𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐈𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 ‘𝐀 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜’ 𝐈𝐧 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬?
I meet so many Black women who say:
"I thought I was dying."
"I thought I was going mad."
"My mum never told me anything about this."
The silence around menopause in black communities is “deafening.”
It's not that we aren't experiencing it - we are suffering in silence.
There are a number of factors why:
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐨
In many black (African/ Caribbean/ American) households, anything involving a woman's body; periods, fertility, aging is seen as private, embarrassing, or shameful.
So menopause? Is certainly not a topic up for discussion.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 '𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧' 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐤
Many black women have been raised to endure, stay quiet, and “just get on with it."
Speaking about hormonal chaos, psychological issues like mood swings, depression, brain fog, suicidal thoughts or memory loss can be seen as weakness.
𝐋𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞
Many black women were never taught about perimenopause or the over 100 symptoms that can come with it.
Even many “trusted” medical professionals, dismiss black women’s symptoms or misdiagnose, completely. This is due to healthcare disparities and the lack of training and knowledge in menopause and how it affects black women.
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠
In some African/ Caribbean communities, menopause symptoms are wrongly viewed as curses, punishment, or even witchcraft. This often leads to fear instead of support.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬
Black women are being misdiagnosed.
Black women are losing careers, a sense of purpose, relationships and even mental stability.
Black women thinking they’re alone - when they are not.
We need to start speaking up because this silence is dangerous.
Black women deserve education, compassion, and culturally competent healthcare.
Let's start talking. Let's reclaim our power.
Menopause is a naturally occurring transition in a woman’s life.
Let’s break the stigma and taboo. Let's make menopause normal to speak about in black communities.
Did this resonate? Let’s talk. Share your perimenopause story in the comments.
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Watch videos on menopause on my YT channel here: https://youtube.com/@therelentlessboss?feature=shared
