Ireland women’s rugby team switched to dark shorts due to periods

CNN
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The Ireland women’s rugby team has switched from white shorts to navy blue for good in response to players’ menstrual concerns.

The navy shorts will be featured for the first time in the first leg of Ireland’s Women’s Six Nations against Wales on March 25, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) announced on Tuesday.

“The best way to make sure we’re performing at our best on the pitch is to remove all unnecessary distractions,” said Ireland international Enya Breen.

“Wearing navy shorts instead of white is such a small thing, but it’s a big step forward for us. [kit supplier] Canterbury and IRFU.

“We hope this will help women at all levels of rugby feel more comfortable on the pitch so they can do better in the game they love.”

Canterbury is offering teams and players of all levels who originally bought white Canterbury shorts the opportunity to exchange them for a pair of a different colour, IRFU reports.

Some football teams, including West Bromwich Albion (women’s), have similarly changed the color of their shorts to allay menstrual anxiety. Wimbledon announced last year that it would loosen the white dress rule by allowing women to wear dark shorts.

Explaining how Wimbledon’s dress code made her anxious as a player, tennis player Billie Jean King recently told CNN: “My generation was always worried because we wore all white all the time.

“What you wear under your clothes is important for your menstrual cycle.”