THE CORNER 4 WOMEN

Thursday 29 February 2024

IS MENOPAUSE A DISABILITY?

NEWS FLASH, NEWS FLASH

"IS MENOPAUSE A DISABILITY?"

(article verified by John A Elliott 2024)

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has sparked controversy with new guidance on menopause in the workplace.

Menopause symptoms can be considered a disability under the Equality Act 2010 if they have a "long-term and substantial impact" on someone's ability to carry out their daily tasks, according to the watchdog. So employers could face legal action if they do not make "reasonable adjustments" for menopausal women.

'More than an employment issue'

Menopause is "stigmatised, under-researched and its symptoms undertreated", thanks to sexism and ageism, said The Observer. But the EHRC guidance risks legitimising those harmful stereotypes.

Most menopausal women's symptoms can be treated "relatively easily and cheaply" through hormone replacement therapy (HRT), said the paper. But only 14% are taking HRT. Many GPs are "reluctant" to prescribe it, and "acute shortages" are also causing problems.

Talking about the struggles of menopause is "always a good thing in breaking the taboo", Dr Louise Newsom, a GP and member of the government's menopause taskforce, told The Telegraph. But ultimately, "this is a healthcare issue more than an employment issue".

Anna van Praagh at the London Evening Standard read the guidance with "horror". It makes the prospect of hiring someone my age "about as attractive as walking headfirst into a lorry", she said.

Made to 'jump through hoops'

Critics have "misread what the EHRC actually says", said Kathleen Stock in The Times. The watchdog is not arguing that menopause counts as a disability, but rather that debilitating symptoms might count as such.

Don't forget that one in 10 women say they have left a job because of the menopause, Eleanor Mills, founder of online platform Noom and former editor of The Sunday Times magazine, told The Telegraph. About 25% of women "really suffer at this point in their lives".

Women are made to "jump through hoops of fire" to get the support they need, broadcaster Narinder Kaur told MailOnline. Menopause isn't a disability, but "it is debilitating". Although the new guidance will not remove the stigma, "it's high time it's recognised".

THIS ARTICLE IS PUBLISHED HERE IN GOOD FAITH FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. PLEASE DO YOUR OWN VERIFICATIONS ABOUT THIS DELICATE SUBJECT

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HER MUM WAS NOW AN ANGEL by Joanne Boyle

"HER MUM WAS NOW AN ANGEL"
by Joanne Boyle

Excitedly she stood there,

staring at the moon,

ever since her Daddy said,

mother's Day would be soon.

She had chosen a little gift,

it was her mums favourite flower.

and Patiently she waited

watching every hour.

She kept looking at the time,

but afraid she'd miss her mum.

Surely if she moved,

then her mum would come.

She walked a little closer,

with her hand behind her back,

and then she saw the shadow,

on a distant track.

Her mum was now an angel,

and excitedly she waved,

caring for the flower,

the Gift she had saved.

Her Mother then got closer,

and kissed her little face.

and together they both danced,

in an enchanting embrace.

Two petals had now fallen.

They laid on the ground.

A gentle reminder

of a memory they had found.

She gave the flower to her Mum,

as she was swept through the air,

but when the child woke up

the flower was still there.

Two petals were missing,

and as she held it tight.

She breathed in its memory,

and whispered "good night."

She then looked out of the window,

and saw the exact same moon.

She knew she'd see her Mum again,

and it would be real soon.

******

Joanne Boyle

https://www.facebook.com/poeminabottlle

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art by Steffi Krenzek

AUTISM by Joanne Boyle

"AUTISM"
by Joanne Boyle

All alone with his thoughts

he had dreams and fears.

His world overcome

by the noise in his ears.

The touch of a cloth

unfamiliar to his skin.

A battle of emotions

felt from within.

An anxious feeling

with his twiddling thumb.

The sound of music

is the banging drum.

A crowd of people

takes his breathe right away.

A routine is needed

for him every day.

The smell of cut grass

or of yeast on his bread

is enough to set fireworks

off in his head.

The colour of his food

or the way that it's cut

can send him in turmoil

right from his gut.

The most loveable boy

In his world of his own,

teaching others around him

about the unknown.

******

Joanne Boyle

https://www.facebook.com/poeminabottlle

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art by Steffi Krenzek

LEAP YEAR by Becky Hemsley 2024

"LEAP YEAR"
Becky Hemsley 2024

Today won’t be here next year

Or for two years after that

And we’ll be waiting almost

Half a decade ‘til it’s back

It’s only here ‘til midnight

So we don’t have long at all

Before it leaves like Cinderella

Running from the ball

And then it will be years before

We see it rise again

Before we say hello once more

Like some long-distance friend

And so, perhaps its rarity

Should give us cause to pause:

How much will things have changed for us

The next time this day dawns?

And when it comes around again

I wonder, will we see

That we are in the place in life

We hoped that we would be?

Or will we end up wishing

That four years ago that day

We hadn’t been afraid to chase

The dreams we longed to chase?

