Although menopause has often been a dirty word and the punchline for many jokes in Hollywood, menopause is no longer the taboo topic that it once was. In fact, the change that will occur in nearly everyone with ovaries has now become mainstream. Let’s take a look at four pop culture moments that have helped to normalize and celebrate menopause.
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Openly Talking About Menopause At An Awards Ceremony
Back in 2014, Emma Thompson proved to the world that menopause isn’t taboo, even at an awards ceremony. On a chilly November night, Thompson was being honored for her role in Saving Mr. Banks. She walked away with the Award for Best Actress at the National Board of Review Gala.
As the actress accepted the award, she decided to celebrate her menopausal body. “It’s such a cold night and it’s the only time I’ve actively been grateful for menopause,” Thompson, 54, said while giving her acceptance speech. “I’ve been entirely comfortable.”
Read more about Thompson’s speech here.
Menopause Is No Longer The Go-To Punchline
For years, menopause has been the brunt of many jokes in Hollywood. Writers have found it easy to stigmatize females for a natural occurrence that all women will experience. From All in the Family to That ’70s Show, TV shows have presented menopause in a bad light.
Thankfully, times are changing. Jokes about menopause are now helping to highlight the reality of what menopause looks like for women. We have to highlight the finale of the second season of Netflix’s Sex Education, which is just one of several shows that addresses being perimenopausal in a real and meaningful way.
Read more about how jokes around menopause are changing here.
Celebrating Older Women’s Sexuality
It’s long been a myth that after menopause, women no longer want to have sex. What a load of crap! Just because a woman experiences menopause doesn’t mean that her sex drive is gone.
In the now cult classic YouTube video, Angela Lansbury shares her thoughts on femininity and sexuality. “I think they go hand in hand,” the actress says while relaxing in a bubble bath. Lansbury continues, “It used to be thought that women lose interest in sex after menopause, but now we know that just isn’t true.”
Read more about Lansbury’s take on sexuality here.
Being Real About How Great Menopause Is
As Hollywood continues to get real about menopause, epic scenes showing the bright side of the change are finally becoming mainstream. In an episode on Fleabag, Kristin Scott guest stars as a woman who is honored for her success as a businesswoman.
As Scott speaks with the main character of the show, played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, she opens up about how menopause simply sucks until it doesn’t. As Scott says about menopause, “It is horrendous, but then it’s magnificent. Something to look forward to.”
Learn more about why menopause can be great here.
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