A college in Beijing is in hot water after a student claimed she was asked to prove she was on her period to get a sick leave note. This situation has sparked a lot of anger online!
A video that went viral shows a young woman asking an older staff member, “Do all girls on their period have to take off their pants to get a sick note?” The older woman responds, “Basically yes. This is a school rule.”
The video was filmed at the Gengdan Institute, and after it was shared, many people criticized the school for invading the student’s privacy.
The Gengdan Institute later said that their staff followed the rules during this encounter. However, they didn’t respond to requests for comments from BBC News. The student’s video and the school’s statement have been taken down, but many people are still sharing screenshots and clips online.
A user on Douyin, which is like China’s version of TikTok, claimed to be the student and said her account was suspended for 30 days for posting “inappropriate content” after sharing the video.
In a statement, the Gengdan Institute said that the videos online were “distorted” and that they might take legal action against anyone spreading false information. They insisted that the staff followed the right procedures and didn’t conduct any physical exams.
In the video, when the student asked for written proof of the school’s rule, the staff member didn’t answer and instead suggested she go to a hospital.
This incident has caused a lot of anger and sarcastic comments on social media. One user joked, “If my head hurts, should I just open it up and call it a day?” Another suggested, “Let’s just take the sanitary pad out and stick it on the sick note!”
A staff member from Gengdan Institute explained that the school might have made this rule to stop students from pretending to be on their period to get sick notes. But many people online didn’t buy that explanation.
One person wrote, “If they’re worried about students faking it, why not just keep a record? It’s not that hard!”
Even state media has joined the conversation. An opinion piece from China National Radio said, “Menstruation is already a private topic for women. Rules like this make students uncomfortable and can hurt their mental health.”
Gengdan Institute is now part of a growing list of colleges in China that are being criticized for their strict rules. Last year, some universities were called out for banning bed curtains in dorms, which students use for privacy. The schools said the curtains were a fire hazard.
Also, during the May Day holiday last year, some universities made strict travel rules, telling students to avoid solo trips or cycling for safety. Many felt these rules were too controlling.
On Xiaohongshu, a user claiming to be a Gengdan Institute student said, “The school’s clinic deserves all the criticism it’s getting.” They mentioned that older students had complained about similar issues before, but nothing changed.
“I’m glad this is trending now. People are finally speaking up!”