When I was a teen I had (undiagnosed) endometriosis. It was too painful to get a tampon in, and my regimen was doubling up on pads, weare biker shorts under my clothes. This was learned the hard way after leaking onto a friend's white carpet during a sleepover. So yeah, not miniscule.

Check out "The White dress PRoject"

My first few years were horrendous … plenty of accidents. I would speak out about white shorts as uniforms.

I was a swimmer and didn't really have this issue, but now that I'm older I have RIDICULOUSLY heavy periods. Most recent traumatic event was when a tampon I'd put in half an hour earlier leaked through my underwear (with thong liner) and leggings onto an airplane seat. I know.

I totally see the issue.

Adding onto this that it's terrible to only allow a 5 minute change between classes when kids are also supposed to use that time for the restroom. For menstruating girls, 5 min may not be enough time to take care of things in addition to walking to next class, etc.

Leaks aside, why would anyone want to play soccer in white shorts? Seems to me those shorts would get dirty fast and be hard to clean.

low odds for me but I realize that all women are different, so I'd never make a generalization.

I had heavy periods in my youth. When I was in college, years after my periods became regular like clockwork, I once had a leak so bad that the front of my shorts were soaked. People who haven’t experienced heavy menstrual bleeding just don’t get it.

Anonymous wrote:I literally ALWAYS leak. Also, I played on a boys soccer team when I was 12. I got my first-ever period DURING a game. Yes, we wore white shorts. Was absolutely one of the most traumatic moments in my childhood.

Wow. Just wow.

White is not a good idea for uniform shorts for girls. There is no reason to make this a concern for any girl. Talk to your coaches!

I have vivid memories of being at an after school activity at the library when I was 13 and discovering I had leaked through my white jeans. It was mortifying. And those were jeans, not thin soccer shorts, and I could sit in a chair with a sweatshirt tied around my waist and pretend it didn’t happen - I.e. wasn’t on full display to my team and spectators.

Plenty of young teens get heavy periods, and haven’t yet figured out how to fully manage that. Coaches, push for dark shorts!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, every time I see a young girl in white shorts I think about this as a possibility. I never knew when my periods was coming when I was a kid. I would have hated to wear white shorts.

This. Girls are not tracking their cycle at 13.

And they’re often not regular at that age anyway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm 33 and this has never happened to me. I only wear tampons and on the first two heavier days I wear a thong pantyliner too.

Count your blessings. Heavy periods require a tampon, granny undies and a diaper sized pad.

Yes, and please don't forget those of us who have the periods that seem like they are done for a day or two and then return with a vengance . . . or not.

The person who wrote the original statement had to be a man, right?

Not necessarily. I have a heavy period and my mom did not - she had a light period with no cramps and no mood swings and did not get me at all.

Anonymous wrote:This came up in another context, discussing white shorts as part of girls' soccer uniforms.

I'd like to ask the women here whether they have ever had a leak while menstruating -- in particular while wearing white clothing -- and whether they agree or disagree that the odds of white shorts causing embarrassment are indeed miniscule.

Thank you!

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/15/828646.page

Women who have a choice and are worried about leaks don't wear white clothing while menstruating. These girls don't have a choice.

White uniform shorts are a horrible idea for pubescent girls.
There are girls on those teams whose pleasure in the sport is mitigated by the worry of embarrassment, which could easily be avoided by assigning shorts of a darker color. Why add emotional stress to a situation that is supposed to be fun?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm 33 and this has never happened to me. I only wear tampons and on the first two heavier days I wear a thong pantyliner too.

Count your blessings. Heavy periods require a tampon, granny undies and a diaper sized pad.

Yes, and please don't forget those of us who have the periods that seem like they are done for a day or two and then return with a vengance . . . or not.

The person who wrote the original statement had to be a man, right?

Anonymous wrote:I'm 33 and this has never happened to me. I only wear tampons and on the first two heavier days I wear a thong pantyliner too.

Count your blessings. Heavy periods require a tampon, granny undies and a diaper sized pad.