Taboo Menstrual Health in Workplace Keynote and Panel | World International Menstrual Hygiene Day

Let's do virtual welcome. That's how I like to do virtual welcome. We're on Zoom. We can't hear. We can't necessarily speak. So let's do virtual welcome. That's right. That's right. So thank you so much, Kyle, for being here. And welcome again, everybody, to the 2nd Menstrual Health Summit. And so what's going to be so unique about this conversation is Kyle is returning. He came right back to us because he's so passionate about these topics. So Kyle, I'm going to start right there with Thank you for being here. I want to thank you so much for making it work and just really start right there with telling us what really had you decide to come, come back, right? It's the second time around and you've had 365 days to utilize your experience from last year's summit. So tell us more about what actions have you taken? What was last year like? What is happening?

Yeah, so thank you, Zakirah, and, and this team for allowing me to be a part of your platform this Saturday. Um, and so just to get right in and dig right into I was willfully ignorant, and I learned so much last year, um, just being a part of the entire event, being on the panel. Um, I think I'll— and I'll share a little bit more of this— I'm the only boy in my family, so I grew up around, uh, sisters and moms and aunts and grandmas and things. And so, uh, learning what I've learned yesterday, and including some of the vulnerabilities that I've suffered along the way, Mm-hmm. Uh, we'll talk about that a little bit more as well. I just realized that, you know what, this is a platform that I think more men, uh, need to be a part of, uh, and we want to stand beside you guys leading the way. So that's why I'm back and excited to be here.

And I want to go right there. I'm not going to let anything slide. Anything you say, I hear you, and I'm going to make sure you don't skip on that. So we'll go right over to those vulnerabilities. Tell us more about those vulnerabilities. What did that look like, right? Because I'm menstruating, I don't know what you're talking about. So go ahead and tell us more about what that looks like.

Yeah, so I— so it's again, started yesterday with me realizing I was willfully ignorant, as all things, period. And I think most men, uh, if they're being honest, will, will admit that. Um, and I think where a lot of the vulnerabilities is, as you heard me say earlier, I grew up in a family full of women. Uh, I consider myself to be a mama's boy, although I don't have the soft part, but I love my mom, right? Uh, and so just understanding that You know, I grew up with all these women that had these fluctuating things that happened to them once a month that was beyond their control for the most part. In some cases, they couldn't understand what was really happening and could communicate with me effectively. And so I learned along the way and bumped some bruises. So there were times when my mother was especially mad or my sisters were especially difficult to deal with. As I grew up, there were relationships that I had and honestly, as As, as those relationships evolved, I made mistakes at certain times because there were certain things happening with my partners in the past that I just didn't understand and couldn't— and couldn't comprehend. And I was dealing with them in, in my state while they were fluctuating between others. And so it really opened my eyes last year to be a part of this panel, to learn and to hear what was going on in luteal phases and, you know, all of this and all of this stuff that happens as a result of a period. Um, it was just mind-opening. I mean, it really, really was. I don't want to say mind-blowing. It was mind-opening. It really, really put some things in place for me.

I love that. And for those of you who were not there last year, you definitely missed it. We were in person and had a ball. But of course, you can look at the replay on YouTube. You can search Sana Girl Official on YouTube and check out the replay. And so now let's talk professionally, right? You work at Better Than Backers and you work with other women and those who menstruate. So what have you been able to kind of advocate for and implement at your workplace?

