Women already do more than enough. We carry children, earn about 7% less than men for the same work, and take on the majority of household chores. Despite all this, we still live in a world largely designed around men’s needs.
Given this reality, calling for a ban on working during the week of a woman’s period seems not only reasonable but the least we deserve. And I’m not alone in thinking this. Supermodel Bella Hadid recently spoke about this in a candid interview with British Vogue, reflecting on her struggles with confidence as a teenage model.
Hadid shared, “I didn’t get that whole fluid thing going through. I was like 17, 18 years old, not knowing or loving myself a hundred per cent yet. I had just moved out of my parents' house and gone straight into a world where you have to stare in the mirror every single day. And we get our periods.”
Having stepped back from modeling due to Lyme disease and depression, Hadid revealed the harsh reality of working while dealing with period pain and conditions like endometriosis. “You’re shooting Victoria’s Secret on your period, with endo. That should be illegal. I’m going to talk to the White House about it, because we should literally ban women working on the week of their period. And the week before, to be honest.”
She also described her coping mechanism - an alter ego named “Belinda” - who powers through the tough workdays. “She can be crying from 5am to 7am but by the time she gets to work, a smile’s on her face and she’s going to do her job and get through it… it’s almost a mask because when I get home, I am just a depletion. I’m a skeleton.”
This paints a stark picture of the pressure young women in demanding careers face: smile for the cameras, but save your pain for later. While Hadid’s remarks might have been partly tongue-in-cheek, they highlight a serious issue. Managing PMS symptoms while working is an enormous challenge.
It’s not just the pain - which can range from dull aches to debilitating cramps - or the general fatigue and malaise during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. For many, like Hadid and myself, it’s the emotional rollercoaster: mania, sadness, dissociation, and overwhelming exhaustion that can make functioning feel impossible. Some months are manageable; others feel like living in a dark, tear-filled alternate reality where even getting out of bed is a victory.
Though this might sound extreme, many women experience severe PMS or even PMDD (a more intense form of PMS affecting 5-8% of women). Hadid’s symptoms may be worsened by endometriosis, a condition affecting 1 in 10 women, causing intense pain and heavy bleeding. But even without such conditions, the common PMS symptoms - brain fog, fatigue, aches - can seriously impair work performance.
Whether you’re in an office, commuting, working from home, or modeling on a runway, these symptoms make concentrating and performing your job much harder. For supermodels like Hadid, 12-hour days with little rest and constant pressure to look perfect make it even tougher.
So, Bella, I hear you. While making it illegal for women to work during their period week might be a pipe dream, it’s a comforting one to hold onto during those painful, emotional days. If Hadid wants to bring this idea to the White House, I’m all for it - I’d love to see the reaction!