{"id":"68bff8f1c70dcb60b109e597","columns":{"name":"Blood, Sweat, and No Shame: Chelsea FC Women \u0026 Here We Flo Smash Period Stigma in Sport","slug":"chelsea-fc-women-here-we-flo-smash-period-stigma","description":"\u003Ch3 data-start=\u0022237\u0022 data-end=\u0022287\u0022\u003ETurning the Pitch Into a Platform for Change\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u0022288\u0022 data-end=\u0022473\u0022\u003EIn September 2025, \u003Cstrong data-start=\u0022307\u0022 data-end=\u0022327\u0022\u003EChelsea FC Women\u003C\/strong\u003E, in partnership with menstrual care brand \u003Cstrong data-start=\u0022370\u0022 data-end=\u0022385\u0022\u003EHere We Flo\u003C\/strong\u003E, made global headlines by confronting one of sport\u2019s most persistent taboos: periods.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u0022475\u0022 data-end=\u0022796\u0022\u003EAhead of their season opener, the squad warmed up in \u003Cstrong data-start=\u0022528\u0022 data-end=\u0022572\u0022\u003Eshorts visibly marked with period stains\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2014 a bold, unapologetic statement that put menstrual health at the center of the conversation. What followed was an explosion of dialogue across media, sports, and education: finally, menstruation was impossible to ignore.\u003C\/p\u003E","category":"Category 2","author":"Chelsea Hornby","status":"Published","content":[{"id":"1","col":1,"sort":0,"type":"text","css_class":"wv-light-edit custom-theme","css_style":"","content":"\u003Ch3 data-start=\u0022237\u0022 data-end=\u0022287\u0022\u003ETurning the Pitch Into a Platform for Change\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u0022288\u0022 data-end=\u0022473\u0022\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EIn September 2025, \u003Cstrong data-start=\u0022307\u0022 data-end=\u0022327\u0022\u003EChelsea FC Women\u003C\/strong\u003E, in partnership with menstrual care brand \u003Cstrong data-start=\u0022370\u0022 data-end=\u0022385\u0022\u003EHere We Flo\u003C\/strong\u003E, made global headlines by confronting one of sport\u2019s most persistent taboos: periods.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u0022475\u0022 data-end=\u0022796\u0022\u003EAhead of their season opener, the squad warmed up in \u003Cstrong data-start=\u0022528\u0022 data-end=\u0022572\u0022\u003Eshorts visibly marked with period stains\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2014 a bold, unapologetic statement that put menstrual health at the center of the conversation. What followed was an explosion of dialogue across media, sports, and education: finally, menstruation was impossible to ignore.\u003C\/p\u003E","origin":"","children":[]},{"id":"14","col":1,"sort":1,"type":"spacer","css_class":"","content":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022space\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cstyle\u003E#ed-14 .space { height: 24px; }\u003C\/style\u003E","min_count":1,"max_count":1,"origin":"","children":[]},{"id":"12","col":1,"sort":2,"type":"container","css_class":"wv-boxed wv-spacer preset-columns-two-v2-default wv-light-edit","css_style":"","content":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022inner\u0022\u003E{{col=1}}\u003C\/div\u003E","min_count":1,"max_count":1,"origin":"","children":[{"id":"10","col":1,"sort":0,"type":"container","css_class":"columns-box wv-overflow_visible wv-light-edit","css_style":"","content":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022inner\u0022\u003E{{col=1}}\u003C\/div\u003E","min_count":1,"max_count":127,"origin":"","children":[{"id":"7","col":1,"sort":0,"type":"image","css_class":"wv-light-edit","css_style":"","content":"\u003Cimg alt=\u0022\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/cdn1.site-media.eu\/images\/352\/19055343\/2accf8f1e82b321e0ea729193bf1d4f9-HPF4NLmo5o-dIXw9t6qkGg.avif\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022caption-mfckhp6w\u0022\u003E\u003Cstyle\u003E#ed-7 img { width: 352px; }\u003C\/style\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cspan id=\u0022caption-mfckhp6w\u0022 role=\u0022caption\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\u0022color: rgb(96, 102, 105); font-family: \u0026quot;Helvetica