Yeah, so let me be fair to Builders and Backers and let me take that hat off for a second. And that's number one. Number 2, uh, Builders— we're a remote company, so all of us work remotely. Uh, and 3, I think Builders and Backers doesn't really have that issue because we're founded by 2 women, 2 very strong women, uh, in Donna Harris and Kathleen Hale. So they do everything that they know to do to, to look out for everyone on the team. Uh, both women and men. But I will visit my time as workforce director here in Tulsa. And that was a time when I remember very specifically we were moving offices, we were shifting from the east side of Tulsa to downtown on 5th Street. And there was a lot of buildouts that needed to happen. And amongst the buildout was the bathrooms, right? And as the project manager at the time and overseeing the one-stop, the whole nine, I didn't care what went in the bathroom. It's a bathroom, right? And so— But what I vastly learned very quickly is that men's needs in the restroom and women's needs in the restroom are 2 completely different avenues. And so as I begin to learn and as I begin to work with build-out, we made sure that we stocked the bathroom with the proper materials. You know, those sanitary issues and materials, we made sure that we did that. We made sure that we designated certain areas. so that women felt comfortable. And then I had a very strong deputy director at the time that was really helping to coalesce and bring and make the program very inclusive as it related to the workplace and our environment. So I'll draw on that experience again, workforce. I had a little bit more control, but at that time we really made sure that we, one, listened, right, and understood what the needs were and then implemented those needs as we saw fit, not based on what I felt like, was needed, but based on what we— on the women we were serving, based on what they needed.

Absolutely. And just because you mentioned that, that a lot of these places are male-dominated, right? And so we want to kind of pinpoint and talk to the men right now that are in business that have the option to make a change, right? So what, from a business standpoint, in the male-dominated industry, what should male employers and employees do to prioritize menstrual health in the workplace?

Yeah, number one, knock off your ego, right? Like you just said, it's a male-dominated place. We, we tend to feel like we're the man, we're the lead, we're the head. Not in that area. So we— and the first place thing we need to do is knock off our ego. The second thing we need to do is open both our ears and listen, uh, to our female counterparts in terms of what they need, right? Because again, I grew up in a house, all women around me. I never knew, right? I never knew. We just heard Moreau Nichols talk about being schooled up to prepare for this, right? We as men, we don't know nearly as much as the woman does going through this situation. And depending on the family structure, even sometimes women don't know as much as they need to know. So that's why companies like this and programs like this are so valuable because it's a learning tool. It really is. I have family in town, that same family I was talking about, Zakirah, you know this, are coming in town right now from Chicago, getting ready for them. But this is why I made— it was so important for me to be here that I set aside that to come here because I'm really drawing upon my experience. I'm really drawing from the things that I actually went through, the things and the situations that I've actually lived. And it was, like I said, mind-opening. And that's what it takes. We have to knock off our ego as men. We have to listen to our female counterparts, and then we have to deliver. That's the third thing, and deliver on what it is that they need.

And you know what, you touched on a pretty important topic because also this is being streamed and even the replay will be watched during the holiday weekend where people are going to be around family members all the time. And it actually does start at home, right? And so what are some of your tips as far as that conversation starter at home that could then be later safely brought into the workplace?

Yeah, I think it depends on, you know, the age appropriateness of your family structure and who you're dealing with, right? My family seems to be, you know, everyone's of age. So for me, I don't have to really worry about that. But for my nieces that may come by, right, that are looking or maybe going through that transitional period, right, it's really talking to my sisters and making sure that they have what they need, making sure that they're not embarrassed if something were to happen, and we can, we can support them, you know, first supporting the family. My sister's their mother, right? So first supporting her as the mother, but then as a family wrapping around and just making sure we don't make those situations embarrassing. I remember being a 5th grader and a young lady in my classroom got her period and no one in the class really knew what was going on. And I remember the young lady feeling very embarrassed about what was happening, right? And it's all a natural thing, but because we don't know, we're not really educated to the degree we probably need to. and should be, you know, sometimes those things can become embarrassing. So just making sure that we remove, right, the barriers of ignorance and embarrassment so that our people and our loved ones and our friends are comfortable.

And so my last major question, and then I'll open up to the chat, I'll take a look at the chat. If you have a question for Kyle, put it in the chat. But my final question is, we're thinking big on the HR policies. Right. You mentioned the bathroom, you mentioned the conversation, you mentioned listening, but what other policies do you think could be implemented to improve menstrual health support in the workplaces so it's more equitable and inclusive?