Yes, maybe it’s a Thursday

Just like any other week

That passes by then slips and fades

Into a dreamless sleep

But maybe it’s a day for wishing,

Dreaming whilst you wake

And maybe it’s the time

To take those leaps you long to take

*****

Becky Hemsley 2024

https://www.facebook.com/talkingtothewild

Gorgeous artwork by Akira Kusaka Illustration

This is called ‘Leap Year’ and will not even be relevant come tomorrow - not until four years from today. But I think that’s what makes this day pretty powerful actually

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Wednesday 28 February 2024

THE WILLOW CATS by Margaret Widdemer

"THE WILLOW CATS"

by Margaret Widdemer

They call them pussy-willows,

But there's no cat to see

Except the little furry toes

That stick out on the tree:

I think that very long ago,

When I was just born new,

There must have been whole pussy-cats

Where just the toes stick through----

And every Spring it worries me,

I cannot ever find

Those willow-cats that ran away

And left their toes behind!

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Art by Rose Mary Berlin

LOOK AROUND by Becky Hemsley

"LOOK AROUND"
by Becky Hemsley

People in myths pay no mind to the prince

Who was changed from a frog with just kisses

And none of them balk at the trees that can talk

And don’t doubt that the stars can grant wishes

They think very little of speaking to mirrors

That answer them back from the wall

They sing with the dryads and drink with the giants

Who tower one hundred feet tall

They do not imagine the fairies and dragons

‘Cause those things are already there

With captured princesses whose extra-long tresses

Mean people can climb up their hair

Yes, all of these creatures with fairy-tale features

Don’t notice the magic they make

So they overlook half of what’s in their book

‘Cause it’s part of the plot every day

And maybe we too are so blind to our view

‘Cause it’s one that we know very well

And so we don’t stop and don’t listen to what

Kinds of stories our world has to tell

The stories of trees as they’re shedding their leaves

Just to welcome them back come the spring

And the way we all stay – how we don’t float away

From this great ball of rock as it spins

The stories of skies full of water and fires

With the power to flood and ignite

The mountains, volcanoes, the rare double rainbows

The phases of moon every night

And once long ago, we would never have known

That we’d one day explain it somehow

We’d have marvelled at more, we’d have stared with such awe

And perhaps we should do the same now

Because without seeing and knowing, believing,

We’d say it’s a tale in a book

Yet there’s wonder abound in the world – all around

We just keep forgetting to look

*****

Becky Hemsley 2023

Artwork by @Paula Belle Flores

'Look Around' is from 'Letters from Life' https://a.co/d/1R5VZfo

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GROWING MEANS CHANGING by Becky Hemsley

"GROWING MEANS CHANGING"
by Becky Hemsley 2023

Sometimes people tell us

“you’ve changed”.

And I believe the best response to that is

“I hope so.”

Because we are supposed to learn and experience things in life, and they

are supposed to help us grow. And growing means changing.

No-one tells a tree ‘you’ve changed’

when its leaves start turning orange or its blossoms start to grow.

They take photographs of it.

They write poetry about it.

They paint pictures of it.

They celebrate its growth, and they document its changes.

Yes, when a tree changes, people do not question it.

They see its beauty

and they turn it into art.

*****

Becky Hemsley 2023

Stunning artwork by Olga Cuttell at Oladesign

This one is from 'Letters from Life': https://a.co/d/1p7OWcx

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Tuesday 27 February 2024

THE STORY OF THE TWO APPLES

"THE STORY OF THE TWO APPLES"
(author unknown)

Today in one of our classes I introduced the children to two apples (the children didn't know this, but before the class I had repeatedly dropped one of the apples on the floor, you couldn't tell, both apples looked perfect). We talked about the apples and the children described how both apples looked the same; both were red, were of similar size and looked juicy enough to eat.

I picked up the apple I'd dropped on the floor and started to tell the children how I disliked this apple, that I thought it was disgusting, it was a horrible colour and the stem was just too short. I told them that because I didn't like it, I didn't want them to like it either, so they should call it names too.

Some children looked at me like I was insane, but we passed the apple around the circle calling it names, 'you're a smelly apple', 'I don't even know why you exist', 'you've probably got worms inside you' etc.

We really pulled this poor apple apart. I actually started to feel sorry for the little guy.

We then passed another apple around and started to say kind words to it, 'You're a lovely apple', 'Your skin is beautiful', 'What a beautiful colour you are' etc.

I then held up both apples, and again, we talked about the similarities and differences, there was no change, both apples still looked the same.

I then cut the apples open. The apple we'd been kind to was clear, fresh and juicy inside.

The apple we'd said unkind words to was bruised and all mushy inside.

I think there was a lightbulb moment for the children immediately. They really got it, what we saw inside that apple, the bruises, the mush and the broken bits is what is happening inside every one of us when someone mistreats us with their words or actions.

When people are bullied, especially children, they feel horrible inside and sometimes don't show or tell others how they are feeling. If we hadn't have cut that apple open, we would never have known how much pain we had caused it.

I shared my own experience of suffering someone's unkind words last week. On the outside I looked OK, I was still smiling. But, on the inside someone had caused me a lot of pain with their words and I was hurting.

Unlike an apple, we have the ability to stop this from happening. We can teach children that it's not ok to say unkind things to each other and discuss how it makes others feel. We can teach our children to stand up for each other and to stop any form of bullying, just as one little girl did today when she refused to say unkind words to the apple.

More and more hurt and damage happens inside if nobody does anything to stop the bullying. Let's create a generation of kind, caring children.

The tongue has no bones, but is strong enough to break a heart. So be careful with your words.”

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