Why Menopause Representation Matters: 'Women in Positions of Power Realize This Is Not Something to

(lengthy, fascinating article, much too involved to excerpt here)
Why Menopause Representation Matters: ‘Women in Positions of Power Realize This Is Not Something to Be Secretive About’
7/7/2023 by Jennifer Weiss-Wolf and Roxy Szal




Gloria Steinem as herself, Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw, and Candice Bergen as Enid Frick in And Just Like That. (Craig Blakenhorn / Max)

Representation of menopause in popular culture matters. Among the ways menopause has been reflected on TV, the And Just Like That cast has tackled issues of aging, including a cameo by Ms. co-founder Gloria Steinem this past week.

It was also the main theme of a Judy Blume film screening and panel Ms. recently co-hosted in New York City entitled “Menopause Needs Our Margaret”—a reference to Blume’s iconic book, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. The event gathered the filmmakers behind the Judy Blume Forever documentary, Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok, plus menopause advocates Stacy London, Sharon Malone, Omisade Burney-Scott, Tamsen Fadal and Susan McPherson, in conversation with Jennifer Weiss-Wolf.

Read on for highlights from our New York City event.

Jennifer Weiss-Wolf: The Judy Blume Forever documentary captures something an entire generation of women has so much connectivity to.

Davina Pardo: I feel honored to have been entrusted with Judy’s story and to be part of this conversation about her impact, her legacy. She has an incredible body of work and it was life-changing and life-saving for so many people.

I think there is something cyclical about the work, because generations who grew up reading her are now in positions of power and are able to make these projects possible.


Leah Wolchok and Davina Pardo, the directors of Judy Blume Forever, with Jennifer Weiss-Wolf. (Roxy Szal)

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Judy Blume and Jennifer Weiss-Wolf at the Judy Blume Forever premiere in New York City in April. (Courtesy)

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Tamsen Fadal, Omisade Burney-Scott, Stacy London, Sharon Malone and Jennifer Weiss-Wolf. (Courtesy)

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https://msmagazine.com/2023/07/07/menopause-judy-blume/