Halle Berry Opens Up About Menopause Awareness at Fortune MPW Summit: ‘We Deserve More’ (WATCH)
The actress created Respin to give women a space to talk about menopause without stigma.
On Tuesday, at the Fortune Most Powerful Women (MPW) Summit, Halle Berry took the stage to discuss a personal subject to her and vital to millions of women: menopause. The Academy Award-winning actress, who founded the midlife women’s wellness business Respin, used the event to highlight her journey with menopause. In a candid interview with Michal Lev-Ram, Editorial Director of Fortune and Co-chair of Fortune MPW Summit, she shared her own journey and her work to break the stigma surrounding this often-overlooked phase of life.
But Berry, 54, didn’t just share her story; she’s taken her advocacy to a national stage, even rallying Congress to back a bill that could transform menopause research.
Halle Berry’s menopause journey ignites a mission
Woman's World Answers
Berry’s motivation to raise awareness around menopause stems from an upsetting incident in her past. During her fireside chat, she recalled a misdiagnosis that completely changed her perspective. After experiencing painful sex that was initially mistaken for herpes by her doctor, Berry discovered the real diagnosis was menopause. “I’m in menopause,” she boldly stated during the live interview, “How liberating is that?” Watch the video here.
The experience ignited a passion in Berry to ensure that other women don’t face the same confusion or stigma when dealing with their symptoms. For years, menopause has been an underfunded and misunderstood area of women’s health, leaving many to suffer in silence or receive incorrect diagnoses. Berry’s doctor didn’t fully understand what was happening to her body, leading to her realization that more needed to be done for women in midlife.
The search for answers led Berry to create Respin. Frustrated by the lack of awareness and support for women going through menopause, Berry launched the wellness platform to fill this gap. Respin focuses on empowering women in midlife by providing education, resources and scientifically-backed solutions. With over 125,000 members, it continues to promote open discussions about menopause, destigmatizing it and offering women the tools they need to navigate with confidence. According to the website, the new and expanded Respin will launch this month, following the announcement of a new partnership with intimacy wellness brand Joylux.
Halle Berry takes the fight to Capitol Hill
Halle Berry hasn’t just been open about her experience with menopause—she’s been using her voice to make real change. She spoke further about her efforts to push forward the Advancing Menopause Care and Mid-Life Women’s Health Act, a bill backed by a bipartisan group of senators, including Sen. Patty Murray and Sen. Lisa Murkowski. The bill aims to secure $275 million in funding for research into menopause.
Berry’s activism has taken her from Silicon Valley to the halls of Congress, as she seeks to change the conversation around women’s health. She recalled how difficult it was to get venture capitalists, most of whom were men, to take menopause seriously as an area in need of innovation and funding. “It was really hard to get people…to believe that menopause was a real thing,” she noted.
A lack of menopause support in the healthcare system
As Berry explained during the summit, one of the biggest issues surrounding menopause is the lack of education within the medical field. She explained that only 13 percent of doctors are certified by the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), leaving a majority of women navigating their symptoms without proper medical guidance. “Women are worthy of doctors who won’t tell patients they have herpes when they don’t,” Berry emphasized.
She also highlighted how the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has historically underfunded menopause research, contributing to the lack of innovation in treatments. Berry’s Respin platform, which she launched to provide midlife women with tools and support, is part of her solution. The wellness platform fosters community and conversations about the realities of menopause, offering resources and scientifically-backed products to help women manage their symptoms and live healthier lives.
Halle Berry’s message on menopause advocacy
Halle Berry’s message at the Fortune MPW Summit was clear: it’s time to break the silence around menopause. For too long, women have been expected to suffer quietly through hot flashes, brain fog, low libido and other common symptoms. And they often fear how their openness about these issues might affect their careers or personal lives. But as Berry continues her advocacy, she’s proving that midlife can be a powerful time of change and liberation for women. Her rallying cry, “I have menopause, OK!” is a symbol of her fight to ensure that all women have access to the care and understanding they deserve.
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