In 2022, when I first wrote my manifesto, I envisioned a world where menopause was no longer hidden in the shadows. A world where it wasn’t something to be ashamed of, but something to be supported, and even celebrated.
Three years later, we’ve made progress, but the work is far from finished.
What’s Changed
The word menopause is showing up in places I never thought it would:
- In corporate wellness programs
- In HR policies
- In the media
- Even in boardrooms
More women are speaking up about their experiences. More men are asking how to support their partners, colleagues, and teams.
And now, data is finally catching up to what women have been saying for decades:
- By 2020, U.S. demographic projections show over 63 million women were aged 50 or above, many of whom are in or approaching menopause. Source: Cho et al., Rethinking Menopausal Hormone Therapy (2023), Circulation / PubMed Central.
- Menopause-related absenteeism costs U.S. businesses $1.8 billion annually. Source: Mayo Clinic study as reported by Mayo Clinic News (2023)
- Many women experience menopause while still active in the workforce. Current data show retirement ages rising, such as 66.83 years for women as of 2025 in the U.S. Source: Trading Economics, “Retirement Age Women in the United States” (2025)
The business case is undeniable: companies that invest in menopause support retain talent, reduce turnover costs, and improve productivity.
What’s Missing
For every company stepping up, there are hundreds more staying silent. For every policy drafted, there are thousands of women still suffering in shame.
Consider this:
- A Stanford study shows that a menopause diagnosis can lead to lasting declines in earnings and employment. Conti et al., The Menopause “Penalty” (2025), Stanford SIEPR.
- Millions of women leave jobs they love because they lack the support needed to stay.
- Countless women sit in boardrooms, drenched in sweat, dismissed as “too emotional” or “too anxious,” when in fact they are carrying expertise, creativity, and leadership that organizations cannot afford to lose.
Why I Won’t Stop
I do this work because I lived it.
I was that woman, drenched in sweat, fighting brain fog, desperately trying to hold it together while being dismissed by the very experts who were supposed to help.
But I also know what’s possible.
I helped bring an erectile dysfunction drug to market and watched as something once taboo became mainstream, complete with boardroom strategies, billion-dollar markets, and glossy ads.
If erectile dysfunction could become a business priority, menopause deserves the same.
Menopause awareness is not a “nice-to-have.” It’s not a side issue. It’s a leadership issue, a workforce issue, and a human issue.
This Menopause Awareness Month, let’s not just celebrate progress. Let’s demand more:
- Policies that support women through every stage of life
- Training for managers and leaders
- A cultural shift that recognizes menopause not as decline, but as transformation
Because until menopause belongs in both the boardroom and the break room, the work isn’t done.
And I, for one, am not stopping.
And the conversation doesn’t stop here. Join me inside the Joy of Menopause Private Facebook Community, where we’re breaking the silence and building real solutions together.