From Locker Rooms to Headlines: Pro Athletes Speak Out on Competing During Their Periods
Talking about periods in sports shouldn’t be revolutionary, but here we are.
In recent years, a deluge of research into period stigma in athletics has brought to light some alarming stats—especially when it comes to young menstruators and athletes. As it turns out, 1 in 2 teens skips sports due to their period.
It got us thinking: are pro athletes dealing with the same outdated stigma around periods?
Powered by non-profit organization CAN Fund #150Women, we commissioned our own survey into period-related experiences among elite athletes. “The survey is a first of its kind,” says CAN Fund founder Jane Roos. “Asking the important questions and having a bigger conversation about menstruation and its impact is starting to normalize it.”
The outcome? There’s still a lot of work to do, as more than half of polled athletes report fears of leaks and discomfort around period talk as common barriers.
“I have encountered some stigma around talking about my period in sports,” says veteran WNBA player Layshia Clarendon—confirming even athletes at the highest levels are having to bench period talk.
But beyond our findings, we’re also ready to retaliate. With the Sport Your Period movement—and a little help from soccer legend Megan Rapinoe—we’re calling on athletes from around the world to talk openly about their periods on the public platform of their choice. We’ll even pay them if they do it.
There’s no catch, just a plea to keep young athletes in sports. Period.
For an eye into the lived experiences of pro athletes, the toll of period stigma, and how the (crimson) tide is changing, The Lift chatted with world-class athletes to better understand why period taboo persists in today’s world of sports, and what we can do to change it.
Athletes Compete on Their Period All the Time
If your period routine consists of burying yourself in a heap of snacks and Midol, we’re right there with you. But consider this, despite the brain fog and cramps, 99% of athletes have competed on their period at an international competition.
Having competed during her period too many times to count (even twice during the same month-long tournament), two-time World Cup champion, Megan Rapinoe, says periods “are as normal as breathing.”
And, yet, period talk is far from routine for many athletes. While nutrition and training regimens are habitually taken into consideration when it comes to optimizing both performance and personal wellbeing, menstruation—and its effects—often remain a gaping blind spot.
Offering up a fun fact about themselves, Los Angeles Sparks player, Layshia, rightfully boasts about winning a gold medal with Team USA while on her period. “I thought that was so cool at the moment, but no one else was talking about these things,” he says. “I’m stoked that Knix is finally shifting that conversation.”
Competitors the likes of triathlete, Emma Pallant-Browne, and marathon runner, Kiran Gandhi, have invigorated cultural discourse by choosing to bleed openly. After crossing the finish line in fourth place at the PTO European Open last year, an ecstatic Emma shared photos online in which period blood visibly saturated her pink swimsuit.
“If you wrote to me saying 99% of the women you know would be mortified at this then that is exactly why I am sharing this, because there really is nothing wrong,” she retorted in the caption of a follow-up post. “A period is a normal thing, and I don’t want anyone to feel ashamed of it.”
During the London Marathon nearly a decade ago, artist Kiran Gandhi faced similar backlash for making the conscious decision to free-bleed during her 26-mile run.
In the aftermath and global discussion that ensued, “there is actually much more stigma around menstruation than we could have ever imagined,” she said. “As I ran, I thought to myself about how women and men have been socialised to pretend periods don’t exist.”
Why Is There Still So Much Stigma?
If there’s anything we remember about being teens, it’s that period shame seemed to be reinforced at every turn.
From glossy magazines filled with confession-style submissions on period mishaps to tampon ads that emphasized secrecy, the protocol was made clear: hide your period at all costs.
And while the period positivity movement has certainly made a dent in period stigma’s performative exterior—as have outspoken athletes and advocates—in the sports world, it’s clear that period talk is still often reduced to whispers.
According to CAN Fund #150Women survey results, 75% of athletes have a fear of leaking while competing.
Working to minimize this fear comes down to a few things—the first being providing athletes a greater (and more adequate) variety of period product options.
While every period has distinct needs, athletes have unique considerations to keep in mind when it comes to menstrual care. Finding coverage that holds up during hours-long competitions, withstands arduous physical challenges, and provides freedom of movement is no easy feat.
When athlete Emma Pallant-Browne leaked during her triathlon, for instance, it was because her tampon wasn’t absorbent enough to last the duration of her triathlon—saying, “No matter what tampon I have experimented with, for anything over 3 hrs it’s too heavy.”
Kiran Gandhi, on the other hand, opted not to wear period protection altogether due to comfort preferences and the potential for chafing.
Over the past few years, period products have expanded to include innovations like period-proof underwear and leggings, making it easier for athletes to focus on bringing their A-game (instead of checking their shorts for traces of period blood).
“We can normalize it by providing things like tampons and pads in locker rooms, and having teams provide items like a pair of period underwear for their athletes when needed,” says PWHL hockey player Zoe Boyd.
And while we’re glad to see the period product landscape evolve to meet the needs of athletes, we can also lessen fears of leaks by, well, making period leaks less of a big deal.
Better alternatives need to be made openly available to athletes—especially teens in sports—but the solution may not just be to better conceal periods. Lessening stigma also means empowering freedom of choice.
