Have you noticed that menopause is suddenly having a moment? From TikTok videos and bestselling books to an Oprah-produced TV special called The Menopause Revolution—not to mention comedian Leanne Morgan hilariously venting about her hot flashes on stage—menopause is officially mainstream.

But this isn’t just another trendy health topic. Beneath the buzz is a long-overdue reckoning with a major gap in women’s healthcare. For decades, menopause has been mostly neglected by the medical world —under-researched, underfunded, and underserved. And now, the women experiencing it (and the people who care for them) are saying, enough is enough.

Comedian Leanne Morgan promoting her recent Netflix special - *I’m Every Woman*

So, What Went Wrong?

Let’s rewind. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) was first approved in 1942, and by the late 1990s, it was widely prescribed— estimated that around 30% of postmenopausal women (over 15 million!) were taking it. Early research at the time suggested it could reduce the risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death in women.

Enter the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), a massive billion-dollar study launched in 1991 to examine the long-term effects of HRT and other factors in women’s health. But in 2002, the WHI made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Researchers held a press conference announcing that HRT increased the risk of breast cancer by 26%—without publishing the full data for another 10 days.

Cue the fear. Doctors stopped prescribing. Patients stopped taking it. Within just a few years, HRT use plummeted by over 50%.

Here’s the twist: that alarming 26% was a relative risk. The actual increased risk? Less than one-tenth of one percent per year. But the damage was done. The fear stuck. And menopause care went into a kind of medical hibernation.

Fast-Forward to Now

Two decades later, we have more data—and it’s good news. Numerous studies (including later WHI findings) have shown that HRT can reduce the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and dementia. It also improves quality of life by easing symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, insomnia, and depression.

So why does the stigma around HRT—and menopause care in general—still linger?

Because changing the narrative takes time. And in this case, it’s taken over 20 years.

Welcome to the Menopause Revolution

The recent flood of menopause content isn’t just noise—it’s a call to action. It’s being led by women who are tired of being told to just “deal with it.” By scientists pushing for more research. By healthcare providers demanding better education and resources. They’re not waiting for the system to catch up—they’re changing it themselves.

Oprah’s TV special - *The Menopause Revolution* - aired on March 31, 2025 on ABC

This movement isn’t about making menopause trendy. It’s about making it seen. And finally giving women the support, information, and care they deserve during one of the most significant transitions of their lives.

So if it feels like everyone’s talking about menopause lately—it’s because they are. And it’s about time.

by Joshua White, Certified Menopause Practitioner (CMP)

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