Menopause wasn't always a topic that was talked about loudly, on talk shows and brunch joints. But that appears to be changing (finally), as a number of public figures are opening up about what used to be a private, deeply personal topic. Recently, Oprah sat down with Drew Barrymore, Maria Shriver, and menopause experts to discuss her perimenopausal heart palpitations, brought on by decreased estrogen and progesterone. These women join a growing cadre of public figures, including Gayle King, Naomi Watts, Stacy London, and Michelle Obama, who are helping to shift the narrative around women's bodies, health, and aging.
In some ways, the sheer exuberance of these conversations-between-friends–style segments hints at a marked change in perspective. The frank discourse around women's health issues — particularly that of older women — is long overdue.
