Why Generations of Women Never “Exercised” – And Why Many Girls Still Struggle With Movement Today.

Buckle up for this blog, I’m about to get a little outrageous. A few weeks ago my daughter came home in tears. The reason wasn’t a fall in the playground or a disagreement with a friend. It was a pair of earrings. She had been told she could not take part in physical activity unless her earrings were removed. For a child who loves movement, who swims several times a week and feels most at home in her body, this felt devastating. To an adult, it might seem like a small rule. To a child, it felt like being told she couldn’t do the thing she loved most.

As someone learning to swim in my late 30s, I know how vulnerable it feels to try something new, to put yourself out there in a body that’s changing and not quite confident yet. I also understand how rules, small barriers, or self consciousness can make movement feel intimidating or even impossible. Watching my daughter face these challenges reminds me of my own journey and why it’s so important to protect the joy of movement from a young age.

That evening, my husband and I found ourselves having a much bigger conversation than we expected. Not just about earrings, but about girls, movement, rules, and the many subtle ways participation in sport can become complicated. What struck us most was that the clubs she attends outside structured activity settings don't appear to be as ridged in their enforce of there rules. In those spaces, participation is prioritised and small adaptations are made. Yet in some structured activity environments, strict adherence to appearance policies can sometimes get in the way of the joy of movement. It made me think about something deeper: how often do small barriers quietly discourage girls from moving their bodies, and how long has this been happening?

Even at the highest levels of sport, female athletes continue to navigate expectations about confidence, appearance, and identity. Olympic shot put champion Michelle Carter famously competed wearing bright red lipstick and manicured nails when she won gold at the 2016 Olympics. Gymnastics champion Simone Biles has been vocal about the pressures women face regarding their hair, nails, and overall appearance in sport, emphasising that feeling confident in your own body is just as important as training and technique. More recently, Winter Olympics figure skater Alysa Liu has been celebrated not only for her historic performances but also for her bold personal style, including her distinctive hair and piercings, which she embraces as part of expressing herself authentically on the ice. Liu’s approach reminds us that confidence, self expression, and doing things on your own terms are powerful tools for all girls navigating movement, sport, and their changing bodies.

Historically, structured physical activity was largely considered a male pursuit. Sport and exercise were associated with strength, competition, and endurance, qualities encouraged in boys but often discouraged in girls. In the early twentieth century, some doctors warned that vigorous exercise might harm women’s reproductive health. Girls were encouraged to prioritise grace, posture, and appearance rather than physical strength. Even in organised activity environments, boys were often introduced to competitive sport, while girls were directed toward lighter activities such as gymnastics or dance. For many women alive today, exercise was never presented as something that belonged to them.

Women in previous generations were often physically active, but their movement was rarely recognised as exercise. They carried enormous workloads: caring for children, cleaning homes, cooking meals from scratch, working in factories or on farms, and walking long distances without transport. Because this movement was labour rather than leisure, it was rarely labelled as exercise. The idea of exercising for wellbeing, enjoyment, or personal development is relatively modern and historically linked to having time and space for yourself, something many women simply did not have.

While opportunities for girls in sport have improved dramatically, barriers still exist, especially around puberty. Something as simple as long hair or pierced ears can create unexpected obstacles. Girls are often expected to manage their hair neatly, but physical activity requires tying it up tightly, managing it while sweating, or worrying about it coming loose. Earrings frequently need to be removed, taped over, or can prevent participation entirely in some settings. Individually these things may seem small, but when you are 11 or 12 years old and already becoming self conscious about your body, each extra barrier adds friction. Boys rarely have to think about these details.

Menstruation is another barrier that is rarely openly discussed. Periods can bring pain, fatigue, anxiety about leaking, embarrassment around changing clothes, and lack of access to menstrual products in activity settings. Participating in sport while worrying about bleeding through clothing in a busy hall or gym can feel overwhelming. Research consistently shows that girls’ participation in sport drops significantly during adolescence, and menstruation is an important factor in this shift. Many girls quietly withdraw from physical activity during this stage of life.

Puberty also changes how girls experience their bodies in movement. Breasts develop, hips widen, and bodies soften. Running and jumping suddenly feel different. Sports bras become necessary but are not always comfortable or easy to access. Girls who once moved freely may suddenly feel watched and judged. Sweating, bouncing, or simply occupying physical space can feel embarrassing. What once felt like play can start to feel like performance.

Even institutions built around physical performance are recognising that many policies were designed around male bodies and norms. In 2021, the United States Army updated its grooming policies to allow ponytails and braids for women after years of requiring tight buns that sometimes caused discomfort and hair damage. Similarly, the Royal Air Force revised appearance policies to allow more flexibility in hairstyles. These changes might seem small, but they reflect a growing recognition that systems designed without women in mind often need updating.

When you combine these factors: body changes, periods, clothing challenges, social pressure, and practical rules, it becomes easier to understand why many girls slowly disengage from exercise during adolescence. It rarely happens all at once. Instead, it is a series of small moments: feeling uncomfortable in a changing space, worrying about a period leak, being teased about a changing body, struggling to find supportive clothing, or being told you cannot participate because of a rule. Eventually, opting out can feel easier.

Watching my daughter navigate something as simple as earrings reminded me how fragile a child’s relationship with movement can be. At eight years old, she still loves to move. She still feels confident in her body. She still believes that sport is a place where she belongs. My husband and I want to do everything we can to protect that feeling. Not because we expect her to become an elite athlete, but because we know that feeling comfortable in your body, feeling strong, and feeling capable are powerful foundations for life.

This blog began with a simple question we asked each other that evening: how do we make sure girls (and all gender identities) continue to feel that movement belongs to them? Because when girls grow up believing that movement is their space too, they are far more likely to carry that relationship with their bodies throughout their lives. And that is something worth championing.

Naomi Hurst ✨