@FL HS Athletic Association and Periods

[hermione]

Sorry if I missed discussion on this. It is currently being debated to make questions about female athletes menstrual cycles mandatory. They are currently optional. The questions are:

When was your first menstrual period?

When was your most recent menstrual period?

How much time do you usually have from the start of one period to the start of another?

How many periods have you had in the last year?

What was the longest time between periods in the last year?

Not only is this a blatant attempt to block trans athletes, it looks like a handy little database of information for when it's time to select Handmaids. Because they are also deciding if this information has to be stored at medical offices or not.


www.wtsp.com/article/news/health/florida-student-athlete-health-forms-period-question/67-5cc88559-b23f-4fce-b291-d6895b820665

[cattledogkisses]

Nope. There is no reason why a school needs to know that.

[mpm]

This is asinine. I won’t even be providing this information to my own medical providers going forward, (@ nor will I allow it to be documented in my daughters’ medical records.) Not as long as abortion is illegal in my state and there’s a law enforcement exception to HIPAA. Fifth amendment life lessons: don’t talk to cops and never tell anyone the date of your LMP.

[picksthemusic]

Absolutely not.

[definitelyO]

I cannot even fathom how they justify that as relevant to athletics. FFS.

[doxies]

This made me curious, so I looked at the NJ Athletic Participation form for high school students - it's the standard form our school district uses. I'm not sure what they would do if you refused to answer, but we do have 3 questions labeled "Females Only" at the end of the health history form. It asks:
Have you ever had a menstrual period?
How old were you when you had your first menstrual period?
How many periods have you had in the last 12 months?

The form is turned in to the school nurse along with a physician's physical in order to participate in sports each year.

[hermione]

Feb 2, 2023 10:56:05 GMT -5 doxies said:

This made me curious, so I looked at the NJ Athletic Participation form for high school students - it's the standard form our school district uses. I'm not sure what they would do if you refused to answer, but we do have 3 questions labeled "Females Only" at the end of the health history form. It asks:
Have you ever had a menstrual period?
How old were you when you had your first menstrual period?
How many periods have you had in the last 12 months?

The form is turned in to the school nurse along with a physician's physical in order to participate in sports each year.

Interesting. Are they mandatory? They've been optional on the FL form for decades.

[sunshineandpinot]

My kids' school asks these questions on the sports physical. It's N/A for my youngest but I just left it blank for my older dd and no one mentioned it to me. No issues participating. I will continue to leave that section blank.

[hermione]

Feb 2, 2023 10:59:04 GMT -5 sunshineandpinot said:

My kids' school asks these questions on the sports physical. It's N/A for my youngest but I just left it blank for my older dd and no one mentioned it to me. No issues participating. I will continue to leave that section blank.

I just checked Michigan's form. Three questions listed as optional.

[sonrisa]

So messed up.

[doxies]

Feb 2, 2023 10:58:39 GMT -5 hermione said:

Feb 2, 2023 10:56:05 GMT -5 doxies said:

This made me curious, so I looked at the NJ Athletic Participation form for high school students - it's the standard form our school district uses. I'm not sure what they would do if you refused to answer, but we do have 3 questions labeled "Females Only" at the end of the health history form. It asks:
Have you ever had a menstrual period?
How old were you when you had your first menstrual period?
How many periods have you had in the last 12 months?

The form is turned in to the school nurse along with a physician's physical in order to participate in sports each year.

Interesting. Are they mandatory? They've been optional on the FL form for decades.

Nothing is labeled optional or mandatory.  You do sign at the bottom that the answers are complete and correct.  

[penguingrrl]

NJ asks age of onset and number per year as well. Not sure why, but in NJ I don’t believe it’s about being trans-exclusionary. I believe the form hasn’t been revamped since I was a kid and it asked it then, too.

However, adding it now, especially in FL, does feel like it has a trans-exclusionary intent.

[theoriginalbean]

I do think this is complete bullshit and likely nefarious, but I'll add that I do talk about these things with the teenage menstruating athletes I work with just as a baseline for identifying overtraining and disordered eating patterns. It's easier to see changes if you have a pattern established. They don't report it directly to me or to anyone else, but I could see how it may have been asked for completely logical reasons, in the past.

