Kerry Katona has fiercely defended the rights of menopausal women in the workplace after an equality watchdog warned employers they could be sued if they discriminate against them.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) released fresh guidance on how to accommodate women suffering from the menopause in the workplace.
Most commonly, women aged 45 to 55 go through the menopause which causes a drop in hormone levels after their periods stop. The menopause can cause both physical and psychological symptoms and majorly impact the everyday lives of women.
The EHRC has now ruled that under the Equality Act 2010, the menopause can be "considered a disability" if the symptoms affect the employee long term.
Kerry Katona fiercely defends menopausal women in the workplace
GB News
This means employers will be legally obliged to accommodate for the needs of the employee and will be liable for discrimination if they are treated unfairly.
EHRC chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner said they are "concerned both by how many women report being forced out of a role due to their menopause-related symptoms" and "how many don’t feel safe enough to request the workplace adjustments".
Discussing the guidance, TV personality Kerry Katona admitted she doesn't see the menopause as "a disability", but agreed the symptoms can be "debilitating".
Katona recalled her mother's symptoms and how she became "too embarrassed to leave the house".
Menopausal women can now be protected under the Equality Act and have their menopause considered as a 'disability'
Getty
The former Atomic Kitten star told GB News: "It's embarrassing. And not just that, it's also the depression side of it.
"It doesn't only just affect you, it's affecting everybody you're living with. If you've got adult children, young children, your partner, the mood swings that are happening, the hot sweats, the flushes, everything, I think it's very debilitating, but I don't think it's a disability because we all do have to go through it at some point, unfortunately."
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Political commentator Connor Tomlinson warned that the new guidance could "open up both the Government and the private sector to lawsuits" from people who aren't "using the protections for good reasons".
Tomlinson warned that women can use the opportunity to "report more severe symptoms and gain the system to get special privileges", but argued that employers "should accommodate it" for both young and older women.
Katona hit back at Tomlinson, stating: "They're not asking for a hell of a lot of things here. All we're asking for is a little bit of air con, a little bit of understanding.
"If you are having a hot flush and you're sweating, to be able to go to the bathroom and have a 10 minute break to yourself until you've calmed down, we're not asking for the world and for you to change your whole working environment. We're only asking for tiny little things, we're not going above and beyond here, I don't think."
Kerry Katona claimed men will 'never understand' the impact of the menopause on women
GB News
Tomlinson argued: "I think those would be sensible measures for businesses to adopt, but I don't like a giant government framework that allows bad actors to manipulate it and use it against each other."
Katona then responded: "There's bad actors everywhere. I can't sit here and argue with a young man who hasn't been through this.
"Honest to God at this very moment in time, it's like the River Thames down my top. I am sweating so much. I'm 43 and it's embarrassing and people don't understand what us women actually have to go through.
"The back of my knees are dripping now. I don't know if it's from the hot coffee or I'm actually at that stage in my life. It is so embarrassing to be sat here and you're dripping, sweating. Men don't understand."
Katona continued: "I'm sorry Connor, you're so lovely and you are so sweet, but you're a man, and you will never understand that. You will never get it. Let's not be negative about it, let's just make this a positive thing!"
Tomlinson fumed: "I'll be negative about it if it costs me my tax money. I'm happy for you and other women to get plenty of concessions from businesses, but I don't want to be made to pay for it."