NO MORE SILENCE ON MENOPAUSE
BY LARISSA WATERS
Senator for Queensland
Did you know that the first time perimenopause was mentioned in our Federal Parliament was just 9 weeks ago?
Menopause is spoken about quietly amongst ‘women of a certain age’, but otherwise not at all. Yet 50% of the population experiences menopause, and symptoms can begin as early as your 30s!
More needs to be done to understand its health impacts and its economic impacts on women and people who menstruate, and the impacts on our economy.
That’s why the Greens have established a Senate inquiry into peri and menopause. And we want to hear from you!
Make a submission to the Senate inquiry.
80 per cent of Australian women experience menopausal and perimenopausal symptoms that can range from mild to extremely severe.
The financial impact of this can be profound, for women, as well as their employers and the economy, as many women at the peak of their career are leaving the workforce. Being forced to retire early exacerbates both the gender pay gap and the superannuation gender gap.
The gendered cost of treating the symptoms of peri and menopause is yet another financial burden that only people who menstruate face, on top of the costs of a lifetime of period products.
We want to hear from you about what federal funding and policies are needed to support women in this phase of life.
Most people who transition through menopause are unsupported and unprepared - as well as the symptoms of menopause, not being able to identify what’s happening to your body is frustrating and can take a huge toll on confidence.
We need more awareness both by GPs and by patients of the symptoms of peri and menopause, so that people know what treatments are available to them, and we must make them affordable.
A study by Circle In & Victorian Women’s Trust in 2021 found that 73% of women say stress and anxiety levels are higher than usual during menopause. Yet, 70% of women who have experienced menopause would not feel comfortable talking to their manager about their challenges or needs.
Women have been fighting an uphill battle for equality in the workplace for so long that they are nervous to reveal when they are having struggles.
Much like the concern about pregnancy discrimination and gender discrimination in the workplace, it didn't get solved by continuing to ignore it.
The study also found that 30% of respondents that have experienced menopause said they felt disconnected or distracted from their workplace. 45% of respondents said they considered retiring or taking a break from work when their menopausal symptoms were severe - but 72% of those did not go through with it, many citing financial reasons.
Menopause can impact more than physical health and financial circumstances - there can be significant impacts on mental health, personal relationships, in the workplace and on a person’s quality of life.
Over the next year, this inquiry will look at the economic, physical, mental and financial impacts of menopause and perimenopause, as well as cultural perceptions and attitudes about a health issue that affects half our population.
I'm really excited about this Senate inquiry.
We want to hear from medical professionals, from workplace experts and employers, from academics, and from people with lived experience. Hearing people's stories can help build that evidence base that can underpin good federal policy - something desperately lacking in this space at the moment.
This inquiry will help us develop the evidence-based policies needed to reduce the impact of menopause and perimenopause on women's health, wellbeing and their participation in the workforce. Please share your story and spread the word!