A university in China has sparked public outrage after a video surfaced online where a student was allegedly asked by the staff to pull down her trousers to prove she was menstruating before being granted sick leave.
According to the South China Morning Post, the video was posted by a student of the Gengdan Institute of Beijing University of Technology. In the video, the student is seen confronting the staff of the campus clinic asking “So what you are saying is, every woman on her period has to take off her pants and show you to get a leave note?” to which the staff replies “Yes, it’s a school regulation.” Although when asked for written proof of the rule, the staff remains silent.
The incident sparked outrage among netizens who have called such actions a serious invasion of privacy. According to reports, after a Douyin user claiming to be the student posted the video on her social media page, her account was suspended for 30 days on the grounds of ‘pornographic content’.
The university reportedly stated on May 16, saying that the staff’s actions were in accordance with protocol. The staff, speaking to Chinese media, said that the rule was implemented to avoid students misusing sick leave.
However, netizens and even the Chinese state media opine that since menstruation is such an intimate topic for women, such rules may negatively impact the students’ mental well-being.
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