Between concealment and exposure – menstruation status in professional sport from a sociological perspective

Abstract

The aim of this article is to examine, based on a literature review, the status of menstruation in professional sport from a sociological perspective. The first part of the article describes the broader sociocultural context that frames the perception and experience of menstruation and is followed by a review of the literature focused on sport. In the second part, the main factors that shape the status of menstruation in professional sport, i.e. the culture of concealment, the characteristics of the sport, the sport media coverage and menstrual activism, are discussed. As the article reveals, the coexistence of these factors causes that, on the one hand, menstruation is rarely the object of communication, mainly addressed to a broader public; on the other hand, menstrual activism contributes to some changes related to dress code or open discussion on menstrual issues. The conclusion indicates the meaning of sociological studies of menstruation in sports, pointing out the importance of the topic in basic and applied research and its social impact.

Keywords

• menstruation
• professional sport
• sociology
• culture of concealment
• menstrual activism