Yeah, you know, I think that's a really good question. I think that's a question that I wish Monroe Nichols was still on the panel for, right? Because you can only do so much within the workplace, right? And depending on what that work environment is. But anything beyond that, you know, then becomes a city ordinance, a state ordinance, and sometimes depending on your situation, a federal ordinance, right? So it really starts with what you can control. So I encourage everyone that's on this call that's listening, start with where you are, right? Start with what you can control, right? Because if it was a perfect world, we wouldn't need this platform. We wouldn't be here now, right? But it takes all of us to make it a perfect world, right? In utopia, we're not having this conversation. In utopia, Seneca is not needed because we're just—

we're addressing the needs At scale, right?

So I think it starts with really for us just controlling what we can control and communicating. And if we can control what we can control, us as men in the workspace, knock off our ego, right? Listen to what's being said and communicate and then execute.

There we go. Listen and communicate. And I feel like I got to say that again. Listen and communicate.

Yeah, that's the key.

So Before we wrap up, I see a question in the chat. How can— I feel like that was the question I just asked. Policies. Yeah, I think I just asked the question. So great. Any one-liner that you can think of that you want both genders to take away from this conversation?

Ooh, a one-liner that both genders can take away. I thought you was just gonna assign it to one. Uh, I think if it's a one-liner for both genders, then it's, it's, uh, listen and communicate, right? Just listen to what your partner is saying and communicate through it. I mean, it's really just as simple as that. If we can just apply that in all areas, if I can— if I listen with the intent to understand and communicate with the intent to be understood, I think everything could be resolved that way.

There we go. Well, Kyle, thank you so much for your insights and your expertise, and thank you for your passion Thank you so much for your questions as well and your support. And we will continue to have this conversation. This is just the beginning. So definitely be sure to engage with Sanako on social media and let us know your takeaways. Let us know your favorite part. And Kyle, you didn't put your handles on your name, but where can people find you on social media?

Yeah, I did not, but I'm very simple to find. I'm really usually not on social media, but if you do, it's under Smittykal, S-M-I-T-T-Y-K-A-L. But usually I'm on the work front. Kyle Smith on LinkedIn and kyle@buildersandbackers.com for email.

Thank you, Kyle.

Thank you. And I just want to say again, go ahead and book me for next year as well. I will be here as long as you guys are having it. Thank you so much for including me.

We are going to have, uh, Zaakirah Muhammad, my predecessor here at Sanicle. But most importantly, someone who has been very encouraging and welcoming. Zaakirah Muhammad is a TEDx speaker, brand strategist, and author. Her journey started with her battling childhood eye cancer while later becoming a survivor and a PCOS warrior. She has over a decade of professional experience as a branding specialist, empowering women to step outside their comfort zone, confidently telling their stories, and challenge themselves. In addition, she is also a published author of Seeing Life Through a Different Lens, which delves into the importance of being true to oneself and finding one's purpose. She has been featured in podcasts and summits where she shares her insights and experiences in the field of branding and marketing.