Neue\u0026quot;, HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(245, 245, 245); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;\u0022\u003EPicture: Harriet Lander\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\u0022color: rgb(96, 102, 105); font-family: \u0026quot;Helvetica Neue\u0026quot;, HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(245, 245, 245); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;\u0022\u003E\u2013 Chelsea FC via Getty Images\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E","origin":"","children":[]}]},{"id":"11","col":1,"sort":1,"type":"container","css_class":"columns-box wv-overflow_visible wv-light-edit","css_style":"","content":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022inner\u0022\u003E{{col=1}}\u003C\/div\u003E","min_count":1,"max_count":127,"origin":10,"children":[{"id":"13","col":1,"sort":0,"type":"text","css_class":"custom-theme wv-light-edit","css_style":"","content":"\u003Ch3 data-start=\u0022798\u0022 data-end=\u0022825\u0022\u003EWhy It Hits Different\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u0022826\u0022 data-end=\u00221155\u0022\u003EFor too long, menstruation has been shrouded in silence \u2014 especially in athletics, where performance is glorified while women\u2019s bodies are downplayed. This campaign did what medical reports, quiet policy papers, and whispered locker room chats have failed to do: it \u003Cstrong data-start=\u00221092\u0022 data-end=\u00221152\u0022\u003Eforced the world to see what women live with every month\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u00221157\u0022 data-end=\u00221296\u0022\u003EBy making menstruation visible on the pitch, Chelsea FC Women and Here We Flo reframed periods as a fact of sport, not a shameful secret.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 data-start=\u00221298\u0022 data-end=\u00221334\u0022\u003EHere We Flo\u2019s Disruptive Voice\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u00221335\u0022 data-end=\u00221589\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong data-start=\u00221335\u0022 data-end=\u00221350\u0022\u003EHere We Flo\u003C\/strong\u003E has built its identity around breaking taboos. From eco-friendly menstrual products to cheeky campaigns that challenge outdated narratives, the brand has consistently placed education, empowerment, and humor at the heart of its mission.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u00221591\u0022 data-end=\u00221770\u0022\u003EThis collaboration with Chelsea FC Women amplified that ethos on a global scale. The message was clear: \u003Cstrong data-start=\u00221695\u0022 data-end=\u00221768\u0022\u003Emenstruation is natural, normal, and deserves visibility, not stigma.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","min_count":1,"max_count":1,"origin":"","children":[]}]}],"from_preset":"columns-two-v2"},{"id":"15","col":1,"sort":3,"type":"spacer","css_class":"","content":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022space\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cstyle\u003E#ed-15 .space { height: 24px; }\u003C\/style\u003E","min_count":1,"max_count":1,"origin":"14","children":[]},{"id":"5","col":1,"sort":4,"type":"text","css_class":"wv-light-edit custom-theme","css_style":"","content":"\u003Ch3 data-start=\u00221772\u0022 data-end=\u00221802\u0022\u003EA Cultural Ripple Effect\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u00221803\u0022 data-end=\u00222019\u0022\u003ESocial media lit up within hours. Athletes praised the campaign as overdue, advocates called for systemic change, and fans applauded the courage it took for an elite women\u2019s team to stage such a visceral statement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u00222021\u0022 data-end=\u00222280\u0022\u003ESchools and youth sports programs quickly picked up on the campaign, using it to spark conversations around body literacy and confidence. In a single matchday moment, a football pitch became a classroom, a protest ground, and a billboard for women\u2019s health.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 data-start=\u00222282\u0022 data-end=\u00222305\u0022\u003EInsideHer Insight\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u00222306\u0022 data-end=\u00222367\u0022\u003EThis wasn\u2019t a marketing stunt. It was \u003Cstrong data-start=\u00222344\u0022 data-end=\u00222365\u0022\u003Ea cultural reset.