India, April 24 -- Cricketer Jemimah Jessica Rodrigues has been a key member of the squads that won the 2025 Women's Cricket World Cup, the 2022 Women's Asia Cup, the gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games, and the silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Now, the middle-order batter opens up about powering through physically draining and mentally taxing days during her periods. Opening up on having to navigate the unspoken silence around menstruation, she tells us, "I think the biggest misconception is that menstruation makes you weak or impacts performance." For Jemimah, the first step is normalising the issue so it doesn't remain a taboo, especially in a field as physical as sports. "Normalising conversations starts with talking about it openly within teams, with coaches and support staff, just like we talk about any other aspect of health. When you acknowledge it without judgment, it becomes easier to manage training," the 25-year-old shares. Jemimah confesses that she, too, grappled with stigma around menstruation, often feeling hesitant to speak about her periods with anyone: "Like many girls, menstruation wasn't something that was spoken about openly." Now, Jemimah feels it is time to normalise this conversation in the sports field. "When athletes speak openly about it, it sends a powerful message and removes that sense of embarrassment," she insists. "Open and honest conversations start when we stop treating menstruation as a barrier and begin acknowledging it as a natural part of a girl's life - in sport and otherwise. For years, many girls have quietly stepped back from sports during their periods, not because they couldn't play, but because of discomfort, fear, or stigma. That's one of the biggest reasons girls drop out," says Jemimah. Opening up about the challenges she faced while training or playing during her period days, Jemimah shares, "There have been days when playing or training during my period has felt physically and mentally challenging." However, over time, she learnt how to "listen to her body". "Being open with teammates and support staff, planning better, and having period care I trust has really helped. Once you stop treating it like something you need to hide and start managing it like any other aspect of health, it becomes much easier to cope and stay confident on the field," she adds....