Kristin Scott Thomas is celebrating menopause on and off-screen. In fact, the actress has said that one of her best moments was playing the role of Belinda on the hit show Fleabag. The reason? Thomas enjoyed playing a character who shares her own feelings on menopause.
In the episode she guest stars in, Thomas’ character, Belinda, is a successful businesswoman who has just received a Woman in Business award. After receiving the award, Belinda meets Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s character, Fleabag, at the bar. As the two begin chatting, Belinda spouts off against her award and all women’s awards as “infantilizing bollocks… ghettoizing, a subsection of success.”
In the epic barstool soliloquy, Belinda reflects on the excruciating pain that women must endure throughout their lifetime. As Belinda continues to share more about what it’s like being a woman to Fleabag, she shares about the cycle of pain women experience. “I’ve been longing to say this out loud—women are born with pain built in, it’s our physical destiny—period pain, sore boobs, childbirth, you know. We carry it with ourselves throughout our lives,” Belinda shares. “Inside, we have pain on a cycle for years.”
Menopause Is The Most Wonderful Thing In The World
Belinda also remarks on what it’s like to move from period pain to perimenopause. “Just when you feel you’re making peace with it, what happens? The menopause comes, the f*cking menopause comes, and it is the most wonderful f*cking thing in the world. And yes, your entire pelvic floor crumbles and you get f*cking hot and no one cares. But then you’re free, no longer a slave, no longer a machine with parts. You’re just a person, in business.”
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However, Fleabag has doubts about what Belinda is saying. “I was told it was horrendous,” remarks Fleabag. Belinda replies, “It is horrendous, but then it’s magnificent. Something to look forward to.”
Celebrating Menopause As A Rite of Passage
This famous bar scene is one of the best TV moments about menopause. Truth be told, it’s one of the few TV moments about menopause. Although every single female will go through menopause, it can still be taboo to discuss. However, Thomas and other celebrities are changing this.
Even though many of us are familiar with the drawbacks of menopause: hot flashes, brain fog, and sleep problems—more and more female celebrities are celebrating this stage of life, including Thomas. Hopefully, Hollywood will follow suit and continue adding epic menopause scenes to TV shows and movies.