From Greek menses et pause
The term was popularized in 1821 by Doctor Charles de Gardanne in his work Menopause or the critical age of women. The phenomenon is described as a problem, a decline, or even a dangerous stage of imbalance in a woman’s life, which absolutely requires treatment. Women found themselves having to undergo bloodletting, diets, then, later, until the 1970s, hormonal treatments, then, in the 1950s, the first form of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to alleviate the symptoms. .
Repossession of the body
It was only in the early 2000s that preliminary results from the Women’s Health Initiative study in the United States demonstrated that HRT was seriously harmful to health by increasing the risk of breast cancer and stroke. In 2015, Gillian Anderson co-wrote We: A Manifesto for Women Everywherein which she openly deals with menopause and the need to break taboos, and above all to give women a voice about what they are going through.
Legal consideration
Currently, there are 7 countries that have recognized menopause rights in their public policies or legislation: the United Kingdom, since 2021, has set up a parliamentary commission on menopause to study its impact. Other countries such as Spain, France and Canada are proposing laws and initiating a dialogue through an awareness policy.
Happy menopause
To celebrate this menopause day, what could be better than to evoke its growing presence in public space? A completely natural phenomenon, which was once considered “the end of a woman’s life”, stereotypes are gradually being deconstructed. We think of the 4th season of the Danish series Borgen : Power & Glory (2022), where the main character, Birgitte Nyborg, a powerful politician, goes through menopause, illustrating the different symptoms and challenges realistically, without dramatizing.
A long road still
Although we see that the situation has evolved over the last 100 years, we note that no concrete or official measures have yet been adopted. However, we welcome initiatives like that of Maïtena Biraben with the creation of her new media Ladieslaunched in May 2024. In it, she intends to address all women, but especially to give a voice to those who are reduced to their age, those over 45-50 years old. In his words: “They are completely invisible, even though there are 9 million of them. » (Interview on Radio France on 04/29/24). The former host of Maternelles is releasing her book at the same time The invisible woman published by Grasset.
Free the floor
In 2021, journalist Aude Hayot, a French researcher specializing in the field of gender studies, launches the podcast The end of periodsin an inclusive and uninhibited dynamic. She invites different speakers to each episode, ranging from medical-psychological experts to women who have experienced or are experiencing menopause. The objective is to raise awareness, but also to learn about the economic and social realities of the subject, such as the underrepresentation of women in key positions, health costs or simply the psychological impact caused above all by the rejection of the company.
“The beauty of life lies in its evolutions”
So, in order to best celebrate this menopause day, the important thing is either to change your outlook if it has remained stuck in the 20th century, or to celebrate these women who are going through a higher stage of their life, trying but so enriching.
