Embarrassment, fear and shame: the emotional experiences of karate practitioners leaking menstrual blood

Whilst prominent female athletes are increasingly publicly discussing menstruation, the visibility of menstruation within everyday sporting contexts remains limited. This presentation will explore the emotions of karate practitioners in relation to leaking menstrual blood during karate sessions, moments in time where menstruation becomes visible. Data presented in this presentation is drawn from interviews with 10 female Scottish Karate practitioners aged between 18-48 years old. Findings suggest that fear, anxiety, embarrassment and shame are central emotions that female karate practitioners experience in relation to the experience, or thought of, leaking menstrual blood. These emotions are not only felt, but are socially produced within the context of karate, and impact the ways in which women engage during karate sessions. This paper argues that these emotions are central to understand the meanings associated with menstruation, and the embodied female experience in karate.