Template:Manflu

Today many people apparently believe that when ill with a minor virus men complain more and remain sick for longer. This is commonly known as manflu. Some companies even feel it is acceptable to refer to a man as a man-child while sick.

manflu.info tells us:

Man Flu is a crippling and debilitating disorder indiscriminately striking down male members of the human species without warning. The illness is often referred to pejoratively by female members of the species who are in fact immune from the illness as man flu is now known to exclusively attack the XY chromosome carrier. If Man Flu is kind enough not to kill the infected party it will definitely leave him weak, sick, hurting everywhere and in dire need of TLC.

While this site is obviously intended as satire the sad truth is that a lot of people, especially women, believe this to be true despite solid evidence to the contrary.

mamamia.com.au states:

What’s that? That sounds a lot like regular flu you say? Well spotted and correct! Man flu presents exactly the same as it does with regular flu except for an added degree of difficulty commonly known as “chronic exaggeration”. In fact, Man Flu, according to absolutely no credible source whatsoever is:

13 times worse than normal flu

More unbearable than childbirth

Easily recognisable when the patient continues to tell you he really wants to go into work but is too selfless to risk spreading his awful condition amongst his work colleagues.

Only cured by moaning. A lot of moaning.

In reality, while the exact rates vary from country to country, women take more sick leave from work than men. While some may suspect that women are taking additional sick leave to care for children, childless women take more sick leave than childless men. One study reported that women take 50-70% more sick leave than men performing the same work in Norway.