Femtech Fes! Online Vol. 4 "Sports x Femtech: Athletes and Periods"
On May 2, 2020, we held fermata's first sports-focused event, the 4th installment of Femtech Fes! Online.
At this event, we invited current and former world-class athletes Shiho Shimoyamada and Honami Uchiyama of Rebolt Inc. as guests, and asked them about various issues, concerns, and solutions related to the "world of female athletes."
[Period Concerns Unique to Athletes]
The period concerns of female athletes are diverse, ranging from performance changes due to the menstrual cycle to pads falling off during practice or games (!).
According to the two guests, who have played overseas, most of their teammates in Italy and Germany used tampons, and it was normal to know which players were using tampons (such as when bathing).
Also, Ms. Uchiyama mentioned that the pads she used in Italy felt a bit inferior in quality.
They shared their experiences regarding the taboo surrounding menstruation and the differences in quality of menstrual products.
Regarding the concern from a participant, "I can't concentrate on games or practice due to period pain," Ms. Shimoyamada replied, "I used over-the-counter painkillers, but their effectiveness is limited and they don't work for severe symptoms, so I've recently started thinking it might be better to address the period itself!"
It is hoped that an environment will be established where people can safely access options that suit them, such as low-dose birth control pills, which are still not widely used in Japan.
In connection with period concerns, we also discussed physical issues faced by athletes (stress fractures, urinary incontinence, amenorrhea, etc.). Excessive nutritional management (dietary restrictions) can lead to stress fractures, and it is not uncommon for periods to stop completely if meals are neglected during intense training.
Ms. Uchiyama, who always had irregular periods during her active career, shared her experience, saying, "I didn't think it was a bad thing," and "I also felt resistance to going to a gynecologist."
While it might seem easier when your period doesn't come, we realized that it's important to first properly address your own menstruation.
Ms. Shimoyamada, an active player, pointed out the problem that in team sports and club activities where everyone practices together, there's an atmosphere where athletes can't say they need to "sit out due to period pain."
Ms. Uchiyama, who also has experience as a coach, said that there are still many coaches and athletes who think that "resting equals slacking off," not just for periods, so she tries to tell them, "If you decide to rest after properly understanding your body, then that's the best thing to do."
[Sports x Femtech]
In the latter half of the event, we also introduced femtech items useful for sports.
Participants joined in the lively discussion, saying things like, "Pads cause discomfort and get wet with sweat, so I want to try period underwear!" and "Tracking apps, which have actually produced results in the U.S., seem promising for improving athletic performance!"
Ms. Shimoyamada mentioned that there is no #MeToo movement yet in the sports world, and that female soccer teams in the U.S. are taking action against visible gender bias, such as filing lawsuits over wage disparities.
In the final topic, we addressed examples of lingering gender bias in the sports world, considering their causes and what we can do about them.
Many anecdotes and data were shared by participants, such as "I was told by a boys' team not to score goals just because I'm a girl" and "When male athletes achieve results, it's attributed to their effort, but for women, it tends to be attributed to inherent physical characteristics."
In the discussion on what can be done to avoid gender bias, the example of the taboo surrounding menstruation was raised: "If students are only taught about menstruation in segregated classes for girls, then female athletes can't openly discuss their periods." "It's necessary to consider why gender bias persists. While it might be difficult to see when only looking at the sports world, if we broaden our perspective to society as a whole, we can understand why problems are occurring." Perhaps it is necessary for us to first recognize and understand the unconsciously ingrained taboos and prejudices we hold.
Finally, we introduced several cases where athletes in the sports world are speaking out.
▼Here's why I ran the London Marathon on the first day of my period – and chose not to wear a tampon
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/heres-why-i-ran-the-london-marathon-on-the-first-day-of-my-period-and-chose-not-to-wear-a-tampon-10455176.html
▼"My pad fell off during a game," "My uniform was soaked in blood": Female athletes speak candidly about their periods.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/jp/saoriibuki/colorful-athletes
Ms. Shimoyamada: I have the impression that those who realize that their current situation is not normal are starting to speak out. Although they sometimes face criticism, they are speaking out because they genuinely want to enjoy sports and create an atmosphere where they can talk casually about themselves.
Ms. Uchiyama: While speaking out now is attracting attention, I hope that the current taboos will become normal and integrate into society as soon as possible!
This time, we discussed sports, but I felt that the concerns of athletes are also issues that all women face. As long as gaps and biases remain in society as a whole, athletes cannot escape them alone. This session made me want to work with people from various backgrounds to create a better society.
fermata plans to hold Femtech Fes! on various themes in the future.
For future event information, please see here.