Be Girl’s Post

Learned about the unavailability of menstrual hygiene management products in the toilets of one of the most prestigious gaming event, "Olympics Paris 2024". It sheds light on the denial of menstrual health and perpetuating the stigma and silence around #menstruation by the organizers. It is not just a case of oversight; it reflects a broader societal neglect of menstrual health and hygiene. Organizers turned a blind eye not just to the Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights of all the menstruating attendees, be it a participant or a spectator, but also sidelined #inclusivity and #gender equality. It is disheartening to know that in a setting where all the menstrual hygiene products, including pads, tampons, and menstrual cups should have been easily accessible to all none was present. I believe there is a set of instructions that is followed while conducting such big events, what leaves me wondering is the ignorance of International Olympic Organizing Committee towards the need and importance of menstruators as it seems menstrual hygiene management products could not find a spot in the list of necessary arrangements required. Organizers of Olympics Paris 2024 had an opportunity to contribute in #breakthesilence movement and make a #PeriodFriendlyWorld by addressing an important health and equality issue on one of the world’s biggest stages which they missed terribly. However, there is still time to address this issue and make a significant positive impact. By taking the necessary steps, the organizers can ensure that the Paris Olympics are remembered not only for athletic excellence but also for their commitment to inclusivity and human rights. Hope they rectify it at the earliest. Sutirtha Sahariah, Ph.D. Marni Sommer Inga Winkler nirja bhatnagar Pema Lhaki Tom Slaymaker Dr. Julie HenneganLinda Mason International Olympic Committee – IOC Sulabh International Social Service OrganisationSulabh International Social Service Organisation (SISSO)

https://lnkd.in/eeYAJZ8T The conversation around women’s health has been gaining momentum, and it's about time. Historically, women have been significantly underrepresented in medical research—a disparity that continues to impact our understanding of female health. This research gap translates into real-world consequences, such as lost productivity due to period symptoms and challenges faced during perimenopause. Women encounter enough obstacles; managing menstruation and menopause shouldn’t be another. This recent article sheds light on how elite female athletes are challenging the stigma around menstruation in sports. Athletes like Fu Yuanhui and Clarisse Agbegnenou are breaking the silence and pushing for greater awareness and support. Their stories reveal how menstrual symptoms impact performance and highlight the broader need for addressing these issues in all aspects of life. As Chief Medical Officer of Nexus, we’re developing an AI-enabled women's health app designed to support women comprehensively. From cycle tracking to personalised nutrition and mental well-being, our goal is to bridge these gaps and provide the support women need to thrive. Our women’s health coaching companion goes live soon. If you’d like to be among the first to test it follow the link in bio. #WomensHealth #GenderHealthGap #HealthEquity #InvestInWomen #Empowerment #PeriodsMatter #HealthTech

Was a bit disappointed to see that there were no menstrual products available in the toilets at the Paris Olympic Beach Volley Ball stadium. Procter & Gamble, who own Always, are sponsors of the 2024 games, and are providing menstrual products to the athletes. Yet, there were none available free or to buy for spectators. There were also no bins in the stalls. Paris Tourism estimates that between 15 and 16 million sports enthusiasts and tourists are expected to visit the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. Yet, women, girls, and people who menstruate will not be able to enjoy the sporting events knowing that their basic needs are met! For those arguing that this is irrelevant, imagine there was no toilet roll at the Olympics and you had to bring your own! NO ONE should experience menstrual stigma or shame when watching the team/sport they love! Between 2018-2021, I successfully campaigned for Rangers Football Club to provide free products at Ibrox stadium (capacity 50,987). This is because access to menstrual products, discreet disposal, and facilities with running water are essential to menstrual health. Menstrual Rights Global is committed to driving menstrual health as fundamental to our reproductive rights, human rights, and building women, girls, and people who menstruates' participation in sport and broader society Jon Moeller and International Olympic Committee – IOC can we please ensure that we have access to a variety of menstrual products for athletes and spectators at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in #MilanoCortina 2026 and #LAOlympics in 2028?! #ParisOlympics #Olympics #Menstruation #srhr