“I've been a girl in school who started their period,” says Megan, recalling the early days of balancing menstruation and athleticism. “I've been in a sports environment where I've bled through—or where I’ve had to deal with having a period. It's a lot.”
Whether athletes choose to sport period-proof shorts or free-bleed, it should be their prerogative. Because when the sight of periods—or sound of period talk—becomes less of a big deal, so will fear of leaks.
And when teens see their favorite athletes talking freely about overcoming period cramps in the final quarter, they’ll know it’s not a big deal, too.
Fostering Period-Friendly Sports Environments
Like so many taboos, period stigma is built on misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding conventional notions of femininity.
But when periods remain a taboo subject—whether it be in high school locker rooms or world-class arenas—athletes miss out on gaining the support and resources they need (and deserve!).
In the case of teens and young athletes, internalizing period discomfort, fears of leaks, and lack of access to the right products can lead to high dropout rates in sports.
But, in many cases, stigma around these important issues are only reinforced by coaches and facilitators who avoid the topic of menstruation altogether.
Even among pros, 64% of athletes report they have felt uncomfortable talking about their periods with their coaches.
Normalizing period talk with coaches as part of regular health-related check-ins was a commonly stated desire among the athletes we interviewed.
Former pro hockey player, Saroya Tinker, remembers being in season while dealing with unbearable period pain “and my male coach not being able to understand at all what we’re going through,” she says. “Sometimes we all sync up—and yes, coach, we are in fact all PMS-ing at the same time.”
While it’s clear that mainstream attitudes around periods are in need of a major update, change also needs to be effected within teams and sports environments.
“Open and honest conversation surrounding the topic of periods is essential to have if we want to further our knowledge into how we can perform our best as female athletes,” says Saroya. “If we don’t talk about it, we can’t learn.”
Track athlete, Phylicia George, echoes the thoughts of her fellow athlete when she says “Being a great athlete is understanding your body.” Part of which involves a better understanding of how you operate and perform on your period. “If you're ashamed of something, it's hard to be curious about it,” she adds.
With period education and support being so sparse in sports environments, it’s no wonder teens are dropping out of sports due to period-related concerns.
“It is extremely important for teams, coaches, and healthcare providers to foster an environment where athletes feel comfortable discussing menstrual health,” affirms Layshia. “Menstruation impacts performance—so why wouldn’t we discuss it as a way to help athletes be their best selves?”
To date, the sports world has largely been shaped by men, making periods an outlier—even among women-led teams and sports. For female athletes to thrive, women-first sports environments need to be cultivated.
“We happen to live in a world that has been crafted by the vision of men,” says Phylicia—but there are signs of change on the horizon.
For one, cycle syncing—the practice of tailoring your workouts and nutrition around your hormonal cycle—is beginning to enter the mainstream. In the case of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT), ahead of winning their fourth World Cup, tracked their periods and trained according to their cycles.
By fostering a deeper level of bodily attunement, players were better able to adapt and work with their body’s natural rhythms—even while playing during more difficult phases of their cycle. And other teams are taking note.
Athletes Are Speaking up to Keep Teens in Sports
Overlooking periods is a massive disservice to athletes who should be given the resources to work with their bodies, instead of expending energy trying to mask menstruation altogether.
In an ideal world, periods are unremarkable locker room fodder, conversations about symptoms and energy levels, routine conversation between coaches and players, and a plethora of period care options a normal facet of optimizing performance.
The good news is, many athletes are working towards making this ideal a reality by taking to public forums to dish on the realities of performing at the highest levels on their period.
In conversation with Valeria Lipovetsky on the "Not Alone" podcast, world-class tennis player Eugenie Bouchard was outspoken about the stress of playing the U.S. Open on her period, having experienced painful cramps the day before her Grand Slam match.
“Thank god this is just a practice day today because if I had to play my match today, it would be really hard,” she remembers thinking.
Other cultural shifts, like athletes refusing to compete in all-white uniforms, are also taking place. In an important step towards acknowledging fears of leaks, some teams have opted to trade in their traditional white gear in favor of darker garments.
Instead of simply taking their cues from men’s sporting uniforms, major sporting organizations and sports outfitters are finally beginning to take into consideration the comfort levels and needs of female athletes.
As part of the Sport Your Period movement, athletes are also taking to the world stage to normalize their period experiences—and to inspire a new generation of young athletes to shed the stigma.
“I think brands like Knix, by creating this campaign and others like it, contribute immensely to athlete culture and support for athletes,” says Zoe. “Athletes can speak out, share their stories, hear others’ stories, relate to one another, and ultimately support each other, making for a stronger, more united, and safer community,” she adds.
It may sound simple, but speaking up disrupts taboos, sending a powerful message that female athletes are done with discretion and expect their experiences to be centered both on and off the track.
By sidelining period talk, athletes are only being held back. And the same barriers that discourage teen girls from participating in sports are only perpetuated.
“I would love to tell young athletes that menstruation does not have to stop you from playing,” says Layshia. Today, after years on the court, they report feeling powerful knowing they can perform at the highest level while bleeding.
“I hope that someone wins a championship, an MVP title, or a game-winner one day and says something about doing it while on their period in a live interview on ESPN.”
Now that’s something we’d pay to see.
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