- By Supratik Das
- Mon, 26 May 2025 09:42 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
A Chinese university has faced severe public and legal backlash following an incident where a female student was asked to drop her pants to demonstrate that she was menstruating so that she could be granted sick leave, as reported by the South China Morning Post. The incident, at Beijing University of Technology's Gengdan Institute, has drawn furious online responses and raised debates on privacy, dignity, and gender discrimination at academic institutions.
A female student from the Gengdan Institute posted a now-viral video on May 15, who was asked to undress at the university clinic after she had applied for sick leave due to menstrual pain. “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?” the unnamed student is heard asking in the video as reported by South China Morning Post. A female staff member allegedly replied, "Basically, yes. It is not my rule, it is a regulation." The student then asked for written evidence of the rule but was refused and instead instructed to get papers from a hospital.
The next day, May 16, the Gengdan Institute came out with a press release in defense of the clinic workers, stating they had performed "following standard procedures." "Clinic staff adhered to protocols," the release stated. "They managed to ask about the physical condition of the student and, with her agreement, went ahead to do further diagnosis. No examination instruments or physical exams were employed. A staff member with the surname Xu also explained to CNR News that the policy was implemented to ensure that sick leave was not abused. "One girl asked for leave four or five times in one month," Xu said, stating the rule had existed for some time.
Scholars Deem Policy As 'Degrading' and 'Illegal'
The incident ignited a furious backlash online in China. Netizens deemedthe policy as "ridiculous," "humiliating," and an outrageous invasion of privacy. "This is not the enforcement of policy, but petty tyranny," one social media user posted on X.. "Forcing girls to remove their clothes is harassment," he added. Zhang Yongquan, a lawyer and former prosecutor, decried the university's behavior as an invasion of privacy under Chinese law. "This is definitely an infringement on students' privacy and violates Article 1011 of the Civil Code and Article 20 of the Law on Protection of Women's Rights and Interests," Zhang stated to SCMP. "Regardless of whether a tool was applied or not, requesting a student to unveil herself is humiliating and can cause psychological trauma," he added. Zhang called on the university to make a public apology, pay damages for mental injuries to the student, and receive administrative punishment from the education authorities.
Student Demands Policy Overhaul, Refuses to Retreat
In another video, the student explained she had gone to a hospital and got the required documents, but reaffirmed her demand for a decent and rational policy of menstrual leave. "If the school has a written regulation where the female students must expose menstrual blood to a female physician to be given sick leave, I will remove my video," she stated. "But if there is no such regulation, I am not going to back down." With increasing pressure from legal experts, students, and netizens alike, calls are being made for the university to issue a formal apology and for the administration to enact a more compassionate and respectful sick leave policy. The controversy brings to light issues of broader concern regarding gender sensitivity, mental illness, and trust between students and institutions, posing serious questions regarding how women's health is regarded in Chinese educational environments.
