Wave 1: Breaking The Taboo

(Peri)Menopause has gone from a whispered topic to a cultural moment, with celebrities, brands, and media finally breaking the silence. This isn’t just a social shift; it’s a business and economic opportunity – and it's one that has been ignored for too long. The question is, why did it take so long to get here?

This transition has fallen victim to social and cultural stigma, placed into the unattractive bucket of ageing women (read ‘invisible’ women). When labelled as ‘past their prime’, it’s not surprising that even women themselves have recoiled from this change in their lives.

The medical world dismissed the transition, abandoning women to ‘carry on as normal’ and to carry the guilt of being ‘a lesser human’ when hot flushes hit, mood swings took a life of their own, and brain fog disrupted even the simplest of daily tasks.

In global terms, the UK has been a first mover. Key influencers such as Davina McCall and Mariella Frostrup (recently appointed Government Menopause Employment Ambassador) brought attention to a health transition that will impact every single woman, forming the ripples to break this taboo.

It takes seismic shifts in culture to create a tidal wave though – so enter Hollywood celebrities and movies. Not just breaking the taboo, but dismantling the foundations of why this social norm came to be.

High-profile Hollywood figures such as Naomi Watts, Demi Moore and Nicole Kidman are using their platform to unapologetically tear down each foundation. Watts risked her career by sharing a personal experience (the book, Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I'd Known About Menopause), knowing that, in her words, Hollywood deems menopausal women as ‘unf***able’. Kidman’s character in Babygirl challenged the marginalisation of older women by showing sensuality is not confined to the youth. While Moore pulled herself out of retirement to star in The Substance, released amidst the growing furore around weight loss drugs like Ozempic, to challenge society’s obsession with youth.

In a complete reframe, Noon (set up by Eleanor Mills, an award-winning editor) goes a step further by coining the term ‘Queenagers’. Queenagers describes women in midlife who are comfortable with their age and have more influence and spending power than they did when they were younger. Queenagers don’t want to be defined by a menopause label, nor do they want to feel invisible anymore.

In a world where ‘developed’ economies are suffering from low productivity, the financial cost of women’s health in the workplace stretches far wider than Hollywood. Recent research revealed that a quarter of women consider leaving their jobs due to menopause symptoms – and the US alone loses $26 billion annually due to menopause-related work challenges, with workplace health programs struggling to catch up.

One of the challenges in breaking the menopause taboo has been its invisibility, unlike a broken leg or a pregnancy bump, menopause symptoms are often internal, making it easy for workplaces, partners, and even healthcare professionals to dismiss them. This is where innovations like the MenoVest, recently featured on The Drew Barrymore Show, are helping reshape the narrative. Designed to simulate the experience of hot flashes, the MenoVest allows those who’ve never had one to feel what it’s like firsthand. It reinforces the idea that the menopause isn’t something to ‘just get through’, it’s a real, physiological experience that deserves systemic support.

While the work is far from complete, with the topic now centred in the mainstream media, a path has been paved to hold better, open conversations and design better care for women’s needs – a path to women reclaiming control over their health, choices and future. This newfound knowledge brings empowerment and in our next wave, we’ll explore how that has fuelled innovation.

A direction has been set for governments and their healthcare infrastructure, for workplaces and their employees, and for brands exploring unmet needs. Women aged over 50 hold significant wealth, so we’ll reveal how this cultural moment is becoming a movement and outline how brands are starting to better serve their needs.

Bringing equity to women’s healthcare is both a moral imperative and a huge commercial opportunity. A demonstration of how doing the right thing can grow economies, businesses and brands, and, in our view, bring a much-needed reset and breath of fresh air.

Join us again in March, the month of International Women’s Day, for the second wave, as we navigate the Product Explosion that has ensued.