Kate Usher: Starting the Conversation About Menopause

Some points from the podcast:

– As a result, in the workplace, males frequently believe that this is primarily a women’s issue and that they should not be concerned. Either that, or it’s too complicated and a little too scary, so don’t even think about it. However, if you have a menopausal or coworker, regardless of their age, those symptoms will follow them into the office. They can’t turn them off because they can’t. They can’t, like say no, you know, you’re staying at the security barrier they can with you. (9.30)

– Okay, so, somewhat surprisingly, the United Kingdom is leading the way here. We are clearly more at ease than other countries when it comes to discussing menopause. And there is a slew of compelling reasons for this. Simply put, we were a generation that had to deal with a lot of firsts. So we were the first to go and obtain a math education. We were the first to pursue a career in menopause on mass. We were the first to have children while working full-time. We were and continue to be the first to experience menopause, menopause in the workplace, and menopause on a large scale. So we’ve done all of these firsts in order for this generation to be aware of the experience of breaking past prejudices. As a result, when it comes to requesting assistance, we’re ready to do so. (13.40)