Female Doctor Says Women Shouldn't Make Important Decisions When On Their Periods

Just days after Emma Watson's empowering speech on gender equality and sexism, Dr. Maryam Matar, chairman and founder of UAE Genetic Diseases Association, made a pretty shocking claim.

Speaking to female professionals at the Arab Women in Leadership and Business Summit in Dubai, Dr. Matar advised women to avoid making important decisions while menstruating. What?!

According to Dr. Matar, women should try not to make big choices in the workplace while on their periods.

"I noticed all decisions that I regret were directly related to my oestrogen," she said at the summit.

"I used to take my period for granted, I did not care when it was my first day, when I was ovulating, when my oestrogen is up or progesterone is down.

"So as a woman leader, you have your calendar, please be aware about your first day of your period.

"Two days before that and the first day of your menstruation and the second day try to avoid any decision. Please, I beg you to do that" Dr. Matar added.

But wait, it gets worse and - if possible - more condescending because she also suggests steering clear of board meetings and drinking green tea.

"It will calm you down, you will be less violent," she assured her audience.

Is it just us, or do statements like these by talented intellectual women only play into the hands of gender inequality? Should we be treated differently by our colleagues when we're on our periods? Er, no.

In an interview with 7Days in Dubai following the summit, Dr. Matar also spoke about gender differences.

"It is a fact of a normal difference between the physiology of a woman and the physiology of a man," she said.

"Nothing in the world is perfect, as a woman we have to be frank enough to be aware of our weaknesses and our strengths and try to utilise them in the right way by empowering ourselves with other elements."

We respect Maryam's profession and her right to voice her personal experiences - however, we're less than inspired.

Can you imagine what would happen if a man said this?

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