From Salma Hayek to Gwyneth Paltrow: Stars who are breaking silence on menopause

Menopause is a crucial stage in a woman’s life, usually in her late 40s, 50s and beyond. Yet it’s often a topic frowned upon, dismissing the struggles women face.

Here are the stars who are normalising talking about menopause:

Salma Hayek

The Mexican-American actress shared her experience of visiting a doctor where she was bombarded with unusual questions.

"[The doctor was] asking me things like, 'Are your ears growing and there's hair growing out of them? Are you growing a mustache and a beard? Are you easily irritable? Are you crying for no reason? Are you gaining a lot of weight really fast that doesn't go away no matter what you do?'” Salma said on Red Table Talk.

She revealed that she still goes through random rounds of mood swings and “hot flashes” but makes sure to take deep breaths and remind herself that they’ll pass.

The actress also emphasised letting go of the concept that women have expiration dates.

Michelle Obama

The former First Lady of the United States has been very open about menopause, as she believes the information out there is “sparse.”

Michelle shared that she and her friends often have discussions about it.

"I find that when we get together and we're moving and we're laughing, then we spend a little time talking about what we're going through. 'What's a hot flash?' We have girlfriends around the table who are OBGYNs, who have real information. All of that keeps us lifted up,” she told PEOPLE in November 2022.

However, Michelle does acknowledge that she cannot push herself as hard as she used to do, adding that her “recovery time is not the same.”

Gwyneth Paltrow

The Iron Man actress shared that when you enter perimenopause, you tend to notice a lot of changes in your body, including heightened hormonal shifts, sweating and mood swings.

Gwyneth also noted that there isn't a great example of an “aspirational menopausal woman.”

“Menopause gets a really bad rap and needs a bit of rebranding. I remember when my mother went through menopause and it was such a big deal and I think there was grief around it for her and all these emotions,” she said in October 2018.

Oprah Winfrey

Last but not least, Oprah Winfrey wrote in her magazine that menopause is a blessing in disguise and is the moment to “reinvent yourself” after years of focusing on the needs of everyone else.