Thank you, Miss Al. Superwoman syndrome. It's been around for generations. Despite officially being coined in 1984. Since the era of slavery, we woman-identified humans have had to keep everything to ourselves. The NIH reports the superwoman syndrome and mentioned the societal pressure around women in all aspects of life, career, family, personal life. And so this phenomenon Just so happens to be accompanied by feelings of guilt, fatigue, and burnout. The report then states the need for women to utilize self-care and realistic expectations of themselves to avoid the negative consequences of fulfilling unfulfilling expectations. And it also suggests that society should work together toward promoting a more balanced and equitable distribution of responsibility between men and women. My name is Zaakirah Muhammad, and I am a PCOS warrior. Polycystic ovarian syndrome. It is one of the most common endocrine and metabolic disorders in premenopausal women, according to NIH. But let's rewind a little bit. I'm going to tell you a little bit about my story, similar to Ms. Deepa, who we heard earlier in the session, I was diagnosed at the age of 8, sought a second opinion at the age of 16, and a third opinion at the age of 30. PCOS affects 1 in 10 women globally and brings symptoms such as, but not limited to, irregular periods, phantom periods, weight gain, weight loss, deep voice, lots of hair, lots of acne, or nothing at all. All these symptoms not only impacted me, physically, but it also takes an emotional, mental toll. My irregular cycle can contribute to insomnia and fatigue and severe cramps and even heavy bleeding. My PCOS journey led me right here on this virtual stage to share my story because I know that there are so many women out there who still don't have allies in their workplace. Now, how can we change that? How can we start to implement policies that support menstrual health in the workplace? Here are 4, 5, depending on how you wanna count it, tips to keep in mind. One, each company should develop clear guidelines. Just like we have standards of operations and a policy handbook as soon as we enter a job, it needs to be put in to have menstrual health policies. This is adequate for ensuring that they're easily accessible and easy-to-understand tools for all employees, for both genders. This does include accommodation, flexibility of working from home, or just assuring that there will be privacy protected and there won't be any discrimination. The next thing is to take the time to educate and train the staff and employees. Have training sessions where those who are menstruating can actually take the time to educate HR professionals. And vice versa. But the theme should be focused on empathy, understanding, and being accommodated. The policy should be reviewed and adapted. Let's say you're already at that phase where you're like, I already have a wellness benefits offer. Why do I need to change it? Because every menstrual cycle is very different. Every woman that comes into the company that bleeds is very different. So, making sure to listen and communicate, making sure that this is being implemented and that feedback is actually being utilized in the policies at work. And most importantly, foster that inclusive culture. Just like we've mentioned earlier, it's got to start with the bathroom. It's got to start with the environment. It's got to start with knowing that someone has that one person that they can talk to. When it is that time of the month. And it's also important to continue to reiterate offering those diverse accommodations. Technology companies such as Nuvento, which is based in New Jersey, they have implemented the health policy leave, allowing employees up to 12 days of paid leave in a year, specifically for menstrual health. Another example is Chani, a Los Angeles-based astrology app that offers unlimited paid leave for the menstrual cycle, and there's no cap on when you can request that time off. These examples have definitely shown and proven to improve the productivity and the well-being of employees in the well-being at the workplace. And then these examples highlight how accommodations can be practical And impactful, contributing to a more inclusive and productive workplace. I remember the first day I had my period. I was with my childhood best friend, and suddenly there was blood everywhere. I was lucky because my mom was home and I could run to her for help. It was a simple announcement because my mom took the time to educate me on what's going to happen to my body at some point. While I understand that not everyone had that parental guidance, it's why it's important to have these conversations. When I was first diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome, I was more worried about understanding my body than the fact that I could not necessarily have kids. And it started with that acknowledgement and awareness that every, just about every woman on this planet bleeds in one way or another at one point in a month. Oh, another 28 days. That's why we wear the 28-day menstrual health bracelet. So my first question for you is, when is the last time you genuinely asked the woman in your life how they are doing and how you can support them? Why is the question even important? Because this is the first step to including comprehensive menstrual health accommodation at work. It's about acknowledging and supporting the needs of employees dealing with menstrual health issues. By doing so, companies can significantly improve job satisfaction, reduce absenteeism, and enhance productivity. An environment that prioritizes health and inclusivity and fosters a company's reputation, that's a win-win all across the board. Breaking the taboo starts with us. We got to start having those conversations And actively listening to each other. So let's recap. The ways to do that is to establish clear written guidelines for mental health policies, conduct training sessions for managers, HR personnel, and employees, and acknowledge the fact that individuals experience menstruation differently. Choose to become the ally at work. And if you stick around to the end of this session, you'll see a couple of videos such as educating yourself by purchasing the Period Pack for Book written by the genius Chase Inebedion, and by looking to join a pilot community such as Stanico's upcoming community, and even exploring more about the community partnership that has been created with Pangea. But for now, we're going to keep the conversation going. And I'm going to proceed over to the panel that's going to be moderated. And we're going to talk about prioritizing sexual health. Not many people want to do that. And it's super important. And before I introduce all the fellow panelists, I want to read this quote that the Tabitha Brown posted on May 14th. She said, Women be out here experiencing periods, yeast infections, ovulation, cramps, pregnancy, fibroids, infertility, childbirth, stillbirth, postpartum, perimenopause, menopause, et cetera, all in the same year and sometimes in the same month. Or day and still be showing up in love. This sexual health panel is going to be super insightful and honest. We are going to talk about why the workplace should prioritize it, why women should take their health and wellness seriously, and how it does impact both the workforce and at home. Our panelists are— drum roll—

Hi, everyone.

