I never considered menstrual health as a child. Instead of learning how to live with it, it was always a matter of mitigating side effects, even though I knew the fundamentals and had frequent check-ups. When I was 15, a doctor questioned why I was still menstruating and prescribed continuous birth control to end it, but I chose not to use it.
Nonetheless, as time passed, I decided to “solve” the issue. It has been nearly 15 years since I had a period without the aid of birth control medications or a hormonal intrauterine device.
Nowadays, information is more available than ever. We have apps to monitor our cycles, athletes openly discuss it, and we discussed it with Beth England a few months ago. Even details such as darker shorts are becoming available for players who wish to feel more at ease without worrying about leakage. There is a wealth of information – and misinformation – online about periods, performance, and how it influences your playing style. It is not a problem to be solved; rather, menstruating women have options.
Hannah Miley, a former Olympic swimmer who now works as a performance and well-being advocate, has been educating girls about periods through workshops.
She decided to stop taking the pill during the pandemic to learn more about her health, but her research was so enlightening that she felt compelled to spread the word. “I thought I knew everything about my body,” she says.
Working in partnership with the grassroots charity Bloomsbury Football, she began teaching girls, parents, and coaches about periods and menstrual health. “We want to disseminate this information so that they can make their own decisions.”
“It’s essential to recognize warning signs so you can protect your health and be aware of certain conditions, such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), so I can determine if I need to see a doctor and not just take some Ibuprofen and move on.”
Questions may include what type of period product to use, how to manage mood fluctuations. And how to recognize when something is wrong. In addition to the usual concerns, employees may have questions about how their performance is affected and how they will manage throughout the month.
Working with females who play a different sport was challenging for Miley. But she claims she learned as much from the audience as she did from them. “You can still accomplish something without feeling incapable or making an excuse. How different it is from when I was younger is remarkable.
Since last year, a program at Bloomsbury has been addressing period stigma and menstrual poverty.
Isabelle Chauzy, the charity’s marketing director, desired to eliminate gender-specific barriers in football. The first step was to provide period products and make them accessible to the community. Creating educational spaces like Miley’s seminars was also intended to effect cultural change. Two three-hour sessions with Miley focused on the physiological aspects of menstrual health and self-care. “It is insufficient to merely provide materials and hope that the girls will find them,” she says.
According to Miley, girls frequently associate menstruation with negative emotions or physical discomfort. Ava-Marie King felt more secure discussing her period with her coaches and teammates after the workshop. “Before, I was less receptive to training or exercise,” the 14-year-old says. “However, I later discovered that at various stages of your cycle. You will be stronger and it will be simpler to exercise. Now, when I train during my period, I forget about it and just train.”
Carla Tenthorey Vinuesa, 15, has gained a new perspective on her period after learning how to manage her emotional swings. “After going to the workshop, I know that before the period you tend to feel moody because of your hormones so now every time I notice myself getting upset or irritated about something minor, it helps me put things into proportion and not act out,” she says.
Miley wants to alter the narrative so that periods are no longer seen as a hindrance. “Seeing it as a superpower is important because it won’t always be sunshine and rainbows. Realizing your potential is similar. It’s just having that discourse, and the more we can normalize it, the better.”
