October 13, 2022
Closing the Gender Health Gap at Work: HK Edition
"A health gap can be defined as 'the difference in health research, resources and medical policies between different groups'. It's important to remember that gender is not the only contributor to these health gaps, and that other factors such as race and sexuality also play a role in denying individuals from the consideration and care they deserve when it comes to healthcare."- LUÜNA founder, Olivia
On 7 October, the LUÜNA community gathered for a panel discussion on how the gender health gap affects women and menstruating people in Hong Kong, particularly in the workplace. Scroll down to read our key takeaways:
"In 2022, it's easier in most places of work to get soy milk for your coffee than it is to access basic menstrual care products. But providing free menstrual care really is the right thing to do in order to support the fundamental health needs of half, or in the case of the legal industry, more than half, of the workforce.""- Partner at Herbert Smith Freehills, Rachael Shek
"The statistic that 59% of women say menopause negatively impacts their work is not surprising. I didn't know what was happening to me during peri-menopause, which really impacted my everyday. Alongside needing more resources to support people going through menopause, we also must work to tackle ageism in the workplace in Hong Kong, as this issue contributes to people who are experiencing menopause not wanting to talk about it, for fear of being discriminated against."- CEO of The Women's Foundation, Fiona Nott
"Due to a lack of education, we too often dismiss even debilitating menstrual symptoms as 'normal,' when in fact these symptoms should be acknowledged as key indicators as your overall physical and even mental health. By overcoming the misconception that these disruptive period symptoms are 'normal,' we can support individuals who may have underlying health conditions to identify them earlier and get the right solutions."- General Practitioner at OT&P Healthcare, Winnie Chui
Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates!"I was in my mid-20's when I found out that the negative period symptoms I'd struggled with for over a decade were being caused by the conventional period products I was using. However, I had never been openly informed around what these products are actually made of. This is not a plug for LUÜNA products, but a way to highlight the fact that even industry regulations deepen this gender health gap, keeping individuals away from critical information and ultimately, denying us the ability to make informed choices."- LUÜNA founder, Olivia