Let's start with Cordelia Gaither, the ultimate joy goddess and CEO of Cordelia Gaither Enterprises. She guides women on a transformative journey to intimacy with allowing them to normalize great sex. The result is shedding trauma and releasing negative experiences that have kept women playing small. And next, we're gonna pull up Funmi, founder of Red Connect NG. And in addition to her 10-plus years in a— 10-plus-year career in media, Funmi is deeply committed to public health advocacy. She leverages her experience in communication to focus on raising awareness about key public health issues. And as a sickle cell warrior herself, she empowers individuals to make informed decisions about their health and well-being. And last but not least, we are going to pull up Dr. Carmen McNeil, a facilitator, educator, and the creator of the Period of Empowerment guide/movement. She dismantled the miseducation of menstruation one community at a time. As a professor of psychology with a PhD in psychology, and while being a professor at school, She has the most expertise in mental wellness and social behavior. She had poured 2 decades, or maybe longer by now, of teaching and training others into the mission to equip women with the tools that they need to foster confidence and self-love as they experience critical moments in life. Welcome, ladies.

Hello.

Thank you.

dropped the ball right there? As soon as you heard that Tabitha Brown quote, what went into your head? Whoever wants to go first. Next to my screen is Cordelia Gaither. And let's make sure everyone is unmuted and stays unmuted. There we go.

Thank you. My name is Cordelia Gaither. And I would— the first thing that comes to mind is the disembodiment of each human.

Right?

Because if we were connected to our bodies, there wouldn't be a question of honoring another body. So we have to begin there. You know, we, we live in these bodies for several decades, and yet we only honor and edify the brain. And proportionally, we're more body than we are brain.

That's a mic drop right there. Like, everybody— I feel like she said everything that anyone else wanted to say. Dr. Combs, you want to add to that?

Absolutely. Thank you. I think what— couple things that come to mind for me, and one is just the pervasiveness of the issues that you mentioned in the Tabitha Brown quote— cramps, pregnancy, fibroids, infertility, menopause, all of that. They're so pervasive and how much they are part of our, of our everyday lives. And so it really is a social injustice feeling the need to have to leave these experiences at the door when you go to work. And so when we think about, you know, social injustice, it can take many, many forms, including prejudgment, aka prejudice. And bias in social interactions, and work is a social place. And these social injustices, you know, are really structural issues that are deeply embedded into societal norms. And so when we're talking about equity in the workplace, what we're talking about is that all employees receive the specific resources that they need to be productive in their jobs according to their unique needs. And so this is, you know, some of the things that comes to mind from that Tabitha Brown quote. I'll pass it on over to Sister Fumi.

I would say it just stresses the point that you can't leave your personality at home when you go to work. Personality and professionalism work hand in hand. So I'm going to come to work with my period pain, my backache, my PCOS. I have PCOS as well, so I clearly understand how it is. I'm going to come to work with my mood swings. I'm going to come to work with aching breasts from breastfeeding a child, or for my pains of a recent miscarriage, and still get the work done. I just might not have a placard in front of my face that says, this is what I'm going through. But this is what I'm going through. And the workplace should be aware of these things, hence this conversation. So she's just clearly emphasizing that we Carry stuff. Where I'm from, there's a proverb that says that in Kotaswo book, it means that what clothes cover is a lot. And that's what she's just saying. We cover up a lot with our clothes, but we still carry those stuff, and we still carry day by day.

I'm— every time someone finishes, let's just go ahead and snap because it's gonna be too powerful. All right, I'm gonna head back over to Dr. Carmen. And you know, you are a professor, you are at school, you do work as well as, you know, do all the amazing things you do. But what are some of the challenges you've seen organizations face when it comes to integrating sexual health discussions in the workplace?

