Anna McGann: ‘Every Club Should Be Providing Young Girls With Period Products’

Period stigma is still a massive problem in the sporting world – and there’s research to prove it.

Four in five people in Ireland report difficulty in finding period products in public venues. What’s more is that 62% have had to leave a sports event, concert or social activity early due to lack of access to period products.

Saturday’s Women’s Six Nations game saw Ireland take on Scotland in front of over 30,000 fans. The largest crowd the women’s team has played at home before, by a mile.

It was also the first time that period products have been available for free in the Aviva Stadium, as part of a new campaign with Riley Period Care.

“It’s an unbelievable weekend to do it, it’s such a momentous occasion. It’s the first time we’re playing in the Aviva, and hopefully it’s the first of many,” sportswoman Anna McGann tells STELLAR before the game (which the team won, of course).

 

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“This weekend will be so huge. For all of these young girls at the game, they’ll be seeing this partnership and seeing us talking about it, and then maybe they might feel comfortable talking about it too.”

Anna says that having free access to period products in clubs and stadiums when she was younger would have been “huge.” As it stands, the vast majority of people say period stigma still affects their sporting confidence.

“Your period wasn’t really talked about when I was growing up,” she says. “We didn’t have access to free period products, if you forgot your own you wouldn’t have any.

“This shows clubs that it’s important young girls don’t feel left out ot vulnerable or in a position where they don’t have access to products. We’re doing it on a huge stage and showing the younger generation that this is the way forward. You shouldn’t ever feel left out.”

Anna goes on to say that clubs owe it to young girls to support them in any way they can – and that includes during their period.

“When I was younger you’d be training, and sometimes you’d have male coaches and you wouldn’t really feel comfortable saying anything,” she says. “I missed training sessions because of my period, so this has been huge on breaking down this barrier.

“Every club should be providing young girls with period products. The more we do it, the less the stigma.”

Over 31,000 tickets were sold to Saturday’s game – a record breaking number for an Irish women’s rugby match. The event was historic, and Anna is excited for what’s to come next.

“There was a real shift when we were in the World Cup last September in England,” she says. “We were playing to a crowd of 30,000 and we thought, we want to bring this home, we want the opportunity to fill stadiums.

“Before this our biggest crowd at home was 9,000. When given the opportunity we can fill stadiums. It’s really exciting.”

You can find out more about Riley Period Care here.