🏳️🌈 Gender Rebel Series: Hormones, Health, and the Workplace
Inclusion isn’t just about who’s in the room—it’s also about what’s understood once we get there.
In this episode of Gender Equity Rebels, I sit down with Rachel Grewal, a startup leader and recruiter, to talk about something that impacts countless women and AFAB individuals in silence: PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder).
Rachel shares the emotional and professional impact of PMDD—how it affects energy, mood, productivity, and leadership presence. We talk openly about the stigma around hormonal health, the silence in the workplace, and why it's time to bring these stories into inclusion conversations.
This is one of the most honest, generous conversations I’ve had on the series. Near the end, I get a bit emotional, and I left that in. Because it’s real. These aren't just 'women’s issues.' They're leadership issues, organisational issues, and inclusion issues.
🎥 Watch on YouTube:
What If It’s Not Just PMS? — Cynthia Fortlage & Rachel Grewal
📝 A full transcript is available in the YouTube video description.
💡 Highlights from our conversation:
* The reality of PMDD and how it differs from PMS
* How hormonal shifts affect workplace energy, confidence, and mental health
* What Rachel wishes every manager knew
* Her advice for women, non-binary folks, trans men, and allies navigating hormonal health
* How inclusion can (and must) stretch to encompass reproductive wellbeing
💬 Reflection Prompt for Readers:
Have you ever had to perform through pain or explain something invisible to be taken seriously?
What would it take for your workplace to be brave enough to talk about menstrual and hormonal health with honesty and compassion?
🧭 Where to Find Rachel:
Connect with Rachel Grewal on LinkedIn to follow her advocacy and work in the startup and talent space.
#GenderRebel#InclusiveLeadership#HormonalHealth#AcceptanceWithoutUnderstanding
