The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have announced they will provide free period products for players, employees, fans and visitors ahead of this weekend’s NRLW Women in League double-header at Belmore Sports Ground.
The South-west Sydney NRL rugby league club has become the first to offer menstruation products for free in female bathrooms and locker rooms at their home ground.
The CEO of Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Aaron Warburton said the initiative, in partnership with Rentokil Initial, aims to support women and break down barriers that may hold women back from being involved in the game or from performing at their best.
“Women make a tremendous contribution at all levels of our Football Club and the advancement, growth and progression of the women’s game is a priority for the Bulldogs,” Warburton said.
“We are committed to creating even greater opportunities for women, as well as developing pathways to help female staff and players reach their aspirations. Part of this commitment comes with the provision of all the tools and resources they need to succeed both on and off the field.”
The Bulldogs’ female football operations coordinator Lauren Milner said the initiative was a “no-brainer” and urged other NRL clubs to follow suit.
“There have been countless times when I have had young, female players approach me as a team manager to ask for period products as they have been caught unawares. So much so, that I have taken to carrying products with me when attending training sessions and games,” Milner said.
“We want all of our players to feel empowered to play at their best, focusing only on their athletic development.
“We strongly feel that our players shouldn’t have to ask for essential items like this and having the Club and Rentokil Initial support our females with access whenever they need it, is truly a credit to their unwavering support in the advancement of female sports people.”
Rentokil Initial has installed dispensers and bins in all bathrooms and female locker rooms at the Bulldogs’ home ground, the Belmore Sports Ground, to champion their washroom dignity movement among corporations in Australia.
Research from the organisation revealed 61 per cent of working women in Australia experience anxiety over not having adequate access to period and incontinence products at work. More than half said they have previously taken time out of their workday to buy these products.
Karen Kavanagh, the marketing director Pacific for Rentokil Initial, said a woman’s period should not be a barrier for their performance at work, whether that’s in an office or on the sporting field.
“There’s been so much recent progress to remove hurdles in women’s professional sport and it’s fantastic to see the Bulldogs leading the way in removing the stigma around menstruation in women’s sports by creating more inclusive washrooms,” Kavanagh said.
“We hope it sets a new standard for sports clubs and that it prompts corporate Australia to catch up and support washroom dignity at work for the benefit of working women across the country.
“Washroom dignity is a conversation that has flown under the radar among many businesses for years, but that has got to change.”
The NRL Women in League round kicked off last night with the men’s Brisbane Broncos beating the Sydney Roosters 32-10.
This is the first Women in League round to include both NRL and NRLW matches. Eight NRL and five NRLW matches will be played over the weekend.
Australia has a total of 39,164 registered female players in Club Rugby League, an increase of 14 percentage points from last year.
Female coaches, trainers and volunteers also grew by 11 per cent from last year, now sitting at 17,092.