The Women’s World Cup generated a staggering $1.17 billion in revenue for FIFA, with 46.7 million people tuning in to watch women's sports on television. These figures highlight the growing attention, high performance, and significant value of women's sports. However, female athletes still encounter numerous barriers, including unequal pay, limited opportunities, and persistent gender stereotypes. Additionally, their specific healthcare needs are often overlooked, putting them at greater risk for conditions like ACL injuries, menstrual irregularities, patellofemoral pain syndrome, bone stress injuries, concussions, and sexual violence. To optimize and sustain women's performance in sports, it is crucial to address these issues and understand the physiological differences of female athletes. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gzVrucFM #WomensSports #EqualPay #SportsEquality #WomenInSports #AthleteHealth #GenderEquality #SportsMedicine #FemaleAthletes #SportsPerformance #SportsInjuryPrevention #MentalHealthInSports #WomensWorldCup #SportsViewership #SportsRevenue #SupportWomensSports

If the best athletes in the world are getting their periods…you probably should be, too! As a healthcare provider, professional in the sports industry, and female athlete, I'm thrilled to witness significant advances in gender equity in sports! With the Olympics kicked off, we've seen incredible progress with new mixed events, better visibility of women's sports competitions, and more top-level female coaches and officials. Yet, a crucial topic still needs more attention: menstruation. An increasing number of female athletes are bravely sharing their experiences with menstruation to break the taboo. These discussions are vital to normalize periods as part of the female athlete experience and ensure that our athletic environments are supportive and inclusive. Have you noticed it? • Ellie St. Pierre, 1500m runner, spoke about getting her first period since the birth of her son ahead of the US Olympic Track and Field Trials. • New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko has been open about her experiences with menstrual pain and its impact on her performance ever since the 2022 Palos Verdes Championship • English footballer Beth Mead was vocal in pointing out the impracticality of white uniforms during menstruation. Her advocacy led several football teams to switch to dark-colored shorts for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. • USA gymnast Aly Raisman discussed the impact of her period on competition in a Cosmopolitan story after she participated in a string of advertisements for a brand of tampons geared toward female athletes An athlete’s menstrual cycle is an important metric for training, highlighting trends that might need to be addressed. However, it's essential to recognize that not all women need to adjust their training to address hormone changes. Understanding and respecting individual needs is key to optimizing performance and well-being. The Olympics is a HUGE platform to influence opinions about sport, health, training methods, and what it takes to be world-class. These discussions are so important to normalize periods as part of the female athlete experience. These games may help spread awareness that not having a regular period is not normal, even if you’re an athlete. Because, at the end of the day, if the best in the world are getting their periods…you probably should be too! #sportspharmacy #olympics #femaleathlete #sportsmedicine #sportscardiology #sportsnutrition #sportsperformance #athlete

Women are leading the #olympics medal tally - not just for the United States. 🥇 They do that despite having babies (with them at the Games), being (well) over 40 and while dealing with their menstrual cycle. Just like in business, they are not held back but rather they work with what they’ve got and don’t mention it. The intersection of high performance and health is something that will fuel female longevity. LFG. #longevity #womenshealth #femaleathletes #healthcoaching #healthcare

New OPEN ACCESS research here: 'Outrunning the grim reaper: longevity of the first 200 sub-4 min mile male runners'. Regular moderate exercise is strongly associated with healthy ageing. But, there are concerns that exposing the body to extreme exercise bouts may be harmful to longevity. This study challenges this common narrative. Key findings: 📌 The 200 sub-4 min mile runners in this study have increased longevity compared with the general population. 📌 Based on the observed versus expected survival analysis, sub-4 min mile runners showed an increase of 4.74 years (95% CI 4.66 to 4.82; n=200) beyond their predicted life expectancy based on sex, age, year of birth, age at sub-4 min mile completion and nationality. 📌 There was no longevity benefit from being an Olympian compared with a non-Olympian. As a radical feminist, what I enjoyed most of all about this all-male study was this recognition - more of this please in sport research! 🤩 "Last, our cohort consisted entirely of male athletes. Indeed, to this day, no female has accomplished the sub-4 min mile, with the closest time run by Faith Kipyegon from Kenya at 4:07.64 in 2023 (World record). Unfortunately, we could not readily address this question as there was no comparable database of female athletes. This may also reflect the exclusion of women from middle-to-long distance events at major sporting events such as the Olympics due to prior (and misguided) concerns about the potential ill effects of female athletes performing such extreme exercise (with the women’s 1500 m not introduced until 1972)". #running #endurance #extremesports #longevity #ageing #health #Olympics #patriarchy #gender #research https://lnkd.in/gdeu-vgE

