Shades of Handmaids Tale, Female Athletes Menstrual History Being Tracked!?

⏱ 6 min read

Hi everyone, I’m Rick Barron, your host, and welcome to my podcast, That’s Life, I Swear

So, let me know if I understand this. And I quote, “In the spirit of  ‘essential discussions for female athletes and monitoring any abnormalities, female athletes are asked to disclose their menstrual history to compete in sports.” End quote. Hmmm, shades of the Handmaid's Tale if ever I’ve heard it.

Let’s jump into this 

While having my morning coffee and reading the sport’s page, I suddenly hear a slap of the hand on the table, followed by a loud ‘what the hell’.

The look on my wife’s face spoke volumes telegraphing astonishment. ‘Have you read this’ as she handed me the newspaper? The article's headlines made me do a double take, ‘High school sports group rethinks form’s menstrual cycle questions.’

Females Only. Courtesy of: NPR

Lately, there have been debates and controversies surrounding the practice of some high schools asking female athletes to provide information about their menstrual cycles as a requirement for participating in sports. This requirement has been implemented to ensure the health and safety of female athletes and ensure fair competition. Providing such private information has drawn a strong backlash from female athletes, their families, and women’s right’s organizations.

As of late, the issue of questions to be answered by female athletes, came to the forefront when the Florida High School Athletic Association got strong pushback with the five menstrual cycle questions on the form: 

1.     When was your first menstrual period?

2.     When was your most recent menstrual period?

3.     How much time do you usually have from the start of one period to the start of another?

4.     How many periods have you had in the last year?

5.     What was the longest time between periods in the last year?

The main centerpiece of parents’ concerns were the questions for sure, but more to the point was the invasion of privacy. Where and how is this information stored and protected? Who gets access to this information and why? Knowing a women’s menstrual cycle will ensure fair competition in sports? Additionally, there’s confidentiality, perpetuating gender stereotypes and discrimination, and perpetuating the stigma surrounding menstruation. 

Did a little digging and much to my surprise, I discovered that 44 states in the U.S.A. ask high school girl athletes about their menstrual period. 

Most of the states included these forms on their websites under tabs labeled such as “health,” “safety” and/or “sports medicine.” Nice marketing spin, but what an insult to the intelligence of women!

The five questions on the Florida form are titled ‘optional’. Optional meaning you don’t have to answer any of the questions. However, the word “optional” next to a question on a form, makes one wonder what may happen if you don’t answer the questions. 

Parents & Teachers meeting. Courtesy of Google

This could be similar to getting a question like “what makes you interested in this job” or “how has your day been” during a job interview. Technically, you have the option of not answering such questions. But responding with, “I elect not to answer” or simply staring at the interviewer silently may not send the message that you want to send, especially if you actually want the job. Similarly, if you want to play sports, you feel pressure to answer any questions asked on a form, even those labeled as optional, just to ensure that no problems emerge with your eligibility.

The argument for the menstrual cycle disclosure requirement is rooted in the belief that hormones released during menstruation can affect an athlete's performance. This information can help coaches make informed decisions about an athlete's readiness to compete. Proponents of this practice believe this information can also help prevent injury and support athletes who may be experiencing discomfort or physical limitations during their periods.

However, despite these ‘good’ intentions, the menstrual cycle disclosure requirement has been met with resistance and criticism from various groups. This information is highly personal and private; many feel it should not be disclosed to others, particularly coaches and trainers. The fear of this information being used against the individual or shared without their consent is also significant, as it could potentially harm ones reputation and create social and emotional stress. In this open social media/fake news/conspiracy world we live in today, it only takes one!

Some believe that coaches and trainers may use this information to unfairly limit an athlete's participation on the assumption that their performance is being affected by their menstrual cycle. 

