jump to that moment in the embedded player.

What you can do with it

Use the transcript to take notes, quote the speaker, build a study guide, generate a summary with ChatGPT or Claude via the YouTube Summary tool, or export it as a timed subtitle file with YouTube to SRT. You can also re-open it in the transcriber to translate the transcript into 100+ languages.

Free YouTube transcript tool

YouTube2Text is a free YouTube transcript generator — no signup, no daily limit. Paste any YouTube link and get the full transcript instantly, with timestamps, click-to-jump, translation to 100+ languages, AI prompts for ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, and exports to TXT, SRT, VTT, or Markdown.