Two articles that highlight the importance of scientific data specifically tailored to women in sport. The first is around concussion in women's Rugby https://lnkd.in/esxyBxgY "Governing body World Rugby said in 2023 there had not been enough research on concussion in the women's game. It has introduced smart mouthguards, which send alerts of high force to the independent matchday doctor, in the women's and men's game. The devices are also worn in training, helping coaches to tailor sessions." Interestingly they link this to the menstrual cycle which brings us on to the next article... A study on menstrual cycle data to provide marginal gains in women's football by The Football Association and The Well HQ https://lnkd.in/e9Ufhuik

Anyone watching the #Olympics (or Women's World Cup, Women's Super League, NWSL, WNBA, or any of the many other avenues to watch women's sports) has likely noticed there are far more female athletes missing due to ACL injuries than their male counterparts. In fact, women are three to six times more likely than men to endure an ACL tear. STAT has a great article on this phenomenon, and while there are many factors that lead to these injuries, one of the most startling statistics doesn't have a direct impact- though women comprise about 50% of athletes, only about 6% of sports injury research focuses on women. With the recent surge in women's sports viewership, let's hope more research focuses on female athletes! https://lnkd.in/ei6JxfSU

Professional athlete, Caster Semenya a biological woman was asked at 18, right before an important athletics event to prove she was a woman because she looked like a man.🙈😳 Wow..does this story sound familiar 🤔 She was found to be a woman but with high levels of testosterone. Then rules were changed and she was forced to take testosterone-reducing medication in order to compete internationally, that was “hell” and had a negative impact on her health. In her new book, “The Race To Be Myself,’ Semenya describes the damaging impact the medication had on her body and now says she wants to use her platform to stop other women having to endure the same thing. “I’m born a woman, but I’m a woman with no uterus. I have no fallopian tubes. I don’t go through menstruation,” Semenya said. “Yes, I’m different, but it doesn’t make me less of a woman.” “I am here where I am because of dedication, hard work, discipline and all those things,” she added. How is it that men's sports don't operate on the same rule of lowering testosterone, only women's sports, if testosterone lowering drugs level the playing field? Let me be clear. I am totally against men in women's sports. Women need to be heard on this issue, that didn't just affect Caster Semenya but many women athletes who have high testosterone are still forced to take testosterone lowering drugs to compete. "So that each and every individual is treated with respect with dignity. Humanity is most important in sports and we need to teach the sportsmanship within us as women. You know, but for me I'll always advocate for what is right. I'll always question why women sports, you understand, why is it that important for a man to want to regulate women's sports? Why is not important to allow women to decide what is right for women's sports? Why is it that important for a man to want to justify himself he wants to say this is how women should look like? You understand for me, I think if those things you know we get to draw the line between men and women." If you want to have a deeper discussion on what it is to be a woman in a world that wants the eradication of the Divine Feminine, come to our live online event next week👇https://lnkd.in/gUy9ipG9 Previous episodes 👇 Gender Wars Humanity's Last Stand https://lnkd.in/gmkhncj3 Who are they? The Grandmasters behind the Agenda 👇 https://lnkd.in/gVHYm8zu Silent Civil War: When children go woke 👇 https://lnkd.in/gNS_NdE4 Rising from the Ashes 👇 https://lnkd.in/gR_38P_Z This will be a safe space in the true meaning of that word, sparking deeper conversation and connection. Small but mighty. All welcome!! To see more of my posts, join my network and click the 🔔 on my profile. 🧡 Email notification and latest article 👉https://lnkd.in/gDkKQEr7 Source https://lnkd.in/gzzNEnDK