Yes, well, there are quite a few challenges. And so I think I'll just mention a couple of them, you know. So the big one, probably the primary challenge is stigma. Stigma around sexual health, stigma around the female body, sensitivities around this. And so, you know, sexual health is often considered this sort of private, sensitive topic leading to a lot of discomfort and stigma around discussions about it in the workplace. And then part of the problem with the stigma is the ignorance, meaning just lack of information, right? Not knowing basic bodily processes. It's amazing to me when I give lectures about this in terms of how much people who menstruate do not know about their bodies and how much people who do not menstruate do not know about the menstrual cycle. So that's one of the issues. And a couple of solutions to that is we have to normalize these conversations. We have to promote open, respectful dialogue through awareness, educational workshops like some of the workshops that I facilitate and helping people really have body positivity Positivity and understanding how the menstrual cycle is really just a guide for self-care. Leadership support, like you mentioned earlier, Zaakirah, really ensuring that leaders and managers openly support and participate in initiatives. And then the inclusive language. Michelle mentioned that earlier, being very, very mindful of how we are talking about this. Notice I'm saying people who menstruate and people who don't. I mean, that's very, very inclusive in terms of this particular experience. Another challenge is, like I mentioned, the lack of awareness and education. Employees and management might lack the knowledge about these issues, don't know how to address misconceptions. And so there's not enough support. There could also be employee resistance. You know, because of that stigma, because of the ignorance, some employees might resist or be indifferent to sexual health discussions, you know, viewing them as irrelevant or intrusive. And the solution to that is really about involving employees in the planning and implementation of those initiatives and the policies. so they can see how it meets the needs of the menstruating workforce. There are 1.8 billion people on the planet who are menstruating. So a portion of that is a huge, you know, part of the workforce. But then it also benefits the company as well, like some of the benefits you've talked about already. So those are just some of the challenges when it comes to Integrating discussions into workplace culture.

So now I'm moving this question over to Cordelia. And speaking of employee resistance, what are some of the common misconceptions in the sexual health workplace and how can we debunk them?

Yeah, I would have to just really piggyback off of what Dr. Carmen was saying. I believe that we need to detoxify the conversation around sexuality in the workplace. I mean, let's just be honest. It's not funny to be sarcastic or to make jokes about objectifying women. And that is so commonplace and so widely accepted. And I could even— I would say let's begin with education. I agree. And I will give you some resources. The Patriarchal Myth: The Origin of Mind-Body-Spirit-Emotion Split. Yeah, there's no such thing. We're fully integrated, whole humans. And this— and then the second chapter is Feminine Intelligence and a New Mode of Healing, which again talks about the beauty and the nuances and the wisdom that comes forth in the different cycles of different parts of the menstrual cycle. And then inner guidance and the female energy system, right? So personally, what I experienced when I was a CFO at a tech company, and a lot of the discussion today has been around male-dominated industries, is although, right, I was out on maternity leave, and in this case, it was with my first child. And the policy, the company policy was 8 weeks. On the 6th week, for some reason, I got a call. Are you going to ever come back to work? And I said, the agreement is that I'll be there after 8 weeks. I'll see you then. And sadly, my oldest is 24 years old. And I understand the story is still the same. And so I don't think we need more policing of women. I think we need less policies and more education of what it is to be a human and look at the way we are being at home with our female relatives, because you can't be different when you show up at work. And so I'm looking at this a little bit different, like outside of the box. I know we're here talking about how to make better policies and how to make better laws. Yeah, so that's been working super well. And since it's working so well, I say just throw them out and let's just go back to being fully embodying— embodied and get rid of the old colonized, imperialistic, misogynistic slavery mindset that we have, you know, because our corporations Corporations are the extension of slavery, right? That's— that most people don't understand or recognize, that there were corporations that were benefiting from slavery. So, um, let's just bring that conversation to the light.

Now, Boonmi, This is also technically for everyone, but I do want to kind of piggyback on what Cordelia talked about, just really sharing a personal story where sexual health led to positive changes in an environment.

So when I realized that I had PCOS and I had a couple of issues at work, I was trying for a second child, and I went through all All the tests you can think of, do this test, that test, that examination. And first of all, diagnosing PCOS was first of all a problem.

Okay.

