Breaking new ground

In this first ever Menopause Focus in The Bookseller, you’ll encounter the Bad and the Good. You’ll also glimpse the possibility of the Ugly.

First, the Bad. The experience of menopause (by which I mean the whole spectrum of the menopause years, from peri- through to post-) is as multifaceted as the individuals experiencing it, and sometimes it’s a painful and distressing experience indeed. It is also a universal one for around half the population, and hell, it has been since time immemorial. But incredibly, we still aren’t talking about it with nearly enough honesty and engagement.

Intersecting with the ageism often encountered by midlife women in the workplace, taboos around menopause remain firmly entrenched. “It’s a target on your back,” as one contributor to our menopause survey chillingly commented. The fact that two of our Opinion contributors have chosen to remain anonymous speaks volumes. And research and resource around menopause still focuses overwhelmingly on the white, heterosexual, cisgender experience, meaning that many vital voices are missing from the conversations even when we do get to have them.

Taking a stand

Now, the Good. Thanks to a phalanx of courageous trailblazers who include our focus contributors Mariella Frostrup, Alice Smellie, Dr Nighat Arif and Davina McCall, there is much greater transparency around menopause than there was 10 years ago, when I was in the thick of perimenopause. Many more resources (including books and podcasts) are available too.

And as my colleague Lauren Brown at The Bookseller reports in our lead story, menopause policies are now in place at major publishing houses and beyond, with Bonnier UK c.e.o. Perminder Mann notably speaking out about the challenges of her own menopause. This is all very Good. Now to make it even better, we need hard evidence, not just of HR departments plugging in desk fans, but of systemic and lasting change in attitudes to the menopause years.

The down side

Finally, the Ugly. The Ugly is the place where our industry has lost its mature talent. Beautiful people, with more lines on their faces, for sure, but also with the increased confidence that comes with age; and a boldness, intense focus and creativity honed by years of experience. Gone, because we failed to value and nurture them, and support them when they needed it.

Thanks for reading this focus. Hopefully when you have, you will want to do everything you can in your sphere of influence to help prevent the Ugly.