Periods, Young Athletes, and Removing Barriers: Why Menstrual Equity Matters in Girls’ Sports
I want to talk about something that almost every woman remembers vividly—and almost no one in sports leadership ever planned for.
Your first period.
For many of us, it didn’t arrive neatly or conveniently. It showed up at school. At practice. During a game. In white shorts. With no warning. No products. No plan. And a lot of panic. Before a trip to the waterpark with a friend.
Now imagine experiencing that moment as a middle school or early high school athlete, still learning your body, your confidence, your place on a team—while also worrying about embarrassment, visibility, and whether anyone will take you seriously if you speak up.
For too many young athletes, this isn’t a one-time moment. It’s a recurring barrier.
And the hardest part?
Most of these barriers are completely preventable.
The Quiet Anxiety Behind “Just a Uniform”
On paper, uniforms seem neutral. Equal. Standardized.
But for young athletes who menstruate, uniforms—especially white or light-colored shorts—can create an invisible layer of stress that coaches, administrators, and even parents may never see.
It’s the constant mental math:
What day of my cycle am I on?
Is what I’m experiencing normal?
Do I have enough products?
What if I leak during warmups?
What if this pain isn’t normal, but I don’t know who to ask?
What if I’m too embarrassed to say anything?
For a 12- or 13-year-old, that anxiety can be enough to:
Skip practice
Sit out games
Power through pain that shouldn’t be ignored
Quit a sport entirely
Not because they don’t love the game—but because the environment wasn’t built with them in mind.
When “This Is Just Part of Being a Girl” Isn’t True
Here’s a piece we rarely name in youth sports:
Many young athletes experience menstrual disorders and don’t know it.
Heavy bleeding. Severe cramping. Irregular or unpredictable cycles. Dizziness. Fatigue. Bleeding through products quickly. Missing school or sports because of pain.
For adults, these may raise red flags.
For young girls? They’re often told—or tell themselves—this must be normal.
But many young athletes are dealing with conditions like:
Painful or debilitating periods
Extremely heavy bleeding
Irregular cycles that make preparation nearly impossible
And at this age:
They don’t yet know their bodies
They don’t know what “normal” feels like
They may not have access to consistent healthcare
They may not feel safe asking questions
They may not even have the language to describe what’s happening
Sports spaces don’t create these conditions—but they can either compound the harm or help remove it.
Periods Are Not a “Personal Problem”—They’re a Systems Issue
When we frame periods as something athletes should “manage privately,” we miss the bigger truth:
Access, education, design, and policy choices either remove barriers—or quietly reinforce them.
This is especially true for athletes from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
If you don’t have:
Reliable access to period products
A trusted adult to ask questions
Health insurance or consistent medical care
Extra uniforms or backup clothing
A parent who can drop things off mid-day
Then one period-related moment can turn into:
Missed practices
Missed competitions
Missed confidence
Missed connection
Missed opportunity
And over time, missed opportunity becomes attrition.
Younger Athletes Feel This First—and the Most
We often talk about women’s sports at the collegiate or professional level—but the most fragile point in the pipeline is early adolescence.
This is when:
Bodies change quickly
Cycles are unpredictable
Pain may be dismissed
Confidence is fragile
Identity and belonging are still forming
Drop-off rates in girls’ sports spike
If a young athlete’s earliest experiences of sport are layered with fear, confusion, shame, or unmanaged pain, we shouldn’t be surprised when participation declines.
Belonging isn’t just about encouragement—it’s about infrastructure, access, and intentional care.
What If We Designed for Real Bodies?
Here’s the reframe:
What if uniforms were designed with menstruating bodies in mind?
What if access to period products was assumed—not optional?
What if education and support were normalized—not whispered?
What if schools didn’t rely on individual coaches to “figure it out”?
What if apparel companies helped lead this shift instead of waiting for permission?
Removing barriers doesn’t mean lowering standards.
It means raising awareness—and responsibility.
It means recognizing that:
Comfort affects confidence
Confidence affects participation
Participation affects health, leadership, and lifelong belonging
Why This Is a Call to Action (Not Just Awareness)
At The GRL Initiative, we believe leadership starts by noticing what’s missing—and then doing something about it.
We are actively looking to partner with an apparel company that wants to be part of real, systemic change for young athletes at the state level.
A partner who understands that:
Periods are normal
Menstrual disorders often go undiagnosed in young girls
Access to products and thoughtful design matters
Equity starts early—not after athletes are “elite”
Supporting girls at the beginning keeps them in the game longer
This isn’t about marketing.
It’s about impact.
Imagine the Ripple Effect
Imagine a middle school athlete who doesn’t skip practice because she feels prepared.
Imagine a young girl who realizes her pain isn’t “just something to push through.”
Imagine teams where products are available without shame.
Imagine uniforms that don’t add anxiety to an already vulnerable stage of development.
Imagine participation rising—not because we demanded resilience, but because we removed obstacles.
That’s not hypothetical.
That’s achievable.
So… What Can We Do Next?
If you’re:
An apparel company ready to innovate and support a state wide policy
A funder interested in youth access and equity
A leader willing to challenge “the way it’s always been done”
We want to work with you.
Because periods—and period-related health challenges—should never be the reason a young athlete steps away from something she loves.
And because leadership—real leadership—means designing systems that work for real bodies, real lives, and real beginnings.
Let’s build that together.