But we finally got to that point where we could diagnose it. And then I have mood swings. I had reactions and bloating and impatience. And it is so— people were so quick to call you emotional. So I think we need to strike that. Everything. And if you do check studies, all due respect to the men, men are more emotional than women. Because if we were to swap roles, women are built to be multi-dimensional. We have the ability to handle multiple things at the same time. Men are built to be logical. They handle one per time. If I put you in my role as a woman, Your emotions will let go. So if I'm able to handle my day-to-day, it should not be considered as emotional. Or they just throw it in there just to cut you by the wing and level you up. Oh, don't be so emotional. No, it's not about emotions. It's about the way that my body is built. It's about the composition of my genes and my hormones and my vessels and everything put together. That's how the biology of my body is. So we had to come to a point where you realize that if you consider health in the workplace, make it accommodating to everybody, it's to the benefit of the workplace. Because when I come to work, and studies have shown that females are more loyal, are more giving, are more productive in the workplace, do more research, bring about more productivity, they just don't get the announcements like the male counterparts do. You will have females working in the same place for 26, 30 years straight, giving their best every day, all day, every day. But the moment there's an opportunity for a promotion, because she is built for growth, she's not looking for profit first of all, she's looking for growth. We have to be consciously taught to say, okay, you've given so much, what's there for you? Start asking for things for yourself. We're just thriving and happy that everything is moving on well together. So if you can reward that productivity, it's not just to the benefit of the person, it's to the benefit of the entire organization. Because in return, you are going to get improved employee satisfaction. You're going to get retention, which is a major problem in the workplace now because Everybody's hopping 2 years, they're here the next 2 years, they're out. You get retention in the workplace, you will get more productivity, you will enhance productivity because you give the people, you give the people a sense of belonging to realize that this is not the company I just work in, it's a company that we work in. So when I started off Red Connect, I was looking for a name and I found Red Connect because We have different colors of skin, we have different personalities, we have different sexual needs, but we have one thing in common. That's the color of our blood. No matter who you are, where you're from, what your preference is, the color of your blood is red. So we are connected that way. Hence the word Red Connect. We are connected by blood. When you are dying on your bed, you do not care if your doctor, if your nurse It's from Puerto Rico, it's from Zambia, it's from— can this person help me out of this position is what you care for at that time. So you realize that health not— doesn't have to be COPD or heart disease. Sexual health is also a connection to us all. Sexual health brings about mental balance, brings about mental health balance in the workplace as well. So if we can Incorporate that thing. You know, it's funny when you get into a new job, they make you watch all these videos from HR, sexual harassment, sexual harassment, and what you should do. Those videos should be swapped to sexual teaching. Don't just focus on the problem. That's the problem. You keep emphasizing the problem. Start emphasizing the solution. How should you act to another person who doesn't look at you in the workplace? How should you respond to a compliment that you do not understand? How is the tone of voice interpreted that it is not taken out of context. How are mood swings handled in the workplace? Do we have a venting room? Do we have a meditation room? Do we have a quiet room that people can take a moment or two and just be? Do we have a pain room where the pain might not be physical, it just might be you need a moment to scream and just go in there and come out? Do we have those things to accommodate people? But we have HR policies, and when you make a mistake, everybody brings out the big book of judgment against you. But we need to turn those policies now into teaching because the benefits are enormous.

And now for the last question before we do open up the floor to anyone else who has questions, I want to bring this question around back over to Dr. Carmen and Cordelia on how can we improve employee retention and satisfaction and workplace culture? In one sentence, what can be done?

Should I go first?

Yes, Carmen, go ahead.

Okay.

So lots of the things that we've been talking about already, normalizing the conversations. And I love what Sister Cordelia said about taking a look at how you are interacting with the people who menstruate in your personal life. Having some conversations with them first. Talk to your romantic partner if that fits, or your daughter, or your sister, or your cousin, whatever. Have those conversations about their experiences, because many people who don't menstruate have no clue about what those experiences are and all the things we're holding, like in the Tabitha Brown Well, like they are, they're oblivious. They really, really have no clue. I'm not saying all, but I'm saying a lot do not really understand the magnitude of what it is that we're holding. Again, training the leadership team at work, training the leadership team, the management team, everybody needs to be on board. And then perhaps even having Having sex training, as Sister Fumi mentioned, right? So we— the education needs to be there, and it needs to be built into the, into the corporate culture. And so, you know, these are some of the things that, that we can do. But I am very, very clear that when people take an inventory or an assessment of their personal lives, it can really help guide how we bring it into the world of work, because there is a strong workforce out there who are menstruating and definitely are in need of support. So I'll turn it over to Sister Cordelia.

