Celebrities, movies and series that talk about menopause: Are we missing references?

However, as commented by Silvia dal Ben, psychologist and clinical manager of Unobravosociety in general and the field of entertainment (film and series) in particular have gone through the stage of female maturity marked by the climacteric in an inconspicuous way. So much so that, according to the expert, menopause has often been made invisible or presented in a negative light, almost always associated with the loss of youth and of the fertility. “I believe this reflects a sociocultural vision that tends to focus its gaze on youth and reproductive capacity as the most valuable elements of femininity,” he points out.

Given this scenario, it is possible that many women have felt the need to gradually raise their voices so that more is said about such a delicate stage and that, in some way, they have had to build a communication channel with other topics that are “feminine.” in the eyes of society. «Cinema and series have followed this trendwhich has contributed to the silence about menopause, although other topics have been supported that, indirectly, have also helped to make the cause visible,” he says.

It must be taken into account, as the psychologist recalls, that the first psychological studies on menopause They began to develop in the first half of the 20th century. This is something that in terms of social impact would practically mean talking about “yesterday.” That is why the psychologist believes that this natural phenomenon is currently beginning to be studied more and that the cinematographic world is also beginning to foster a certain interest in parallel.

As for the famous that are helping to make menopause visible, the most relevant thing is the clarity and simplicity of the messages. Something that, according to the expert, can help other women also express themselves on the subject. A relevant message in this sense was the one given Michelle Obama, the former first lady of the United States, who came to ensure that it is crucial for women to talk openly about menopause and the changes they face throughout their lives.

Another example that the Unobravo psychologist highlights is that of Kim Catrall, ‘Sex and the City’ actress, who thus invites us to imagine the challenge: “Menopause surprised me with questions that I didn’t know I had, but I learned to listen to my body and talk to my doctor.” Likewise, other famous women who have spoken about menopause have used a communication weapon that can be powerful: irony. Two examples in this sense are Emma Thompsonactress who during the 2017 National Board of Review Award said: “It’s very cold, it’s the first time I’m grateful for menopause” or that of the always irreverent Whoopi Goldberg who combined humor with irony to point out: “How is it possible that a man can have an erection for 19 hours, but we cannot avoid hot flashes?”

Also on the national scene there are important voices that have made menopause visible. This is the case of the actress Carmen Maura. As the psychologist recalls, she has spoken openly about her experience with menopause, underlining the importance of treating this topic without taboos and naturally, thus breaking the silence, normalizing the conversation and even showing how to live this stage fully.

Menopause in the cinema

When it comes to films or television series, there are some examples in which reference has been made to menopause, such as the French film ‘50 springs‘, a film in which the subject is discussed directly and that both the psychologist Silvia dal Ben and the psychologist Susana Ivorra They suggest all women who want to reflect on their own experience. «It portrays a 50-year-old woman who is experiencing those physical and emotional changes that menopause entails at the same time that your daughter becomes pregnant, who in turn experiences other physical and emotional changes typical of pregnancy. It portrays both scenarios with an optimistic and beautiful perspective and, although it is not perfect, it is a good cinematographic reference to understand what is happening,” says Ivorra.

Another interesting reference is the one raised Salma Hayek by creating a new and unorthodox menopausal female archetype for Hollywood in ‘The other bodyguard 2’. And the interesting thing about this character, according to Ivorra, is that, although in reality her experience with menopause occurs in the form of strokes (hot flashes, irritability, fatigue, mental fog…) it is a commercial film, aimed at the large audience, which allows generating conversation about it among viewers of very different ages, gender and sexual status.

Another media reference is the series ‘Sex and the City’, which in its feature film format addresses menopause through one of the characters: Samantha. “She can be an example of how to fully live the stages of life, leaving stereotypes about women aside, and putting herself at the center of our attention, always,” adds Silvia da Ben.

For its part, Carla Romagosa, popularizer about menopause and author of the book ‘Menopower’ points out two other references that, although they do not directly appeal to menopause, do point out issues in relation to the relationship of mature women with sexuality.

One of the examples he proposes in this sense is ‘Poor things’ (Poor Creatures) by Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo in which there are references to menopause through approaches to desire and sexuality. “This film generated discomfort by putting women’s pleasure on the table from experimentation, it is a complete ‘zasca’ to the discourse about us not being capable of having desire,” he comments.

And the other example that Romagosa highlights is ‘Creature‘ by Elena Martín, a film that also speaks from experimentation and with a critical look at the castration of female sexuality since childhood. “They are films that bring to the table questions about desire that are very necessary in the context of menopause,” he says.

Menopause, is it still a taboo topic?

One of the issues that most draws the Unobravo psychologist’s attention is that menopause continues to be a taboo in many cultures or even continues to be so for many women. That is why one of its proposals is to emphasize the importance of promoting acceptance of the experiences that each woman may have at this stage, accepting differences: for a woman it can represent opportunities, personal growth and wisdom; for another loss, decline and despair. “Neither of these two experiences is wrong, both face a fundamental stage that changes life as it was before,” he clarifies.

Regarding the sociocultural differences between today and what many women experienced 20 or 30 years ago, one of the biggest changes, according to the psychologist, has been access to information and the growing opening to talk about both this particular topic and the privacy in general. «In the past, menopause was experienced in a more private way, with mental and physical health resources very basic or absent. Today we have at our disposal what we need, not only in terms of care, but also prevention to know what awaits us. Likewise, I also believe that the burden of shame or stigma that existed towards menopause or even towards those »daring« women who talked about their intimacy has changed,” argues Silvia dal Ben.

In short, as the experts point out, although there is still much to do, women are beginning to speak more openly about this stage, seeking support and sharing their experiences, which facilitates a freer and more conscious process.

In the future, yes, we could expect greater normalization of menopause, both in society and in the media, so that it is presented not only as a natural and valuable transition but as a vision from the possibility of experiencing this stage without expectations and pressures, simply based on what I live “as I can and want.”