That said, I'm leaning toward suggesting they track on paper instead of in an app for the very reasons listed above.

[seeyalater52]

Feb 2, 2023 11:05:47 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

NJ asks age of onset and number per year as well. Not sure why, but in NJ I don’t believe it’s about being trans-exclusionary. I believe the form hasn’t been revamped since I was a kid and it asked it then, too.

However, adding it now, especially in FL, does feel like it has a trans-exclusionary intent.

Yeah regardless of how or why it has been used previously or whether it is optional vs mandatory it is very clear the context in which this is occurring in FL, the focus of the original post.

[seeyalater52]

We can just say that things are transphobic and misogynistic without trying to see the other side. People who are impacted by this are sharing how they will be impacted so we can just… believe them.

[Wallflower]

I don't think this is anything new on school/youth activity documents. Not long after I moved in with him at 15, I remember my Dad and I filling out a health form and when I responded to the question about "normal length of cycle" with "~35 days," he couldn't believe that was OK. He dragged me off to my stepmom (who taught health) to confirm that this wasn't some sign that I had a problem. And that was 40 years ago.

Now, in today's climate, I would absolutely tell someone to ignore questions like that. I'm just saying I don't think it is new, that it is being asked specifically and only a result of the right-wing-nuts trying to exert control over women's bodies.

[mpm]

I mean, you could argue that information about erections is relevant to potential steroid drug abuse, but these forms aren’t asking boys those questions and we all know why.

[seeyalater52]

Feb 2, 2023 11:33:54 GMT -5 Wallflower said:

I don't think this is anything new on school/youth activity documents. Not long after I moved in with him at 15, I remember my Dad and I filling out a health form and when I responded to the question about "normal length of cycle" with "~35 days," he couldn't believe that was OK. He dragged me off to my stepmom (who taught health) to confirm that this wasn't some sign that I had a problem. And that was 40 years ago.

Now, in today's climate, I would absolutely tell someone to ignore questions like that. I'm just saying I don't think it is new, that it is being asked specifically and only a result of the right-wing-nuts trying to exert control over women's bodies.

It is being asked - and being made MANDATORY to report - in this specific state for that specific reason though and that IS new, with a hefty side dose of transphobia (hard to know which is leading and following here, but def a combo.) They have not hidden that. It is explicit.

[wanderingback]

Feb 2, 2023 10:39:06 GMT -5 definitelyO said:

I cannot even fathom how they justify that as relevant to athletics. FFS.

To be clear it is relevant to athletics (and to any athlete who has periods) in regards to overtraining and eating disorders discussions. However, FL and many other states are obviously fucked up when it comes to abortion rights and transgender rights, so that’s where the problem is. But medically speaking these are questions that should be asked by medical professionals but schools do not need to know, they just need to know if someone is cleared to play or needs any special accommodations.

[Jalapeñomel]

IMO, the only thing on this form should be: IS THIS STUDENT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS, YES OR NO. then the doc signs it, and done.

There should not be any discussion of periods or other bullshit, regardless if it's always been done that way or not.

[cattledogkisses]

Feb 2, 2023 12:18:24 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

IMO, the only thing on this form should be: IS THIS STUDENT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS, YES OR NO. then the doc signs it, and done.

There should not be any discussion of periods or other bullshit, regardless if it's always been done that way or not.

Yes, this. A doctor can attest that the student in question is healthy enough to play X sport. The school does not need specific medical information. 

[StrawberryBlondie]

Obvious WTF issues aside, am I the only one who would've legitimately had difficulty answering these questions?

[mpm]

Feb 2, 2023 13:50:22 GMT -5 StrawberryBlondie said:

Obvious WTF issues aside, am I the only one who would've legitimately had difficulty answering these questions?

No, you’re not. I have an IUD so my last real period was about 3 years ago. And when I was (12? 13? Idk) I wasn’t told that my age at first menstruation was something I’d need to remember, so it’s not something I retained. I told a gynecologist that once and she looked at me like I had three heads.