There were numerous discussions on social media regarding Florida’s blatantly trampling on women’s rights by requesting athletes to submit menstrual information on athletic forms. One said: “Has anyone taught these legislators that menstruation ceases for many reasons besides pregnancy, like IDK exercise?” @LisaleenBecker

The menstrual cycle disclosure requirement has been criticized for perpetuating gender stereotypes and stigma surrounding menstruation. This requirement implies that menstruation is a weakness or an impediment to athletic performance, which is not supported by scientific evidence. Requiring athletes to disclose information about their menstrual cycles reinforces the notion that women's bodies are a hindrance to athletic success and reinforces gender-based prejudices and biases. This notion can discourage young women from participating in sports and pursuing athletic careers.

When researching this topic, I had the opportunity to speak with a few women for their opinion on this topic. 

First woman

“People assume a female is less productive or can’t perform at her peak performance because she was menstruating. However, the woman’s body is resilient and to assume a natural occurrence could somehow allow a coach to say "sorry girl you can't play today because you're on your period and you could impact the team's stats".

During the 1950's, some doctors didn't want women to run because their uterus would fall out. I wonder if that means men’s balls could fall off too?

I'm surprised women federations like the WBA, International Sports Federation for Women and others haven't jumped in to address this absurd policy. Women/girls athletes have been violated by the medical industry, coaches and (sports medicine/trainers) for decades.” 

Second woman

“Another shared her experience of participating in sports, where providing proof of passing a medical physical by your doctor and having a guardian/parent’s permission. That was it!”

Third woman

This last comment laid it out pretty well.

 “All the states requiring detailed menstrual history for girls’ sports is egregious! Did you consider the angle that this very likely wouldn't have happened if women had equal/proportional representation in legislatures? In so many states, legislation impacting women and minorities is primarily made by men. I seriously doubt any legislature with equal male/female representation could have passed such rules.”

Let’s go back to the five questions on the Florida form, labeled as “FEMALES ONLY”. Many of the other questions labeled “MEDICAL HISTORY” seem innocuous and have clear relevance to sports participation. For example, asking whether you’ve had a history of seizures or symptoms like chest pain and dizziness while exercising, could help determine whether you have an undiagnosed major heart condition. Competing in sports with such a condition and without proper precautions could be life-threatening. Fair enough, but then at the end of the many questions asked about your heath, come the more pointed questions.

What exactly would be the dangers of running onto a playing field when you had 14 periods last year versus 12? Why ask such questions of “FEMALES ONLY”?

Ok, let’s level the playing field here shall we. Why doesn’t the form have a “MALES ONLY” section that asks questions such as “When was your last erection?”, “How long do your erections last?”, “How many times do you masturbate, and why?”, “What was your last sperm check reading.”

Since Roe V Wade was overturned, more women's issues are being scrutinized.Why? Caveman-like thinking seems to be making a comeback.  

Today we look at menstruation that is odd and archaic. Girls and women in sports have been able to manage their periods without a team coach’s help! Over the past 70 years, women have been playing on sports teams without issues. Today, more than ever, we see how extreme and able today’s women athletes are. They compete nationally and internationally. Remember, they once were high school athletes. 

It is important to create a supportive and inclusive environment for all athletes, regardless of their gender or menstrual status, so that they can pursue their athletic goals without fear of discrimination or stigma. 

What can we learn from this story? What’s the take away

As for the Florida High School Sports Group, they had an emergency meeting to vote on whether to adopt the four-page form. In the end the director of Florida’s high school backed away from asking female athletes to disclose their menstrual history in order to compete.

The recent controversy surrounding using a menstrual history form for female athletes in Florida highlights the importance of respecting privacy and bodily autonomy; and serves as a reminder to challenge gender discrimination and put an end to this unbelievable craziness.

Well, there you go. That's life, I swear.

For further information regarding the material covered in this episode, I invite you to visit my website, which you can find on either Apple Podcasts/iTunes or Google Podcasts, for show notes calling out key pieces of content mentioned and the episode transcript.

As always, I thank you for listening. 

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