What if talking about menopause out loud was as normal as talking about sports scores or school pickup?
Imagine it in movie plots, in your group chat, at the clinic, and on the campaign trail because when we name what's happening in our bodies, three things can follow: better care, better research, and better policy.
Normalizing the conversation around something that's gonna happen to half the population isn't oversharing. It's infrastructure. This is how we're gonna get appointments that move the needle for people. This is how we're gonna get workplace benefits that actually matter and research dollars that finally match the need, especially for those most impacted and least studied.
So what can I do to make menopause a public everyday conversation?
My guest today is Jennifer Gerson.
She's a journalist at the 19th, one of my favorite publications, and the author of their new menopause newsletter. Jennifer blends sharp reporting with practical scripts, and memes, how to talk to your doctor or your partner or your teen or someone in HR, and maybe your elected representatives too, because you know we love that.
So that this thing that's been so intensely private and understudied, on purpose, becomes public. And so progress compounds. This one can definitely change the conversation in your home and far, far beyond it.
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INI Book Club:
- The Day The Crayons Made Friends by Drew Daywalt
- Find all of our guest recommendations at the INI Book Club: https://bookshop.org/lists/important-not-important-book-club
Links:
- Jennifer is listening to: the new Snocaps album, and all the Zombies soundtracks
- Find a healthcare provider specializing in midlife women's health using resources at The Menopause Society
- Subscribe to Jennifer's menopause newsletter at the 19th
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