Thank you, Dr. Carmen. You know, I resonate also with your point about wellness. Like, if we— if there is a policy to look at, it would be the wellness policies that companies offer. I love Fumi's idea about the wellness room extending to a pain room, right? Yeah, sometimes we just need to scream or throw things. So instead of having to go to a place where you throw axes, what if we had that at work? How cool would that be? And the other thing is we're talking a lot about sexual education. One thing that we overstep in that is consent education, right? So I talk a lot about sexuality and what is multi-orgasmic living. It is about respect and consent, and consent is more than yes and no. It is understanding the requirements. It's being clear on the limits of an individual. And reconfirming that those limits are not being overstepped, being an advocate for what it is that you require, and being empowered to advocate for what it is that you require. And so I think we need to, again, instead of talking about the problem, right, let's be solution-focused. solution-oriented. You know, that is the— when I talk about feminine intelligence, we're solution creators, right? We're not solution seekers. We are the creators of that because we all understand here that women are multidimensional. And so those— and, and of course, the leadership, uh, team needs to be really well-versed on consent. So that's, that's one of the trainings that I offer.

I'll go back to the person I said about personality and professionalism. So I'll talk to the worker now. Bring your personality to work. When accompanied with the respect, the feelings, the regards that you have for the women in your life. Bring them in your mind to work. So that gives you extra work to do. So when you're at home, pay attention to how your— the females in your life feel when they're on their menstrual period. Menstruation isn't just the outflow of blood. Some people have diarrhea, some people have GI upset, some people cannot eat certain foods, some people cannot move, some people get hospitalized. Just because you might have a strong woman at home doesn't mean that everybody walking around is strong. So bring a bit, a bit of your your home to work. And also bring some kindness. Be kind. So I'm from a background where I may not understand the LGBTQ community. It's not how I was fashioned, but I do understand humanity. I understand respect. I understand choice. I understand love. And that's all I need to understand. It doesn't take that much. The same way you translate it to work. Whereby you do see people, you need, you need also to enhance and bring that kindness to it and bring that understanding of just this person is human. And for that reason, I need to respect them. And that's it. That's all we need to do. It's that simple. It's not complicated. You don't need to take a Harvard course about it. Just be kind. It's that simple.

All right. Thank you. Thanks for the amazing, powerful conversation. And then I'm going to read out loud the question. I think this is a question directly for Funmi, and then we'll be wrapping up. Okay. So talk more about the work that you do at your home in Nigeria.

Oh, so I do have a master's in public health, and I decided to combine that with my whole communication skills and educate my people back home about the basic things regarding health. We wrapped up a health drive back home where we helped people discover their blood pressure and blood glucose and how to check those things and signs and symptoms, because you might not be able to call 911, but there's certain things you can do at home in order to check, um, just your basic health and then prevent certain emergencies from happening or, um, get a grip on those emergencies before they happen. So we started the first, um, health drive back home. We have the next edition happening at the end of June, and we're going to do it bimonthly and get people educated. And then we've got people on board who have, um, helped, also offered to volunteer with us to make sure they have, um, blood sugar tests taken, HMC tests taken to And then also follow up with some medication. We've got some people on board to give free medication as well. Just getting people healthy any way we can, with the little way we can, and making it a better place. That's what we do. And yes, menstrual health is part of it as well. It's on, it's on the list of the things that we will be championing. We do 3 months of the high blood pressure, then our next phase is sickle cell, and then the next phase will be Menstrual health. Yeah.

Great. Well, you can definitely Google Funmi and reach out to her on social media to interact and donate and be a part and be of service. And same thing for Period of Empowerment, always looking for collaborations of fellow period sister warriors. And as well, all of us are here to partner, so be sure to engage with us on social media.