"It should be illegal to work on your period," says supermodel Bella Hadid

When Bella Hadid speaks, people listen.

But this time, the 27-year-old supermodel isn’t trending for a runway walk, a red-carpet look, or her signature street style. Instead, it’s a raw, radically honest statement about period pain and the right to rest that has people talking.

In a recent interview with Vogue UK, Hadid dropped a line that’s already ricocheting across social media: “You’re shooting Victoria’s Secret on your period, with endo. That should be illegal.”

Bella wasn’t exaggerating. She was speaking from lived experience, one that mirrors the silent struggle of millions across the world.

Diagnosed with endometriosis, PCOS, and PMDD, Hadid knows firsthand what it means to perform in public while your body is shutting down in private.

Period pain isn’t “just” period pain

Hadid’s remark may sound dramatic to some, but anyone familiar with these conditions knows it’s anything but.

Endometriosis is a chronic illness where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus causing severe pelvic pain, nausea, fatigue, and sometimes infertility.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), on the other hand, is a debilitating form of PMS marked by intense mood swings, depression, and anxiety in the lead-up to menstruation.

Add PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), which can disrupt hormone levels and cause irregular cycles, and what you get is a physically and emotionally exhausting reality that millions of menstruators live with, mostly in silence.

Hadid recalled being just 17 or 18 when she was thrown into the high-stakes world of fashion, often expected to perform on days when she could barely stand.

“We should literally ban women working during the week of their period. And the week before, to be honest,” she said.

While the word “ban” may feel too stark, the sentiment points to something deeper: people shouldn’t have to choose between their health and their job. Paid menstrual leave should be a choice, a right, and never a reason for shame.

Real stories, real struggles

When Much Much Spectrum shared Bella’s statement on Instagram, the comments section lit up, not with hot takes, but with lived experiences:

These aren’t rare stories, they’re just rarely spoken out loud.

Period leave isn’t a perk. It’s policy.

Globally, menstrual leave is slowly gaining ground, with countries like Spain, Indonesia, Japan, and Zambia offering various models.

But in most places, including India, it remains a taboo subject. Even when policies exist, they’re underused due to stigma, internalized guilt, or outright workplace hostility.

Bella’s comment, part frustration, part advocacy, shines a spotlight on an uncomfortable truth: we still live in a world where menstruation is treated like a personal inconvenience instead of a public health issue.

What if instead of minimizing pain, workplaces acknowledged it? What if people didn’t have to fight to be believed?

Not just a women's issue, a workplace issue

Bella Hadid’s words aren’t about banning work. They’re about rethinking what it means to work with dignity.

For those living with chronic menstrual conditions, rest isn’t indulgence, it’s survival. And menstrual leave is freedom from shame.

Paid leave won’t fix the systemic gaps overnight. But it’s a starting point. A way to say: your pain is real, your health matters, and no one should have to suffer in silence to keep a job.