We need to talk!

• August 5, 2025
• Kayley Wilson
• no comments

Don’t get me wrong, hearing women share their experiences of menopause is reassuring. Change is happening, albeit slowly. But what I’ve realised over the last year or so whilst speaking with women, is ‘menopause’ and its description has become stunted. Somewhere, we have found the openness to say the word ‘menopause’, share a few symptoms but not get down to the nitty gritty. Impactful symptoms are being left out of the conversation. Why? I can only assume more shame!

Loss of orgasms, incontinence (wee and poo), prolapses, painful sex, to name a few, are rarely shared between friends, partners or healthcare professionals. Symptoms that impact women’s wellbeing, are being brushed under the carpet in the hope that they either improve, go away or that women learn to cope with the impact/changes.

This is why we need to talk and it needs to be now. We will not improve the lives of midlife women if we leave big chucks out. We will make it harder for ourselves and harder for the millennials who are hot on our heels.

Menopause gate crashes the lives of women at the most inconvenient of times. Life becomes harder and our personal and professionals lives can suffer the consequences of those struggles: poor mental health, divorce, loss of friendships, walking away from careers. The fallout can be catastrophic.

Menopause needs re-writing. It needs total honesty, investment and solutions.