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Perimenopause and menopause, once verboten topics, are now garnering more headlines than Taylor Swift’s wedding. There has never been a more socially acceptable time to be middle-aged.
A quick medical primer: Perimenopause is the transition into menopause. It often starts in the mid-40s, though it can begin earlier. There’s a bouillabaisse of symptoms as hormones fluctuate, from night sweats and hot flashes to erratic periods, weight gain, and mood swings. Menopause is when you’ve gone 12 months without a period. Some call this reverse puberty; my colleague Brooke Hauser calls it an emotional mosh pit.
My generation didn’t invent this timeless passage — about 1.3 million women enter menopause every year — but we’re the first to be so vocal about it. Women feel more comfortable sharing symptoms and asking for relief. Companies are taking notice and adding workplace benefits to help employees manage symptoms. For years, treatment was plagued by flawed research, connecting hormone therapy to elevated health risks. Finally, these myths are being dispelled, with meaningful consequences.
States are taking action. This summer, Rhode Island became the first state to require employers to provide workplace accommodations for job applicants and employees experiencing menopause and menopause-related medical conditions.
Maine enacted a law that requires enhanced training for medical professionals and more accessible treatment options for women. California and New Jersey have similar legislation pending. Five states introduced legislation that would mandate insurance coverage for menopause care; Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed that state’s bill into law in July.
In Illinois, Oct. 12-18 is now Menopause Awareness Week, thanks to a recently passed bill. (A similar bill, introduced in Nevada, would have designated October as Menopause Awareness Month, but was vetoed by Governor Joe Lombardo, who has clearly never dealt with night sweats.)
Last year, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts launched an online support group specifically for employees experiencing perimenopause and menopause. Local tech startups are capitalizing on the shift. Here in Boston, Embr Labs is designing a wristband to help cool body temperature for women experiencing hot flashes.
What your grandmother used to call “the change” has even become a cottage industry for influencers, luxury resorts, and food products. Why not travel to the Maldives for menopause therapy? Or rearrange your social media feeds to follow charismatic physician influencers such as Mary Claire Haver, who share intel on supplements and nutrition, making middle-age appear almost covetable?
And lest we forget that muscle mass takes a dive during menopause, it’s important to boost our protein intake. For more on this trend, check out my pal Beth Teitell’s meaty dive into the topic: “Protein mania: Why everyone’s eating like a linebacker now.” (She also has interesting things to say about weighted vests, an accessory I have yet to try. Maybe for my next birthday.)
Of course, some charlatans want to exploit the menopause momentum. Scams abound, so much so that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released a primer on how to detect menopause misinformation, with warnings about the proliferation of unregulated dietary supplements and TikTok influencers who tout hormone therapy without the proper credentials.
As for me: I’ve written about how overwhelmed I sometimes feel by the barrage of medical advice cluttering my social media feeds. It’s tempting to wonder if my limp hair is from perimenopause or cheap shampoo. Sometimes I question whether I’m screaming at my kids due to fluctuating hormones or because nobody in my house can put away their shoes. Often, I sit and wonder: Could an estrogen patch make all my problems melt away?
But, like anything else, it’s complicated. Women need to be discerning consumers. What’s right for your friend with night sweats might not be best for you with erratic periods. Commercialization is a risk whenever an issue finally gets mainstream attention.
But perimenopause and menopause are more than trends, and we have to separate the hormones from the hype. If I ever get a straight eight hours of sleep again, I just might have the brainpower to do it.
🧩 3 Down: Saturate (with) | ☁️ 76° Cloudy but warm
Where to go? Black families fled to Randolph to escape Boston’s competitive housing market. Now, many face high rents — and high risk of eviction.
Lawsuit: Marwa Khudaynazar, a fired City Hall employee, sued Mayor Michelle Wu and her administration, alleging retaliation after Khudaynazar accused a top Wu aide of misconduct.
Vaccine access: Governor Maura Healey pledged that Massachusetts residents would still be able to get routine childhood immunizations even if a federal advisory committee, which meets today, recommends limiting access.
Ralph de la Torre: Steward Health Care’s former CEO sued 20 US senators last year for holding him in contempt after he failed to comply with a subpoena. A judge threw out the case.
Drought conditions worsen: Worcester and Natick have prohibited “nonessential outdoor water uses” and Massachusetts officials recommend that residents elsewhere conserve water.
Extinct: The chairman of Massachusetts’ Fisheries and Wildlife Board resigned, citing internal disputes and arguing the state isn’t committing enough money to achieve its biodiversity goals.
Get ’em before they’re gone: With federal tax breaks on electric vehicles expiring at the end of the month, consumers across the country are scrambling for bargains.
Trump vs. wind power: The administration claims it halted a nearly complete Rhode Island offshore wind farm last month because the developers left unanswered questions about its impact on national defense and federal scientific surveys. The developers are challenging the halt in court.
Mahmoud Khalil: An immigration judge ordered the pro-Palestinian activist, a US legal permanent resident whom ICE arrested earlier this year, deported to Syria or Algeria for failing to disclose information on his green card application. Khalil’s lawyers have suggested they’ll appeal. (Politico)
Speaking out: Bernie Sanders of Vermont became the first US senator to call Israel’s war in Gaza a “genocide.” (Axios) And Jerry Greenfield left Ben & Jerry’s, the ice cream company he co-founded, alleging that its parent company, Unilever, stopped him from speaking out about Gaza and other issues.
🍂 Picture perfect: Visit Lincoln, N.H., and these other New England towns that are perfect for peeping at fall foliage. Or stay local and savor Boston’s lofty views and scenic strolls.
🎲 Your move: It’s okay to act like a sociopath — at least while you’re playing board games with your friends. (Atlantic 🎁)
🌊 Making a splash: Red Bull’s Cliff Diving World Series returns to Boston tomorrow and Saturday for its final round of competition. Competitors will dive into the harbor from platforms atop the Institute of Contemporary Art.
👧 Gender gap: The Connally family of Canaan, N.H., is celebrating the arrival of a baby girl — the first to be born into the family in 111 years. (WMUR)
📺 Supplanted: If you think FX’s “The Bear” is TV’s most anxiety-inducing restaurant drama, you’ve got the wrong woodland creature. Netflix’s “Black Rabbit,” out today, serves up high blood pressure as an appetizer and a panic attack for dessert, writes TV critic Chris Vognar.
📕 Ben Shattuck: A movie adaptation of the New England writer’s acclaimed short story is already generating Oscar buzz, but that doesn’t mean Shattuck has gone Hollywood. See the small, cluttered South Dartmouth hut where he writes.
🏠 Who needs homeownership? He’s 37 and shares an apartment with two roommates. It’s one of the best decisions he’s ever made.
Thanks for reading Starting Point.
This newsletter was edited by Teresa Hanafin and Andrew Caffrey.
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Kara Baskin can be reached at kara.baskin@globe.com. Follow her @kcbaskin.
