Chelsea Women have made history again, not with trophies this time, but by tackling one of women’s sport’s biggest taboos. In their season opener against Manchester City, players wore training shorts with a blood stain, promoting a partnership with Flo, an organic period product brand, shining a light on menstrual stigma in football and beyond.
Blue is more than a colour
For Chelsea, blue is more than an identity. It’s their colour, their anthem and their pride. But it’s also the shade advertisers have used for decades to make periods look fake. Chelsea’s campaign flips that narrative. The message is simple: they wear blue on the pitch, but when it comes to periods, honesty matters.
Breaking silence through visibility
The campaign, “We Don’t Bleed Blue. We Bleed. Period.” is all about visibility. Flo’s research shows 80% of girls feel ashamed if they leak in public, and 90% think periods are misrepresented in adverts. That shame keeps girls from sports and can damage their confidence. Chelsea’s partnership challenges that.
Chelsea were also the first WSL club to bring in a menstrual cycle coach to the club to assist with tailoring training and support around players’ bodies, and this partnership with Flo only builds on that, swapping stigma for empowerment.
Flo’s co-founder Susan Allen-Augustin said:
“Women’s football is one of the most powerful platforms for change, and with Chelsea FC Women, we’re using that spotlight to shatter period stigma. Together, we’re proving that when we talk openly about periods, we empower everyone to play, thrive and win without shame.”
Leading the way
Chelsea are not alone. Manchester City Women have also taken bold steps in this area; they were the first WSL club to change from white shorts in 2022, acknowledging periods can be a discomfort for players. City also partnered with Snuggs, a period-proof underwear brand, which was the first partnership of its kind.
West Ham Women have made similar strides with Modibodi, now their official period-proof underwear partner, featuring their branding on West Ham’s match day shorts.
These initiatives show that women’s football is moving towards normalising menstruation in sport and allowing players to play as they should without the fear, stigma or discomfort of periods.
A movement, not just a moment
This campaign is hugely important because it goes beyond football; it challenges long-standing taboos around periods and opens up conversations that have been silenced for too long. By visibly showing that menstruation is a normal part of life, Chelsea are not only supporting their players but also sending a message to young girls everywhere that their bodies don’t have to hold them back.
It helps break the shame and stigma that stops women and girls from fully participating in sports. This initiative shows that both honesty and visibility can drive real cultural change, both on and off the pitch.
This isn’t a one-off campaign. Chelsea are using their platform to tell young girls: your period doesn’t have to hold you back.
Chelsea Women bleed blue for their fans, their badge and their history. But when it comes to being human? They bleed. Period.
https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/chelsea-fc-women-joins-forces-with-here-we-flo
