Halle Berry had an incredible health scare that resulted in her learning that she was perimenopausal.
During the event, Berry spoke passionately about breaking the stigma around women’s health, highlighting her own experience with menopause and her mission to change the way society views this critical phase of womanhood.
The actress talked about being misdiagnosed with herpes when, in fact, she was experiencing the early signs of menopause.
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Halle Berry’s Doctors Don’t Recognize Her Perimenopause Symptoms
Describing her diagnosis, the actress said she recently met “the man of my dreams,” her partner Van Hunt. After they became intimate, she experienced extreme pain, prompting her to undergo the test.
Berry shared that her doctor initially diagnosed her with the worst case of herpes. However, subsequent tests revealed that neither he nor Hunt had the disease. As he shared via Hollywood Reporter:
“First of all, my ego told me I was going to skip it — I was so safe, I was healthy… I realized after the fact it was a symptom of perimenopause. My doctor had no knowledge and didn’t prepare me; that’s when I knew, ‘Yes Excuse me, I have to use my platform, I have to use all of who I am, and I have to start making a difference, and a change for other women.'”
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Berry Wants A Conversation That Will Eliminate Aging
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Berry’s candid speech at the summit was not the first time she had spoken publicly about her menopause experience. In an essay written last August, the “Monster’s Ball” star stated that she was “firmly involved [her] femininity” and plans to share her experiences with women of all ages.
“I was teetering in the middle of menopause. And I was challenging everything I thought I knew about menopause. Things like: ‘Your life is over.’ ‘You’re disposable.’ ‘Society no longer has a place for you.’ ‘You should retire.’ ‘You should pack it in,'” he wrote.
The 57-year-old highlighted the importance of demystifying aging by discussing it openly with other women. He emphasized the role of the community in understanding and learning from each other’s experiences, stating, “We’re all going to get through it.”
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He also emphasized the value of curiosity and sharing to educate and support each other in managing the challenges of aging.
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Halle Berry Isn’t Afraid to Hold Unpopular Opinions
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Going further, Berry emphasizes the importance of trusting one’s instincts in one’s personal and professional life. He added that he now sees the value of his perspective, stating, “I finally realized what I had to say was valuable, even if no one else agreed.”
The “Catwoman” actress later noted that her directorial debut with “Bruised” gave her the power to challenge male writers when female characters felt inauthentic. Ultimately, Berry’s advice to all women is to fully embrace and own every stage of their lives, regardless of their age.
He wrote, “Be clear about who you are and how you want to live your life because it is yours and yours to live.”
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Berry Can’t Believe How Little Information Exists About Menopause
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Later in December, The Blast observed that the Miss World 1986 contestant teamed up with Senator Cory Booker to challenge the stigma surrounding perimenopause and menopause.
“Every woman, if you live long enough, will go through menopause, and most women spend the longest period of their lives in the premenopausal or menopausal years, like three decades,” Berry told Booker.
She stated that it is “absurd” that there is a lack of information about a situation that every woman experiences and occupies a large part of her life.
It’s because of the stigma surrounding the discussion of menopause that Berry has chosen to actively engage in an effort to “destigmatize it.”
In her words, “We can’t talk about it, and when we go to our doctor to talk about it, only 13 percent of the doctors understand the menopausal body, so they can’t really help.”
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Hale Berry Tries To Give More Insights About Perimenopause & Menopause
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One way he believes politicians can help is by passing a bill “that will provide more research so doctors can get it right again.” As far as Berry is concerned, “The more we know, the more we can tell the American public.”
The mother of two added that there is a “need to understand” how menopause affects “early onset Alzheimer’s, or dementia, or Parkinson’s disease, or heart disease, diabetes.”
He also stated that apart from the general lack of awareness of the various changes that menopause can bring to a woman’s life, it is important to acknowledge the racial differences that exist in this context as well.
To date, Berry’s legislative work has focused on promoting research, education and awareness about menopause. She also advocates for more conversations about making sure women can access the treatment they need through insurance coverage.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
