'Shameful & insensitive': Smriti Irani slammed for 'which gay man has menstrual cycle' remark

'Shameful that we have a minister who doesn’t get the ambit of LGBTQIA+,' said Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Priyanka Chaturvedi in a post on X.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani, has found herself the subject of criticism from the Opposition I.N.D.I.A bloc after she opposed the concept of paid menstrual leaves for women in the Parliament.

In response to a question by RJD MP Manoj Jha, she had later backed her opinion by asking, "Which gay man, without a uterus, has a menstrual cycle?".

Opposing her remarks, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi have slammed Irani on social media.

"Shameful that we have a minister who doesn’t get the ambit of LGBTQIA+ - a commonly used umbrella term that includes transgenders, many of whom do menstruate. Her arrogance towards an issue which is a lived experience of many is shocking & insensitive," said Chaturvedi in a post on X, where she attached an excerpt from Irani's interview with news agency ANI, where the central minister defended her statement in the Parliament and also alleged that Jha had asked her the question only to trigger some controversy.

"Minister @smritiirani your apathy, arrogance & ignorance are appalling," said Shrinate in a post on X.

She further added, "𝐋𝐆𝐁𝐓𝐐𝐈𝐀+ is NOT gay men alone, the community includes men and several menstruating women."