‘Training would be the absolute worst place to leak [menstrual blood]. I’d be mortified!’ Anna, Karate practitioner.
In recent years we have seen a growing number of women in sport speaking out about the ‘P’ word – periods!
This has included former 200metre world champion, Dina Asher-Smith, and 10-kilometre European record holder, Eilish McColgan, publicly calling for more research on periods in sport; female footballers challenging the use of white shorts; and female football-fan campaigners, On The Ball, successfully campaigning for free period products in Scottish football stadiums and beyond. Anna is not alone in worrying about leaking menstrual blood in sport settings. Literature on periods in sport suggests that fears of leaking menstrual blood is one of the most significant issues negatively impacting women, girls and all who menstruates’ experiences of sport (Brown et al., 2021; Harvey et al., 2020; Kolic et al., 2023; Zipp and Hyde, 2024) contributing to young women and girls dropping-out of sport.
Scotland has been seen to be world-leading in acknowledging and legislating for menstrual justice. In January 2021, Scotland passed the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021, becoming the first country in the world to enshrine a legal right to free period products for its citizens. The act requires that ‘local authorities and education providers are legally required to make period products available free of charge, as and when they are required’ (Scottish Government, 2022). Whilst there remains no dedicated UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) on menstruation, in 2023 the UN published its Menstrual Health and Dignity Commitment which seeks to advocate for the development of ‘National Menstrual Health Strategies’ that ensures that all those who menstruate have access to hygienic, safe, affordable and dignified menstrual products and experiences. In passing the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021, Scotland would appear to be leading the way in legislating for a national menstrual health strategy.
So, what has this landmark legislation meant for sport? It means that all local authority facilities such as sports centres, community centres and schools, which are often used by sports clubs, can have access to free period products, and that other venues hosting sport can ask their local authority for free period products for those that use their facilities. It also means that athletes and sports practitioners who would like free menstrual products can access them through designated venues across the country. The provision of a wide range of free period products in Scotland could reduce period poverty amongst those participating in sport, could reduce the likelihood of athletes being caught short without period products, and could reduce athletes’ fears of leaking menstrual blood that are so prominent and detrimental to athlete’s comfort, enjoyment, and performance in sport.
My recent research for Scottish Karate on Scottish karate practitioners’ experiences of periods suggest that issues in accessing period products in Scotland remain despite the Scottish government’s commitment to free period product provision. Just like previous research on menstruation in sport, the vast majority (95%) of female karate practitioners worried about leaking menstrual blood during a karate class when menstruating. Despite the vast majority of karate clubs hiring training spaces from local authority owned sports centres, community centres, and schools, access to period products was patchy, with 50% of karate respondents lacking access to free period products at their training settings. Even in training spaces that did provide free period products, respondents felt too embarrassed to access them if the products were held by gatekeepers such as receptionists, and thus the products remained inaccessible. Where access to period products at karate venues was uncertain, women and girls often felt that they had to leave training if their period started unexpectedly or they had run out of period products themselves, or not attend training at all. Indeed, 72% of respondents had missed karate classes due to their period, with 16% missing training every period. For the 11% of respondents who struggle to afford period products, the absence of free period products at sporting venues may limit their ability to continue their sport.
Scotland’s Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 is a global landmark legislation that positions period provision as a legal right. The principle of free period product provision is a great starting point for supporting menstruating sports practitioners. In Scottish sports settings this has the potential to enable female sports participants to stay in sport and practice with reduced fears of leaking menstrual blood, as long as the provision is indeed thoroughly implemented across sporting space. To enable dignified menstrual experiences and menstrual justice in Scottish sport, Scotland needs to continue to take bold steps to ensure free period product provision is implemented in Scottish sports settings, tackle the stigma around periods, and conduct more research to understand the impact on sporting experience and performance.
This blog was written by Dr Chloe Maclean, Chloe is a lecturer in sociology at UWS.
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