Let's talk periods and sports. No, really—let's actually talk about it.
Because here's the thing: While we're busy celebrating women breaking records and shattering glass ceilings in athletics, we're still whispering about the biological reality that affects roughly half of all competitors. The same athletes who push through grueling training sessions, mental barriers and physical exhaustion are also navigating period cramps, bloating and the worry of leaking through their uniforms—often without adequate support or resources.
And that's not just frustrating. It's flat-out unacceptable.
The Game-Changing Power of Sports
When women lace up their cleats or step onto the court, magic happens. Sports aren't just about physical fitness—they build the kind of confidence that spills into every area of life.
Women who play sports don't just develop stronger muscles; they develop stronger voices.
They learn to take up space unapologetically.
They build the resilience to face challenges head-on, both on and off the field.
The leadership skills, the unshakeable self-belief, the ride-or-die friendships forged through sweat and triumph—these benefits stay long after the final whistle blows.
Which makes it all the more infuriating that something as normal as menstruation continues to bench talented athletes at every level.
The Bloody Truth About Periods in Sports
The stats are mind-blowing—and not in a good way:
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A whopping 84% of teenage girls say periods make sports participation harder
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60% of elite athletes (we're talking Olympic-level competitors here) report performance impacts during menstruation
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Half of all teens—HALF!—skip sports entirely when they're on their period
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31% of young women limit physical activity because they're terrified of leaking
Let that sink in.
We're losing athletes not because they lack talent, passion, or drive, but because they don't have adequate period support.
We're sidelining potential champions over something that's as natural as breathing.
Even the world's top athletes aren't immune.
Remember when Olympic swimmer Cate Campbell admitted to skipping crucial training sessions because of period anxiety?
Or when gymnast Aly Raisman started speaking out about the need to normalize period talk in sports?
Or that groundbreaking moment when Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui blew minds at the 2016 Rio Olympics by actually acknowledging—gasp!—that she was competing while on her period?
These women aren't just exceptional athletes—they're period pioneers, kicking down the door on conversations that have been kept behind closed bathroom stalls for far too long.
Period Equity Isn't a Luxury—It's Non-Negotiable
Here's a radical thought: Access to period products should be as fundamental as access to water bottles, proper footwear, or functioning equipment. When we fail to provide adequate period support, we're not just inconveniencing athletes—we're actively blocking their path to success.
The consequences are real:
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Athletes missing crucial practices and competitions
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Girls dropping out of sports altogether (particularly during adolescence, when period stigma hits hardest)
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Competitors performing below their potential because they're distracted by period anxiety
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The persistent, soul-crushing message that menstruating bodies don't belong in athletic spaces
And let's be brutally honest—these barriers hit hardest in communities already facing challenges in sports access. For low-income athletes, the financial burden of period products creates yet another obstacle on an already uneven playing field.
How joni Is Changing the Game
At joni, we’re done with the status quo. Period.
We're turning frustration into action by advancing period equity where it matters most—on the ground, in communities, and in places where access has been historically overlooked.
We supply wholesale period care to schools across the country, helping students stay in class without the stress of managing their periods in silence or shame. We've also innovated free-vend dispensers that make it easy and dignified to distribute period products in public washrooms—no quarters, no gatekeeping, no stigma.
But access alone isn't enough. That's why we give back 5% of all revenue to support period equity initiatives across Canada and regularly donate products to nonprofit partners who work directly with those most in need because no one should go without essential care, period.
And because we believe in building a future where all women and girls can thrive, we proudly sponsor women’s and girls' sports teams, helping create equitable opportunities on and off the field.
Most recently, we’re thrilled to announce our partnership with the Northern Super League (FSC), where we’re sponsoring two women’s professional soccer teams: Vancouver Rise FC and Calgary Wild FC.
Because every athlete deserves to focus on their performance, not their period.
And because we believe in protecting both athletes and the planet, we're doing it all with sustainable products that work with bodies and ecosystems alike. Because period equity doesn't have to come at the environment's expense.
The Revolution Is Here—Join Us
The movement for period equity in sports is gaining serious momentum, but we need all hands on deck to create lasting change:
For sports organizations: Step up. Include period products in your standard equipment budgets. Install free dispensers in your facilities. Train your coaches (yes, especially the male ones) on supporting menstruating athletes. Create policies that acknowledge what half your athletes are experiencing every month.
For schools and community centres: Ensure no one is benched because of their period. Make period products freely available—not hidden away in offices or behind coin-operated machines. Educate everyone about menstruation, regardless of gender. Create spaces where period talk is as normal as discussing hydration or injury prevention.
For every sports lover: Speak up. Support brands and organizations committed to period equity. Challenge the silence around menstruation in your own athletic communities. Share information about sustainable period options. Be the person you needed when you were a young athlete.
The Future We're Fighting For
Imagine stepping onto the field knowing that your period won't hold you back—not because you're powering through discomfort, but because you have all the support and resources you need to compete at your best.
Imagine locker rooms where period talk is as casual as comparing protein shake recipes.
Imagine coaches who understand how to adapt training during different phases of the menstrual cycle to optimize performance.
Imagine a world where no athlete ever again has to choose between their period and their passion.
This isn't just a nice-to-have future—it's the only acceptable one. At joni, we're fighting for a world where periods are recognized as a normal part of athletic life, not a career-limiting embarrassment or inconvenient secret.
Because the next generation of record-breakers, barrier-smashers, and game-changers is watching. And they deserve better than what we had.
They deserve to play on truly level fields—period.
Ready to create period equity in your athletic organization? Join forces with joni commercial solutions. Contact us at sales@joni.com to learn how we can work together to ensure periods never sideline potential again.
Sources:
Puma Report: 1 in 2 Girls Quit Sports Due to Periods
Menstrual Impact on Physical Activity
BBC Women's Sport Survey: Periods, the pill and the effect on female athletes
IPSOS: Many Young Women Try To Avoid Or Limit Physical Activity During Their Period