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u00222369\u0022 data-end=\u00222724\u0022\u003EInsideHer recognizes the importance of initiatives that weave together health, culture, and sport. When women\u2019s health is made visible in public arenas, it chips away at stigma that silences generations. Chelsea FC Women and Here We Flo didn\u2019t just warm up in stained shorts \u2014 they \u003Cstrong data-start=\u00222651\u0022 data-end=\u00222722\u0022\u003Ewarmed up a global audience to a new way of thinking about periods.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 data-start=\u00222726\u0022 data-end=\u00222746\u0022\u003EThe Road Ahead\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u00222747\u0022 data-end=\u00222942\u0022\u003EThis campaign sets a new standard for visibility in women\u2019s health. Imagine if every sports team, brand, or institution embraced menstrual health openly \u2014 how quickly the narrative would shift.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u00222944\u0022 data-end=\u00223066\u0022\u003EThe challenge now is sustaining momentum. More clubs, sponsors, and policymakers must follow suit with tangible support:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\u0022margin-left: 20px ;\u0022\u003E\u003Cli data-start=\u00223069\u0022 data-end=\u00223121\u0022\u003EMenstrual health education in every sports academy\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-start=\u00223124\u0022 data-end=\u00223178\u0022\u003EPolicy updates ensuring period-positive environments\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli data-start=\u00223181\u0022 data-end=\u00223244\u0022\u003EVisibility campaigns that normalize, not hide, women\u2019s bodies\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u00223246\u0022 data-end=\u00223308\u0022\u003EThe future of sport \u2014 and of women\u2019s health \u2014 depends on it.\u003Cbr\u003EStay connected with InsideHer for bold stories where health, culture, and advocacy collide.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u00223408\u0022 data-end=\u00223534\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong data-start=\u00223408\u0022 data-end=\u00223421\u0022\u003EKeywords:\u003C\/strong\u003E menstrual health, Chelsea FC Women, Here We Flo, period stigma, women in sport, cultural change, body literacy\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u00223408\u0022 data-end=\u00223534\u0022\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp data-start=\u00223408\u0022 data-end=\u00223534\u0022\u003EFor media enquires: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:media@insideher.org\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Emedia@insideher.org\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","origin":"","children":[]},{"id":"6","col":1,"sort":5,"type":"spacer","css_class":"wv-light-edit","css_style":"","content":"\u003Cdiv style=\u0022height:50px;\u0022 class=\u0022space\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","origin":"","children":[]}],"image":{"id":19055244,"filename":"ecc7ede33cf81b82fc74fb8da10830ab-BsnZntpSovJX1kfw0A-pfg.avif","url":"https:\/\/cdn1.site-media.eu\/images\/0\/19055244\/ecc7ede33cf81b82fc74fb8da10830ab-BsnZntpSovJX1kfw0A-pfg.avif"},"publishing_date":"2025-09-08T22:00:00+00:00","seo":{"no_index_tag":false,"description":"Join Chelsea FC Women and Here We Flo as they challenge period stigma in sport, making menstrual health a bold priority.","keywords":"menstrual health, Chelsea FC Women, Here We Flo, period stigma, women in sport, cultural change","open_graph_image":{"id":19056177,"url":"https:\/\/cdn1.site-media.eu\/images\/0\/19056177\/Screenshot2025-09-09at15.50.11-zj-tyA6mqkUb2IxXiqF65Q.png","filename":"Screenshot2025-09-09at15.50.11-zj-tyA6mqkUb2IxXiqF65Q.png"}},"createdAt":"2025-09-09T11:52:49+02:00","updatedAt":"2025-09-09T15:56:57+02:00"},"collection":{"id":"68bff8f0f0bb3f6fa805ab25","name":"Blog","slug":"blog","link":null},"createdAt":"2025-09-09T11:52:49+02:00","updatedAt":"2025-09-09T15:56:57+02:00","link":{"type":"self","href":"https:\/\/api.sitehub.io\/collection\/68bff8f0f0bb3f6fa805ab25\/item\/68bff8f1c70dcb60b109e597"}}