[penguingrrl]

Feb 2, 2023 13:50:22 GMT -5 StrawberryBlondie said:

Obvious WTF issues aside, am I the only one who would've legitimately had difficulty answering these questions?

Oh, absolutely. My period pretty much always surprises me because I never remember to keep track. I have no idea how regular I am, even. Probably bad but it hasn’t affected me yet.

[Deleted]

Feb 2, 2023 13:50:22 GMT -5 StrawberryBlondie said:

Obvious WTF issues aside, am I the only one who would've legitimately had difficulty answering these questions?

I have no idea when my last period was. It may have been 10 years ago? Maybe 8? I honestly can’t remember if I had a period after my son was born or not. For a while I answered “n/a” on those medical forms, and I’ve just started leaving it blank. When asked, I respond with “is that relevant to the care I’m receiving today?” and if it’s not, my providers have generally been understanding about not pressing me to answer.

Even when I was regularly menstruating and tracking on paper (because that’s all we had back then) I couldn’t have recalled that information at a medical appointment, and definitely not when I was a HS athlete.

[definitelyO]

Feb 2, 2023 12:05:31 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

Feb 2, 2023 10:39:06 GMT -5 definitelyO said:

I cannot even fathom how they justify that as relevant to athletics. FFS.

To be clear it is relevant to athletics (and to any athlete who has periods) in regards to overtraining and eating disorders discussions. However, FL and many other states are obviously fucked up when it comes to abortion rights and transgender rights, so that’s where the problem is. But medically speaking these are questions that should be asked by medical professionals but schools do not need to know, they just need to know if someone is cleared to play or needs any special accommodations.

yes 100% agree - they just need to know if someone is cleared to play or needs any special accommodations. And I would think the general question of "are your periods regular" could suffice - no need for dates, etc.. for an athletic permission slip.

[gardengal]

I can definitely see why that period info is important to menustrating athletes but the school/coach has absolutely no need to have access to that info. The athlete’s dr can address any concerns at the annual physical appointment needed to fill out the form.

[seeyalater52]

Feb 2, 2023 16:17:45 GMT -5 gardengal said:

I can definitely see why that period info is important to menustrating athletes but the school/coach has absolutely no need to have access to that info. The athlete’s dr can address any concerns at the annual physical appointment needed to fill out the form.

Correct except that because there is a ban on trans athletes in public secondary schools and colleges in FL (since 2021) the government and to some extent schools think they’re entitled to this information because it allows them to be extra heavy handed at enforcing that ban.

[katespade]

Feb 2, 2023 16:14:56 GMT -5 definitelyO said:

Feb 2, 2023 12:05:31 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

To be clear it is relevant to athletics (and to any athlete who has periods) in regards to overtraining and eating disorders discussions. However, FL and many other states are obviously fucked up when it comes to abortion rights and transgender rights, so that’s where the problem is. But medically speaking these are questions that should be asked by medical professionals but schools do not need to know, they just need to know if someone is cleared to play or needs any special accommodations.

yes 100% agree - they just need to know if someone is cleared to play or needs any special accommodations. And I would think the general question of "are your periods regular" could suffice - no need for dates, etc.. for an athletic permission slip.

"Are your periods regular" is not something that the school/coach needs to know for any reason. Cleared/not cleared to participate is as far as these forms should go. 

[Jalapeñomel]

Feb 2, 2023 16:14:56 GMT -5 definitelyO said:

Feb 2, 2023 12:05:31 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

To be clear it is relevant to athletics (and to any athlete who has periods) in regards to overtraining and eating disorders discussions. However, FL and many other states are obviously fucked up when it comes to abortion rights and transgender rights, so that’s where the problem is. But medically speaking these are questions that should be asked by medical professionals but schools do not need to know, they just need to know if someone is cleared to play or needs any special accommodations.

yes 100% agree - they just need to know if someone is cleared to play or needs any special accommodations. And I would think the general question of "are your periods regular" could suffice - no need for dates, etc.. for an athletic permission slip.

Plenty of people who menstruate and are healthy don’t have regular periods and still are physically capable of playing sports. This is completely unnecessary.