When Women’s Sports Makes You Look Twice
A Conversation on Period Stigma
Most of us have experienced it, wearing our favourite white skirt or shorts, feeling confident, only to face an unwelcome surprise.
Maybe a sudden leak caught us off guard, a stain spotted too late, or the creeping anxiety that comes with constantly asking a friend to check if everything’s “okay down there” as we walk ahead of them. It’s a moment that quickly shifts your focus from feeling good to feeling self-conscious, and it’s one that too many of us have silently accepted as normal. Highlighting just how ingrained period stigma is in everyday life. Now, imagine that same feeling, but you’re performing on an international stage. You’re running, tackling, stretching, and sliding across a field in front of thousands of eyes, broadcast to millions more at home… all while wearing white shorts, knowing your period could show up at any moment or leak through your first line of defence. For women in sports, this is more than a hypothetical concern. It’s a real source of stress, and for too long, it’s gone unacknowledged.
The Problem With White Uniforms in Women’s Sports
In many women’s sports, white uniforms are seen as the ‘norm’. But this summer, at the Women’s UEFA EUROs, we’re reminded of a powerful shift. It may seem like a small change, but for athletes, it’s a powerful stand against period stigma.
Several teams have chosen to move away from the traditional white shorts, a seemingly small change, but one that sends a big message: players shouldn’t have to carry the extra weight of period anxiety just to step onto the field. Even Wimbledon, the oldest and most traditional tennis tournament in the world, has recently updated its strict all-white dress code. Permitting female players to wear dark undershorts during competition. This is a long-overdue change that focuses on easing the stress of competing while menstruating.
The Link Between Menstruation and Athletic Performance
This shift in women’s sportswear is backed by more than just ‘comfort’, it can be supported by research and data. A study conducted by Alex Krumer provides compelling evidence on how period-related anxiety, particularly the fear of leakage, can impact athletic performance. The study found that women’s teams who competed in white shorts scored fewer points than their opponents in a non-white kit. The research suggests that athletes may struggle to fully concentrate during competition when preoccupied with the stress and mental load of managing menstruation. Especially when wearing uniforms, which increase the risk of ‘visible’ leaks. This study provides clear data that prompts women’s sports teams to opt for darker kits to help athletes stay focused and perform at their best.
Why Period Stigma Still Exists
But this is about more than just shorts and sports. At its core, the anxiety around leaking and the shame associated stems from something much deeper. The cultural taboo surrounding menstruation. Why do we feel embarrassed or ashamed if we experience a leak?
Society has long groomed those who menstruate to feel shame about a completely natural bodily function. From a young age, periods are treated as something to hide or even feel disgusted by. This ingrained stigma creates an environment where leakage isn’t just a physical inconvenience, it becomes a source of emotional stress and silence. A visible period stain doesn’t just mark fabric, it’s treated as a stain on character. The taboos surrounding menstruation use period leaks as a way of reinforcing the rhetoric that those who menstruate are not ‘feminine’ or ‘clean’.
These stigmas associated with menstrual blood are long-standing in many different cultures, making them hard to break. A leak becomes more, it breaches an unspoken rule that periods need to be hidden. When menstruation is framed as something so ‘dirty’ or ‘embarrassing’. It’s no wonder so many people internalise the idea that their bodies must be managed, concealed, and apologised for. This quiet, chronic shame follows people into classrooms, boardrooms, changing rooms, and yes…even onto world-class playing fields.
Changing the Uniform, Changing the Conversation
Of course, there’s a nuance worth acknowledging. Changing the colour of the kit doesn’t erase the stigma; in some ways, it plays into it. By making leaks less visible, we risk reinforcing the idea that menstruation must still be hidden. But at the same time, this shift signals something important: that period anxiety is real, valid, and finally being recognised in spaces where it was long ignored. It may not be the final solution, but it’s a meaningful step, one that opens the door to bigger conversations about care, comfort, and the right to perform without fear or shame.
These small changes in uniform aren’t just about practicality; they’re about pushing back against generations of silence and discomfort. When elite athletes advocate for changes that acknowledge menstruation, they’re not only improving their own conditions, but they are also challenging a broader system that has long treated periods as something to be hidden or ignored. The more we speak openly about these realities, the more we chip away at the shame. Whether you’re lifting a trophy or just trying to get through your day in white jeans, no one should have to navigate their period in fear.
Photo Credits
Alana Paterson
