BEIJING — A private university in Beijing is under intense criticism after reports surfaced that a female student had to undress at a campus clinic to prove she was on her period before being granted sick leave.
The incident happened at Gengdan Institute, an independent college that works with Beijing University of Technology. The story quickly spread across Chinese social media, especially Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, sparking debate over privacy, dignity, and possible rights violations.
On May 15, an unidentified female student posted a video on Douyin showing a tense conversation with a staff member at the school’s clinic. The student, clearly upset, asked, “So every woman on her period needs to take off her pants and show you for a leave note?”
The staff member answered, “Yes, that’s the rule.” When the student asked for written proof of this policy, the staff member stayed silent and suggested she get a hospital certificate instead. The video went viral before being taken down, but screenshots and clips kept circulating, fuelling public anger.
The student later posted another video, saying she had received the needed documentation from a hospital. She challenged the school’s rule, saying, “I just want a sensible and respectful way for women to request leave when they have their period.
University Response Faces Scrutiny
If the school has a written rule that demands women show menstrual blood to a doctor to get sick leave, I’ll delete my video. If not, I won’t give in.” Soon after, Douyin suspended her account for 30 days, claiming “pornographic content.” This move only made the public more upset.
The next day, Gengdan Institute released a statement saying its clinic staff followed proper steps and that the video was misleading. The university threatened legal action against those who “spread false videos.” They also said no physical exams or tools were used, and staff had the student’s consent for any checks. Still, many people doubted the existence of such a rule and found the school’s defence weak.
A staff member, surnamed Xu, told CNR News that the policy was made to stop students from misusing sick leave by claiming period pain too often. “Some students asked for leave four or five times in a month,” Xu said. Many online found this hard to believe.
On Weibo, one user asked why the school couldn’t just keep a record instead of insisting on invasive proof. Another user joked, “If my head hurts, should I open my skull?” A student from Gengdan wrote on Xiaohongshu that the school clinic deserved the criticism, saying this problem had gone on for years.
University policies in China
Legal professionals have slammed the policy for breaking privacy and women’s rights laws. Zhang Yongquan, a former prosecutor, said it goes against Article 1011 of China’s Civil Code and Article 20 of the Law on Protection of Women’s Rights and Interests.
“This seriously harms students’ dignity,” Zhang said. “It shows a lack of trust and goes against what our schools should stand for.” He called for a public apology, compensation for emotional harm, and action against the school.
People have compared this case to other strict university policies in China. Last year, schools faced backlash for banning dorm bed curtains because of fire risk and for issuing harsh travel rules over holidays. Many see these as part of a trend of tight control over students. Now, Gengdan Institute’s menstrual leave policy is also under the spotlight.
Online, the criticism has only grown. Hashtags related to the incident have trended on Douyin and Weibo. Many users called the policy humiliating and discriminatory. “This isn’t enforcing rules, it’s bullying,” one person wrote. Another said, “Leave for period pain is fair. Forcing girls to undress is harassment.” People are pushing for clearer and more respectful sick leave policies and want schools to protect students’ dignity.
As the story continues, pressure is building on Gengdan Institute to respond to the claims and update its rules. Neither the student nor the university has replied to requests for comment from reporters. The viral video has started a wider conversation about menstrual stigma, privacy, and how schools should treat sensitive health issues. The student’s challenge still stands, and public outrage is not letting up.
