Body image taboos holding girls back from playing sport, experts warn

Women's sport faces a critical juncture as the UK parliament has been made aware of a crippling obstacle: body image taboos preventing young girls from participating in sports into adulthood. According to experts, this issue is far more widespread than previously thought, with 64% of girls giving up on their sporting pursuits by the end of puberty.

Experts such as Olympic gold medalist Tanni Grey-Thompson emphasize that the lack of a comprehensive understanding of how sport affects female bodies is hindering progress. The summer's remarkable success in women's sports, she noted, can only be sustained if there are substantial programs in place to promote participation and support girls' well-being.

However, it is not just major safety concerns related to abuse that pose obstacles; small but significant barriers also need to be addressed. Dr Emma Ross, chief scientific officer at The Well HQ, pointed out that girls often struggle with physiological changes during puberty such as menstrual cycles, breast development, and urinary incontinence when engaging in physical activity.

These issues are compounded by societal pressure, which may lead girls to question their bodies' capabilities. According to Ross, teaching girls about their bodies through sport is an essential aspect of helping them develop a positive relationship with their physical selves. This, however, requires coaches who are not only empathetic but also knowledgeable and willing to tackle these topics.

The shift in understanding required to break down these barriers does not need significant investment; rather, it demands a collective willingness among those involved in sports to create an environment where girls feel comfortable discussing their bodies and overcoming the challenges that come with them. If this can be achieved, experts believe it would pave the way for generations of healthy and fit women who are empowered to participate fully in sports.

Ugh this is just heartbreaking . 64% of girls giving up on sports by puberty? That's like almost two-thirds of them. What kind of message are we sending to our daughters when we let societal pressure and stigma around menstruation, breast changes, etc. get in the way of their ability to enjoy sports and take care of their bodies? We need more coaches who can have these conversations with girls, not just about sports but about life! We should be promoting healthy body image, not perpetuating myths that our female bodies are inherently "weak" or "inadequate". Can't we just get it together and support our daughters in a way that lets them thrive?

I think its wild that we're only now realizing how big of a problem body image taboos are in sport . Its like, we've been so focused on promoting girls' participation that we forgot to address the fact that they might actually have periods and get boobies during puberty ! But seriously, its not just about safety concerns or physical changes - its about creating a culture where girls feel comfortable being themselves and discussing their bodies with coaches and teammates. We need more resources for coaches to learn how to support girls in a healthy way, and we need to shift the narrative around body image so that it's not seen as something to be ashamed of . I think its time for us to step up our game and make sports a safe space for all girls, regardless of their bodies

I THINK IT'S TOTALLY AMAZING THAT WE'RE FINALLY TALKING ABOUT THIS KIND OF STUFF IN THE UK PARLIAMENT!!! IT'S LIKE, REALLY OBVIOUS THAT THESE ISSUES NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU SEE stats LIKE 64% OF GIRLS QUIT SPORTS BY PUBERTY . I MEAN, CAN YOU IMAGINE IF WE COULD JUST HELP THEM THROUGH THOSE TOTALLY MESSY PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES WITH MENSTRUAL CYCLES AND BREAST DEVELOPMENT AND URINARY INCONTINENCE?! IT'S LIKE, SUCH A BIG DEAL, BUT ALSO SO SIMPLE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT . I WISH THERE WERE MORE COACHES OUT THERE WHO ARE WILLING TO TACKLE THESE TOPICS WITH THEIR PLAYERS AND HELP THEM GET A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR BODIES . IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ABUSE, IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE GIRLS FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THEIR SKINS AND ENJOYING SPORTS WITHOUT ALL THE STRESS . LET'S DO THIS, UK!

You know I'm just thinking, what's up with our society and how we're treating young girls? They're already dealing with so much pressure about their bodies, and then they have to worry about being good at sports too It's like, can't we just let them enjoy the game without all this added stress? And it's not just about safety concerns, it's about the little things that make a big difference. Like, do they know what's going on with their bodies during puberty? Do their coaches care enough to talk to them about it? It's like, we need to get our priorities straight and start supporting these girls in every way possible I mean, if we can make a change now, just think about the impact it could have for future generations

come on guys, we need to step up our game! it's not just about physical safety but also mental health & wellbeing. i mean, if coaches aren't making an effort to talk to girls about their bodies & how they're changing, how do we expect them to be confident in themselves? let's get behind initiatives that promote positive body image & support our young athletes through the ups & downs of puberty

I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE START TALKING ABOUT BODY IMAGE AND SAFETY IN SPORTS EARLY ON! I MEAN, I KNOW EVERYONE'S BEEN THERE - YOU'RE OUT PLAYING WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND THEN YOU HEAR SOMEONE MAKE A CRUEL COMMENT ABOUT THEIR BODY. IT CAN BE SO HARD TO SHAKE OFF THAT FEELING OF INSECTIBILITY! BUT WE NEED TO START TEACHING GIRLS (AND BOYS TOO!) FROM YOUNG AGE HOW TO BLOCK OUT THOSE NEGATIVE comments AND FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE STUFF. COACHES NEED TO BE TRAINED TO TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND HELP THEIR PLAYERS DEVELOP A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR BODIES. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT SAFETY, IT'S ABOUT BUILDING CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM!

I'm so frustrated when I think about how many young girls are being held back from pursuing their love of sports because they're worried about what their bodies will do . Like, come on, it's just puberty! It's supposed to be a big change, and we should be supporting these kids through it, not shaming them for having periods or breasts that are developing .

I'm loving the idea of coaches who are like, "Hey girl, you're doing great!" and aren't afraid to talk about the weird stuff that happens during puberty . We need more of those people in sports, so that girls feel empowered to be themselves, even if that means they have some awkward moments .

It's not just about safety concerns either; it's about creating an environment where girls feel comfortable being active and having fun . If we can do that, I think we'll see a whole new generation of strong, confident women who are passionate about sports .

omg this is so sad!! 64% of girls giving up on sports by puberty?! that's like half of all young girls dropping out! what's going on, is it just the pressure to look perfect or something more? i think we need more than just coaches who are empathetic, they need to be experts on body image and puberty too. like, why can't we have workshops or classes in schools that teach girls about their bodies and how to handle all these crazy changes during puberty?!

I think its wild how we're still having these conversations about girls not wanting to do sports 'cause of body image issues... like isn't this something that should've been addressed back when most of us were playing field hockey or soccer as kids? We're basically saying its okay for a girl to just give up on her sport because her body's going through puberty and she doesn't feel comfortable in it. Meanwhile, guys are still expected to be all like "toughen up" when they have similar issues... it just feels like we're not even acknowledging that girls' bodies are just as capable of changing and growing as ours are