Wimbledon returned this week, and athletes have "made it clear they're ready to update the age-old traditions of the tournament," particularly those that "disproportionally affect women athletes, including the dress code." Wimbledon's strict rule on an all-white dress code "has been around since the Victorian era, but now it's being called into question." The rule was "originally enforced because any sign of sweat was considered 'rude or improper.'" In addition to complaints from women players about the fear of "menstrual blood showing through their skort," according to Catherine Whitaker, men's players Andre Agassi, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have "expressed frustration by pushing the boundaries on what they wear." Agassi even "went so far as to boycott Wimbledon" between '88 and '90 to make his stance clear (YAHOO SPORTS, 6/27).
Whitaker said of the policy, "I would like to see it change. If they had a clothing policy that affected men in the way that it does women, I don’t think that particular tradition would last. I cannot imagine going into the biggest day of my life, with my period, and being forced to wear white." Whitaker's comments follow a "discussion that unexpectedly gripped women’s tennis last month" when Qinwen Zheng opened up about "how menstrual cramps affected her" in her defeat by Iga Swiatek at the French Open. Rio '16 Gold Medalist Monica Puig responded to Zheng at the time in a tweet, "Definitely something that affects female athletes! Finally bringing it to everyone’s attention!" (London TELEGRAPH, 6/24).
