The problem with “Pink Leaves” is not just the name. It is the way it quietly reinforces stereotypes while claiming to break them.
Consumer electronics brand Cellecor Gadgets recently joined the growing list of Indian companies offering paid menstrual leave. They call it the “Pink Leave” policy. Ferns N Petals, a popular name in India’s gifting industry, also introduced a similar policy in 2021 under the same name. Different companies and different sectors, but the same old label. And that’s where the conversation needs to start.
Normalising periods means dropping the labels
The conversation around menstrual leave in India is not new. Critics argue that such policies may unintentionally create a “special status” for menstruating employees. Some believe this could feed into existing gender biases, giving employers another excuse to hesitate while hiring or promoting women. Others raise concerns that menstrual leave could mark women as less capable of handling work responsibilities. Sure, these are fair questions.
When you really think about it, the big worry isn’t the leave itself. It’s the risk of making women feel singled out. And weirdly enough, that’s exactly what starts happening the moment companies slap a name like “Pink Leave” on it. It feels like a gendered labelling that sets the policy apart from regular workplace policies.
Why “Pink” does not make it progressive
By giving the leave a gendered name and boxing it into a category of its own, companies might unintentionally turn menstruation into something that feels separate from regular workplace needs. Something other, something extra. That goes against the very point of normalising menstruation. Instead of focusing on what the leave does, the conversation shifts to what it represents. It becomes a “women’s thing” instead of an employee wellbeing initiative.
If the leave sounds like it’s only for women, labelled in pink and boxed up with stereotypes, it sets it apart from all other health needs. That makes it easier for people to dismiss it, question it, or see it as special treatment.
Cellecor Gadgets Limited, in its official statement, described the “Pink Leave” policy as a progressive move to support women’s health and well-being at work. Cellecor’s intention is definitely good. It’s rare to see Indian companies openly talk about periods, let alone frame them as something important enough to deserve formal leave. But calling it “Pink Leave,” a term tied to the long-standing gender stereotype of pink being a “girly” colour, doesn’t exactly feel progressive. In fact, it brings its own set of problems.
Pink Leave: The problem with colour-coding menstrual leave
Pink has always been sold to us as a “girly” colour. It has been pushed as a symbol of femininity, softness, delicacy, and sweetness. However, there’s nothing soft or delicate about painful cramps, fatigue, or the mental strain that sometimes comes with menstruation. When we connect a serious health policy like menstrual leave to a gendered colour, it feels like we’re putting periods in a box labelled “feminine issue,” rather than treating it like a normal, biological reality.
When companies label menstrual leave as “Pink Leave”, they also unintentionally leave out people who don’t identify as women but still menstruate, like some trans men, non-binary people, and gender-nonconforming individuals.
For trans and non-binary employees, asking for leave under a policy supposedly designed for women and branded with a stereotypically feminine colour can be uncomfortable, even distressing. It puts them in a position where they have to either misgender themselves to access the leave or avoid using it altogether, just to steer clear of awkward conversations or judgment.
Now imagine this. If there were a similar need for men, would we call it “Blue Leave”? Probably not. That tells you everything. We wouldn’t brand men’s health needs with colours or stereotypes, so why do it for women?
What could work better?
Here’s a thought. What if the policy didn’t have a name at all? Or if it did, something neutral like “monthly wellness leave”? Make it a simple, no-questions-asked day off. If someone wants to use it for menstruation, fine. If not, also fine. No labels, no assumptions.
This approach would help remove the pressure or awkwardness around asking for leave. It respects people’s privacy and avoids reinforcing gender roles that the modern workplace should have left behind long ago.
The Pink Leaves problem: When good intentions miss the point
The name “Pink Leave” might be well-intentioned. However, it doesn’t reflect the everyday reality of menstruation, and it risks doing more harm than good when it comes to normalising it in the workplace.
The goal of menstrual leave is to normalise a very real and common health experience. But when we make it sound like a separate issue just for women, especially with names that play into stereotypes, we do the opposite. We turn it into “something extra,” something that doesn’t quite fit in with regular workplace policies. When something feels like it doesn’t fit, it’s easy for people to see it as a burden or an exception.
At Changeincontent, we questioned tokenism earlier in our theme titled #NoWomensDay. This issue with Pink Leaves reflects the same surface-level gestures disguised as progress.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on the writer’s insights, supported by data and resources available both online and offline, as applicable. Changeincontent.com is committed to promoting inclusivity across all forms of content. We broadly define inclusivity as media, policies, law, and history, encompassing all elements that influence the lives of women and marginalised individuals. Our goal is to promote understanding and advocate for comprehensive inclusivity.
