Don’t suffer in silence: Emma’s 5-point plan

Speak out if things aren’t right.

Emma says a friend noticed her sitting lopsided on the first day of her period, which sounded the alarm. Weeks later, she was diagnosed with advanced stage two endometriosis – a painful condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows elsewhere in the body.

Talk up to make work easier.

If women talk more freely about period pain then accommodations could be made to help at work. She said: ‘Intense period pain should be a legitimate reason to take sick leave and reasons for flexible working should include inhibiting period symptoms.’ Women may want to ‘lie down’ or ‘benefit from a fan on your desk’.

Discussing periods is natural.

She worries that if these issues aren’t spoken about they will go ‘unchallenged’ for another generation. She said periods should be a ‘sign of health’ and seen as being as natural as needing to go to the toilet.

Make sanitary products free in public toilets.

Some schoolgirls in Britain are forced to skip school because they can’t afford sanitary products and won’t talk to family. Emma says: ‘Scotland is about to become the first place in the world to mandate free sanitary towels and tampons [in public lavatories]. We should do that too.’

Tell bosses why you’re unwell.

Employees often lie and give excuses such as a cold or headache to avoid the embarrassment of telling bosses they’re suffering from period pains. Be honest, says Emma.