Since Elektra set out in 2019 to smash the menopause taboo, the conversation around menopause has experienced a serious shift, and we couldn’t be more excited to see public figures speaking out about their own experiences with the transition.
Cameron Diaz
The Hollywood star has long participated in an open discussion about aging, and even wrote a bestseller, The Longevity Book, on the very topic. She spoke in an interview with Female Quotient about the challenges of societal expectations when it comes to aging.
“We don’t allow other women to age gracefully. We don’t allow ourselves to age gracefully. And we feel like if we’re not like the way we were when we were 25 years old, if we don’t look the same, that we have failed in some way … Aging is a privilege. Not everyone gets to do it.”
Erykah Badu
R&B singer Erykah Badu, known for both her voice and historical outspokenness, took to Instagram to share about her experience with menopause and the isolating nature of the transition.
“It can be a lonely place if we aren’t careful. Get your nutrients (mind, body & soul) Share your feelings and thoughts with people who love you.”
Hoda Kotb
The Today show co-anchor and TV personality has been refreshingly open about her health and personal life, beginning with the public announcement of her breast cancer diagnosis in 2007. She attributes her fearless and positive attitude in part to this experience, which she carries with her today when talking about aging.
“I feel like I’m a better version, or more myself, each year I grow older. … I think a lot of times we spend our time pretending — being someone we’re not. … After a while you’re like, ‘Oh, I’m me. God made me this way.’”
Shania Twain
Shania Twain, the country singer best known for her hit “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” has spoken on several platforms about her evolving relationship with her body, especially since entering perimenopause.
“Do you think I care if I’ve got a roll? No, I’m not focusing on that. I’m happy when I look in the mirror, I’m not cringing when I look in the mirror … What’s unfortunate is that, when I was younger, I was doing that. When I started to realize I had been missing out on whatever I am, I knew it was time to make a major change.”
Naomi Watts
The actress and founder of menopause beauty company Stripes, was caught off guard when she entered perimenopause at 36. She opened up about her experience in an interview with People magazine, sharing just how overwhelmed she felt due to the lack of resources and education.
“My skin started going berserk. I had irritable, itchy, sensitive skin … I was in this loop of not knowing enough about my health and I just started googling and figuring it out on my own.”
Kim Cattrall
Okay, this one was way back in 2014 — Kim Cattrall’s always been ahead of the curve — but it bears sharing. The former Sex and the City co-star and cultural icon rejects the notion that menopause equates to a woman’s expiration date.
“I don’t think it’s shameful. It’s as natural as having a child—it really is; it’s part of life. … Physically, it’s part of how we’re made; hormonally, it’s how we’re constructed; chemically, it’s how we work. Like anything in nature: The seed is planted, it grows, it comes to fruition, after a period of time it starts to change and age, and it’s scary.”
We celebrate all the public figures using their platforms to shift dominant cultural narratives around aging and menopause. Not only do these conversations provide validation and encouragement to all women, but they can seriously enact change by forcing institutions to take women’s health more seriously, including increasing access to menopause care.
But, it’s not just the voices of celebrities that matter — the movement needs yours as well. To that end, we want to hear from you! Click here to share the story of your menopause experience.
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