Menstruation. Unavoidable, frustrating and cyclical. This affects women athletes and their performance, especially when they have to wear white apparel. It doesn’t take a lot of common sense to know that if women leak it is a lot more noticeable when you wear white than when you wear darker colours. This is all changing as some of the biggest teams and sporting events are getting rid of their white apparel code to support women when they are menstruating.
Recently, the Women’s Irish rugby team made headlines for scrapping their white shorts for a darker shade. This has created a lot of controversy online as women don’t understand why menstruation is still a shock to society. It is frustrating that in our most progressive age as a society, women are still petrified they will leak and they are embarrassed when they do.
The concerned athletes spoke to team managers who took it a step further and approached their apparel designers, who had said they were designing new solutions but were trying to meet the needs of the athletes and adhere to the rules of the sports clubs, federations and sporting associations standards. Despite this, no action has taken place and no changes have been made. The Irish Rugby team stated that starting from the 2023/24 season, the women rugby players will no longer be wearing white shorts.
The Australian Football League released a statement in 2022 explaining that all women athletes will be exempt from wearing white shorts as part of their uniform. This was a historic day for sport. Men do not need to worry about leaking and women participating in the same sport are still not taken into consideration when it comes to their menstrual cycle, something they have no control over.
World sports should follow the path of Wimbledon tennis association. Any tennis fan will know that Wimbledon is historically known for being an all-white competition. Wimbledon have found common ground however, by allowing women athletes to wear darker coloured undershorts during the tournament to prevent any signs of leaking from showing and giving them piece of mind while competing.
One of Wimbledon’s stars, Daria Saville admitted to altering her period because of the dress code. During a game, Saville had gotten her period and luckily she had a woman umpire who understood how difficult it could be and that she needed assistance immediately, the umpire allowed her to use one of her two bathroom breaks.
Wimbledon’s new apparel rules will come in to affect in July 2023, at the 136th staging of the tournament.
However, England’s football team have decided not to change their apparel. Although their players have admitted that it makes them uncomfortable playing in white, Beth Mead and Georgia Stanway have said there is an association to England wearing white and although it’s not practical, it looks nice. Will England in the near future change their shorts to accommodate both their players and the colour of their flag?
This modern need for women athletes has been heard and changes are being made. The question still stands, how long is it going to take for women’s sport to be taken seriously? When women athletes play in shorts or skirts that are of a darker shade, it increases confidence, improves their performance and decreases the risk of performance anxiety.
By gsport Intern, Jessica De Lira
Photo 1 Caption: Ireland Women’s Rugby announce the change of their white apparel to accommodate players when they are menstruating. Photo: SkySports
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