Menopause at work for the majority of women is hard.
The symptoms can disrupt proper work, more or less, depending on how severe or mild they are, respectively.
It gets harder when women do not have adequate support to go through this NATURAL phase in their lives.
This “support” I want to discuss today.
Creating a better physical workspace that supports women going through menopause is one thing.
That is the easy part I believe.
Creating a healthy workplace mentality that accepts menopause as a natural phase and not a debilitating female illness, is the hard thing.
Especially when on top of menopause you add ageism.
Last week a fabulous, successful, menopausal friend of mine broke down emotionally.
Not because of menopause.
Because her younger coworkers, since she started showing menopausal symptoms that “revealed” her “secret” (we are in 2023 and still menopause is taboo), started not respecting her opinion “that much anymore” because “now” she is “old”. How can she know the latest trends? Even female ones. Like they are not going to be in her shoes later on in life.
Menopause at work is many things.
But it is NOT a reason to be looked down on.
On the contrary, I dare to say, it is an opportunity to celebrate wisdom, perseverance, and experience.
