Menstrual and reproductive health is key to workplace equity. Learn how inclusive policies can empower and support all employees. A conversation with Maria Carmen Punzi.
At the intersection of health, equity, and the workplace lies a long-overlooked issue: menstrual and reproductive health. Despite its impact on millions of employees, it remains largely invisible in many professional environments. Today, we’re joined by Maria Carmen Punzi, an advocate and expert in menstrual and reproductive health, to explore why this topic matters more than ever — and what companies can do to create truly inclusive workplaces.
Maria Carmen has been working at the intersection of menstrual and reproductive health since 2016, driven by a deep commitment to gender equality and social justice. Originally from Italy and now based in the Netherlands, her journey began with a realization: menstrual health was largely missing from broader conversations around sustainability, equity, and even reproductive rights.
“For me, it really started at the same time — a personal and a professional path,” Maria Carmen shares. “I realized that I had so little information about my own body.”
That moment of awakening set the course for what would become over a decade of exploration, growth, and commitment. As she began to tune into the signals of her body and brain, self-awareness became a powerful tool. “You are less vulnerable to accepting other people’s stories about you when you develop a deep relationship with your menstrual cycle,” she says.
What began as personal insight quickly turned political. “I remember being called ‘sour’ like a lemon, by some boys in my class because I was very fiery,” Maria Carmen recalls. “Part of that is also that kind of refusal to accept that women and people socialized as female can be anything else than sweet or accommodating.”
Recognizing this tension — between expressing one’s full self and being socially palatable — shaped her drive to challenge these norms. “We don’t live in a society that accepts hormonal and physical changes, especially in women, as a natural part of life,” she explains. “Women have managed to get to certain places in the workplace by denying those parts of themselves.”
That’s a pattern Maria Carmen is working to dismantle.
“There is no gender equality without this work. There is no gender equality without menstrual health.”
And this goes far beyond periods. “We’re not just talking about menstruation, but about the whole reproductive and menstrual journey over decades,” she says — naming perimenopause, menopause, infertility, and pregnancy loss as equally vital parts of the conversation.
So what keeps her going? “True support requires real conversations,” she emphasizes. “Which can be quite scary, I think, for some workplaces.” But they’re absolutely necessary. Because awareness is only the first step. Advocacy — bold, sustained, and rooted in lived experience — is what makes real change possible.
Menstrual and reproductive health remain invisible in most workplaces - explains Maria Carmen - because, at their core, they challenge how we've structured work and productivity. On a deeper level, the menstrual cycle reminds us that we are cyclical, embodied, and most importantly human. And that’s uncomfortable in systems built around linearity, constant output, and the illusion of endless energy.
“But I think we need to ask the deeper question: what have women been doing to cope with their menstrual and reproductive health at work without anyone seeing it? Because the problem of the invisibility is that it's very convenient for the people at the top or the people in the management to avoid talking about and addressing these needs because women are used to function anyway. But we don’t thrive, we survive.”
On a more practical level, there’s a lingering discomfort around these topics — whether it’s menstruation, infertility, menopause, or loss. Many employers might want to do better but feel unsure how to approach something so intimate without overstepping. And we get that. These are deeply personal issues, and navigating them in professional spaces isn’t always easy. But that doesn’t make ignoring them harmless.
What’s at stake when we don’t talk about it? Authenticity, for one.
There’s a growing push for people to bring their “whole selves” to work, but we can’t claim to support authenticity while asking people to silence what impacts their physical and mental energy every day.
“Socialization and biology intersect… hormonal changes have been weaponized against women, justifying their exclusion from social and political life. So we cannot expect [people] to just come out and say, ‘Yeah, I have PMDD. Yeah, I have endometriosis. Yeah, I have struggled with infertility.’, without realizing that women have had to hide all these conditions to get the same rights and opportunities”
This isn’t about assigning blame or leaving it to HR, DEI, or well-being teams alone. It’s a shared responsibility.
“It takes someone that believes it's important to just kick start change. Normally, it's one person that maybe has had menstrual issues and wants to bring the conversation to the workplace.”
True progress also requires political will, supportive policies, and collaboration across individuals, organizations, and institutions. Reproductive health is not just a personal matter — it’s a workplace, leadership, and gender equity issue we can no longer afford to ignore.
Most workplaces continue to treat women’s health as a private inconvenience rather than an integral part of employee well-being. Surface-level gestures — like offering period products or one-time wellness events — are a good starting point but fall short of addressing the deeper realities of hormonal cycles, chronic conditions, or mental health struggles.
This lack of understanding contributes to burnout, stalled career growth, and persistent gender inequality.
“If you see the rates of burnout in women compared to men, or how much longer it takes to get promotions, or pay inequality — it all connects. We’re expected to function anyway, even when we’re not okay.”
Women’s health isn’t just about physical symptoms — it’s shaped by biases and outdated workplace norms. For example, while aging may be seen as an asset for men, women in menopause are often met with stigma or dismissal.
To truly include everyone, we must redefine strength — not as the ability to push through — but as the freedom to acknowledge our needs without shame.
Supporting menstrual and reproductive health in the workplace goes beyond education. It means creating a culture where these needs are normalized and supported across all genders.
“It’s not just the organization’s responsibility — it’s the individual responsibility and the institutional responsibility, too. For example, being able to take sick leave because you're in menstrual pain rather than having to ask for menstrual leave — that matters.”
Examples of workplace practices that promote menstrual and reproductive wellbeing:
If you're still wondering whether menstrual and reproductive health “belong” at work, the answer is unequivocal: yes. It’s both a moral imperative and a business necessity.
“I mean, this is an inevitability. The trend we’re seeing now — it’s not a nice-to-have. It’s a must-have.”
COVID-19 underscored how much unpaid care and emotional labor women carry, often invisibly. Younger generations are demanding more. They want workplaces that value their wellbeing and support them as whole people.
Failing to act risks:
And with governments beginning to legislate change, it’s not just a matter of if but when organizations will have to evolve.
If you're unsure where to start, begin with yourself. “I think the first step for an employee that wants to see change would be to really reflect… on what they would need. In what ways maybe they push back when it comes to their bodily needs. Are you sleeping enough? Are they taking enough breaks? Are they feeling mentally present and nourished?”
From there, grow your awareness outward.
“To do that first step of self-awareness — what do I need? What do I want? Then the community awareness — what will my colleagues need and want? And then bring it up to managers: Can we have a session about these topics? Can we have menstrual products in the office? What about working flexibly from home once or twice a week?”
Then, take action:
Change doesn’t start with perfection. It starts with conversation.
To end on a hopeful note — there is so much to gain by addressing menstrual and reproductive health with the care it deserves. When we center wellbeing, job satisfaction, trust, and performance all improve. This isn’t about fixing individuals or overhauling entire systems overnight.
It’s about recognizing that true progress happens when individual needs, organizational values, and institutional support all align.
Together, we can build workplaces where everyone thrives.
A big thank you to Maria Carmen for this inspiring conversation — and for all the work you do to drive change in menstrual and reproductive health.
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