An NWSL team is the latest sports organization to swap out white shorts to accommodate players on their periods
- The Orlando Pride have switched their uniforms from white to black shorts during away games.
- The move comes amidst a growing movement to accommodate athletes competing during their periods.
The Orlando Pride are sporting a slightly new look for the upcoming season.
But the subtle changes to their kits make a not-so-subtle difference for the club's players.
The Pride are swapping out the white shorts from their fan-favorite Luna kits in favor of black bottoms for the National Women's Soccer League's 2023 campaign. The move is meant to help Orlando's stars compete during their periods without any hesitation or fear of wardrobe complications.
"The reasons behind not wanting to wear white shorts are clear, but it is unfortunately something that hasn't been addressed until recently," Pride midfielder Erika Tymrak said in release from the team. "I think it's a big step for us as a club to make players feel comfortable and allow us to focus solely on competing."
Sources within Orlando's organization tell Insider that the Pride's 2023 uniform alterations come after clubs in England's FA Women's Super League — including Manchester City — made similar changes to their kits last fall. With Orlando already making adjustments to its jerseys in order to increase the visibility of players' names and numbers on the back, the franchise opted to "re-launch" the uniforms with black lettering as well as black bottoms to address both issues at once.
The revamped Luna kits make the Pride the first club in the NWSL to rock uniforms specifically mindful of players' concerns about their menstrual cycles.
Though they're among the first to actually implement jersey alterations based on menstruation, Orlando and Manchester City aren't the only entities in women's sports to consider such changes.
England's Lionesses publicly discussed a similar adjustment for the national team during their run to the 2022 European Championship. According to BBC, England's football association (the FA) offered to take players' perspectives into consideration while working in "close consultation" with jersey sponsor Nike on their options.
Even Wimbledon — among the most traditional sporting events in the world — became the target of similar calls for adaptations. And beginning this year, female players in the tournament will be allowed to "solid, mid/dark-coloured undershorts provided they are no longer than their shorts or skirt."
Historically, the all-white dress code at the All-England Club was undoubtedly part of The Championships' lore, but several players — including current WTA star Qinwen Zheng and former Olympic champion Monica Puig — highlighted "the mental stress of having to wear all white at Wimbledon and praying not to have your period during those two weeks."
The Pride's move for 2023 may very well further catalyze change across the sports world, Dr. Christine Greves — Orlando's team OBGYN — suggested in the club's release. By accommodating athletes who are on their periods, she says, teams are prioritizing "setting up [their] athletes for success both on and off the field."
"This is a commendable move by the Orlando Pride and one that will surely improve the level of comfort amongst its players," Greves continued. "As a society we need to continue to work to normalize talking about the health and well-being pertaining to the female body, and the period is a huge part of that."