Talking about menstruation in professional women's sport: gendered communication between athletes, coaches and...

Communication about menstruation remains uneven within sporting environments despite growing recognition of the importance of menstrual health for athletes. This article investigates how female athletes communicate about menstruation and how gendered hierarchies shape these interactions. The analysis is based on responses to an online questionnaire completed by Polish professional athletes (N = 253). The findings indicate that menstruation is seldom discussed between athletes and coaches, with participants identifying social and institutional barriers, including menstrual taboo and the predominance of male coaches. In contrast, athletes reported discussing menstruation more openly with female team-mates, where such conversations often facilitated mutual support and the sharing of experiential knowledge about menstrual health. These interactions suggest that women's teams can function as 'counterspaces' where menstrual experiences can be acknowledged and normalised in ways largely absent from coach-athlete relationships. Findings highlight the importance of creating environments in which menstrual health can be openly discussed, as limited communication about menstruation may restrict athletes' access to information, support, and health-related guidance. By examining menstruation as a topic of health-related communication, the study contributes to scholarship on gender, embodiment and menstrual health, highlighting how institutional hierarchies shape the visibility and discussion of bodily processes across different social contexts.