Outrage Erupts After Beijing College Requests Proof of Menstruation for Sick Leave

The incident has sparked widespread criticism of China's universities and their perceived overreach in controlling student privacy, as social media users voice their anger against the controversial rule.

A Beijing college has ignited public outrage after a video surfaced that allegedly shows a student being asked to provide proof of menstruation in order to obtain sick leave. The video, which has gone viral on social media, depicts a young woman questioning an older female staff member at what appears to be the school's clinic, asking, "Does every menstruating girl have to take off their trousers and show you before they can get a sick note?" to which the staff member confirms that this is indeed school policy.

Local reports have identified the clinic as part of the Gengdan Institute, which subsequently claimed that its staff adhered to protocol during the incident. Despite the college's assurance, the encounter has drawn significant backlash, with many decrying it as a gross invasion of personal privacy.

The college has yet to respond directly to inquiries from media outlets including BBC News. Although materials related to the incident have seemingly been removed from online platforms, elements of the video continue to circulate, including skeptical comments from social media users about the school's protocols.

In a statement released on May 16, Gengdan Institute asserted that any circulating videos of the incident were "distorted" and implied that they might take legal action against individuals spreading what they deemed untrue narratives. They asserted that staff members had acted within the confines of proper procedure and had procured consent from the student before initiating what they termed "clinical work."

As the video was discussed extensively online, many expressed incredulity at the school's approach, with users making sarcastic remarks about the absurdity of needing physical proof of menstruation. One summed it up bleakly with: "Let's just take the sanitary pad out and paste it on the sick note."

A source from Gengdan Institute told Dute News that the verification policy was likely intended to prevent students from feigning periods to secure sick notes. However, this explanation has not eased public resentment, with suggestions that a comprehensive record system would suffice instead.

The school is not alone in being criticized for its treatment of students. Gengdan Institute has now joined a group of universities in China facing backlash for paternalistic regulations ranging from restrictions on dormitory privacy curtains to stringent guidelines during holiday travel.

An anonymous user claiming to be a current student at Gengdan expressed support for the criticisms of the clinic, suggesting that similar complaints had previously gone unanswered: "I'm glad it made the trending topics this time. People didn't stay silent." The public discussions have underscored a growing disenchantment with the administrative practices of schools across the nation.