Hartley was part of England's 2017 World Cup-winning squad
Women Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Talk About Periods – Hartley
Hartley, 32, remarked, “If a young girl tunes into the radio and hears I’m on my period, she might think, ‘oh, it’s perfectly normal for people to chat about this.'” She emphasized that it shouldn’t be a taboo subject. Women should feel comfortable discussing their periods; it’s a natural occurrence. “I received 4,000 direct messages from individuals expressing appreciation, saying, ‘thank you for bringing it up.'” She noted the overwhelming support from fathers of girls, mothers, teenagers, and even men, stating that the reaction wasn’t entirely negative. During the podcast, Hartley and her co-host, England bowler Kate Cross, talked about an email from a female listener in India who was prohibited from playing cricket with boys due to her menstrual cycle. In the UK, a campaign in 2022 indicated that 64% of girls in school would cease participating in sports by their mid-teens owing to period pain and stigma. “The more frequently it’s discussed, the more normalized it becomes,” Hartley stated. The subject is often brought up in cricket concerning menstrual bleeding and the tradition of wearing white during Test matches. England players have expressed a desire to continue donning the classic colors. “I got my first period at a club cricket match,” Hartley recalled. “We were all in white uniforms. It felt a bit awkward, and I went to the restroom only to discover I had started my period.” She conveyed that she was quite mature for her age, as all her friends had already experienced it. “I had to go into the dressing room and announce that I had gotten my first period and needed some sort of sanitary product. It was quite the challenge at 13.” Cross, who last played one of her eight red-ball games for England in 2023, described Test-match weeks as potentially “anxiety-inducing.” She mentioned that certain players opted to take pills to postpone their periods. “Many would prefer that option instead of risking an unpleasant situation while being televised in their whites,” she explained. Hartley responded, “I wouldn’t consider that. I would step off the field during every drinks break to change, ensuring I was cautious. Some players would even use pantiliners as a backup.”
Published: 2025-12-30 11:43:00
source: www.bbc.com
