I, like many women, have had my fair share of ‘embarrassing’ moments. All felt with with shame and in isolation despite being in a room full of women but never knowing who to talk to.
The moment that stuck out for me was a more recent one.
I needed some assessment and taping on my knee but needed to change into shorts as I came in leggings like most of the girls. The only ones around where white mens ones – didn’t phase me it was only for the taping and then I could get back into my leggings. During the conversation with the trainer they asked ‘why don’t the women’s team wear the white shorts like the rest of the club – be like everyone else?’
I turned and just said ‘we bleed’
The trainer didn’t know where to look to what to say for a while, shocked at my bluntness.
Thankfully it was one of those moments I’m glad I had the courage to be blunt about it – we had a conversation about the under 14s who are just learning, the under 17s who are the biggest drop outs of sport because of shame, and the seniors who are now trying to talk about it more but still feel awkward – we don’t need everyone in the club knowing we have our period just because we have a mishap and ‘we should be like the boys’.
Education at its finest but I only wish it was a conversation we weren’t having in 2024 with head trainers who manage women’s sports.