Florida backs off athlete menstrual data, but debate lingers

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH
Associated Press

Florida has been engulfed in a debate about how much information athletes should provide to their schools about when and how often they menstruate. Doctors often ask about periods when determining whether an athlete is healthy enough to compete. But the issue exploded in Florida because the now-abandoned proposal called for providing that information directly to schools, rather than just to health providers. Critics questioned whether the health data would be protected adequately and whether there were political motives as Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis weighs a run for the presidency. Abortion and transgender female athletes are popular causes for GOP voters, and DeSantis has signed bills on both issues.