In January 2015, the top-ranked British Tennis player Heather Watson broke the silence on menstruation and was lauded for her honesty globally. After she was defeated in the first round of the Australian Open, she cited “girl problems” as the reason for her lack of momentum. A little more than a year later, another woman has spoken up again, this time at the Olympics.
For the past week or so, 20-year old Fu Yuanhui has been somewhat of an internet sensation because of her antics at the international competition which have succeeded in bringing a smile on everyone's faces. Be it dorky conversations with the press or her frolics while on the podium, she has turned out to be one fun-loving and enthusiastic participant in this edition of the Summer Games.
As it turns out, that is not all that sets her apart.
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Fu has already won a bronze in the 100m backstroke event and was slated to finish with a medal at another team competition- the 4x100m medley relay. However, the Chinese swimmer ended up finishing fourth thus missing out a medal for her country by a small margin. In a conversation with the press after her event, Fu said, ““It’s because my period came yesterday, so I felt particularly tired – but this isn’t an excuse, I still didn’t swim well enough.”
I don’t think I performed very well today. I feel I let my teammates down,” she added with obvious pain and regret for the results of the race.
This openness among women athletes is important and should be encouraged. For one, it is massively courageous of Fu to compete on a particularly difficult day. Few women would try that. Secondly, her speaking out against this taboo is the first step towards gaining an open mind to the plight of female athletes.
One noticeable trend in this year's coverage of the Olympics has been the sexist negativity that almost every broadcaster has indulged in. From belittling women for wearing a Hijab while competing to bestowing the identity of a famous sportsman's wife on a talented woman athlete, the list is endless. With such a trend, it is easy to see why menstruation among female sportspersons is often overlooked and even ignored.
Perhaps this would not be the case if women's sports were actively televised and a sincere effort was made to sensitise the audience to the subject. So far, pregnancy and childbirth and the effect it can have on a female body have been widely discussed ever since athletes like Kim Clijsters came back from retirement to win major tournaments. However, unlike childbirth, menstruation is an issue that affects all female athletes. For it to be a taboo, is quite sad.
Another time bodily functions were brought to the limelight was when Paula Radcliffe took a roadside toilet break in the middle of the 2005 London Marathon. No one can argue that Radcliffe, a marathon champion, is not a good enough athlete. A completely normal phenomenon should not be subjected to such scrutiny. It should not be forgotten that athletes are just like the rest of us, only a lot more talented.
Fu Yuanhui is the latest addition to a very short list of women who have tried asserting themselves as human by speaking out against societal constraints and restrictions. It is hoped that more women follow suit.
