Redefining Menopause: Breaking Stigma, Building Support

“There is no greater power in the world than the zest of a post-menopausal woman.” - Quote attributed to Margaret Mead

The menopause is allegedly coming of age – there are frequent reports in the news about the scarcity of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), celebrities talking about their experiences, Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey and Meg Mathews and popular documentaries by Davina McCall and Mariella Frostrup. It has been said that the ‘Menopause has been ignored and hidden away for too long.’ And there is pressure from many directions that this should change. In the last three years there have been a lot of policy developments in the UK concerning the menopause. The publication of the Women’s Health Strategy, House of Commons Committee reports, and workplace good practice guidance have focussed attention on the menopause and how healthcare professionals and employers should respond.

The recent Equality and Human Rights Commission report, Menopause in the workplace: Guidance for employers published last month (22nd February 2024), is an example of this. If women’s menopause symptoms, ‘have a long term and substantial impact on a woman’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, these symptoms could be considered a disability.’ Therefore, employers may be under a legal obligation to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ for this and also should not subject the woman to discrimination arising from the disability, a disability that in this case is caused by menopausal symptoms.

This is all good news, and it is important that something that effects 51% of the population is finally being given the importance and support that it deserves. However, we must also be aware of some of the media messaging around the menopause, that highlights the potential negative aspects of the menopause, without mentioning that for some, the experience can be positive. Not all people will have problematic menopausal symptoms, and not all women will need medical interventions, such as HRT, to manage their menopause.

It is important that public policies that set out what employers and the health service should do for those experiencing the menopause are responsive to each person’s needs. The menopause should not be ignored or stigmatised in the workplace, nor should it always be seen as a problematic or troubling period of peoples’ lives.

We need to approach the menopause and perimenopause as something that is an expected life event for women when they reach a certain age. This life event could cause unpleasant symptoms in some, but it also should be recognised that it is not automatically a problem for all, and some people experience few or very minor symptoms when going through the menopause. Such an approach would enable those that need help and support to access it, and ensure that those who do not, are not seen as suffering from a problematic medical condition.

Lucy Frith is Reader in Bioethics, in the Centre for Social Ethics and Policy, University of Manchester Law School. Her research focuses on the social and ethical aspects of healthcare practice, regulation and policy, with particular interests in empirical ethics and public involvement. You can find more about her work here.