In a landmark moment for women’s sport here in Australia, the AFLW has announced players will no longer be required to wear white shorts during games, after mounting concerns around player’s health and wellbeing during menstruation. As talk around periods and monthly cycles have gone from taboo subjects rarely touched, to conversations that are now normalised within the world of sport, more women are making their voices heard when it comes to period anxiety and how it negatively impacts performance. From Wimbledon to the AFLW, it seems players are no longer willing to suffer for something that is a natural part of our bodies.
The decision by the AFLW marks a departure from the long-standing tradition in the sport that sees “away” teams wear white shorts on field. But after extensive consultation with clubs and players about periods, along with research that shows discomfort in uniforms can also serve as a major barrier for women and girls when it comes to participation in sport at any age and level, the code decided to break with such tradition and issue forth a new – more inclusive – era in women’s sport. Now, players across the VFLW, Under-18 Championships and any AFL-managed women and girls talent pathways will also ditch the white shorts.
As Laura Kane, AFL General Manager of Competitions, explained: “This is a pinnacle moment in the AFL’s history, creating a uniform policy that reflects the modern needs of female athletes.”
“There has been a movement in women’s sport globally to address athlete anxieties around wearing white shorts or pants during menstrual cycles. We have listened to our players and industry experts and created a best-practice policy to ensure we are removing any participation or performance barriers,” added Kane.
Following the decision, all 18 AFLW clubs will now be able to wear their regular coloured shorts for home matches, with the option to have an extra set of coloured shorts to be worn when necessary. These changes will come into effect at the start of the 2023 season, with the AFL working to ensure there are no colour clashes between teams each week.
As AFL General Manager of Women’s Football, Nicole Livingstone, explained, the decision is a major step forward for women’s sport at large. “I’m proud of the position the AFL has taken with this decision and thank our players for their leadership and passion. Whilst this is a policy change for women and girls in AFL-run competitions, the ripple effect for community sport for women and girls is immense – we want to lead to remove any barriers that prevent women and girls participating in Australian Football,” said Livingstone.
“Australian Football has progressed since the introduction of AFLW, and this change of policy showcases the commitment to the integration of women’s football and its unique needs.”
