Current:Home > MarketsGabrielle Union defies menopause stigma and warns of the deadly risks of staying quiet -RiskWatch
Gabrielle Union defies menopause stigma and warns of the deadly risks of staying quiet
View
Date:2025-04-17 07:17:46
Gabrielle Union knows a thing or two about the power of vulnerability. If no one else is willing to make space for conversations that matter, she’s willing to do it herself.
That’s what Union, 51, has been doing for millions of women going through menopause since at least 2021 when she shared that at 37 years old she began to experience some of the early stage, yet still incredibly debilitating, symptoms herself.
Now, Union is embracing this journey on a whole other level by partnering with Clearblue to promote its Menopause Stage Indicator urine test that aims to give people an idea of what stage of menopause they’re in.
During an interview with USA TODAY, Union confidently rejected the concept of succumbing to menopause stigmas and revealed the one thing she regrets about how she shared her experiences with the world.
'We're all going to go through this, so why would I feel any kind of shame about it?'
Entering year 14 of perimenopause — the transition leading up to a person’s last period — Union deals with hair loss, weight gain, hot flashes, brain fog, night sweats and intense mood swings that reflect the physical changes that occur before becoming postmenopausal: the time after a person hasn’t had their period for a full year.
(“Menopause” technically only refers to the single day that marks 12 months since a final period between the perimenopause and postmenopause stages.)
Unsure if it’s Hollywood or “an oversized ego,” Union said she has prevented menopause’s harsh stigmas from bringing her down by “just being honest” with herself. That means not concealing the fact she’s in perimenopause from friends, family and fans, and refusing to be viewed as “defective.”
“We're all going to go through this, so why would I feel any kind of shame about it?” Union said.
In fact, “I feel more shame that I wasn't as vocal from the beginning, so other people aren't spiraling when we could have been in community together,” she added.
'Could we have saved some of these people if we talked about this more?'
In past interviews and in her 2021 book “You Got Anything Stronger?,” Union said she experienced suicidal ideation around 48 years old. If she and others would have spoken up sooner, Union wonders whether lives could have been saved.
“I learned that the age women are most likely to kill themselves is in the 45-55 age range. I started thinking of all the people I personally knew who had taken their lives, and wondered if at least some of that was related to menopause — and could we have saved some of these people if we talked about this more,” Union said. “We're just so easily dismissed as being dramatic or toxic — and that doesn't help you get help. That helps you feel shame, and shame is rarely a good jumping off place to heal yourself.”
'Many of us aren’t diagnosed properly'
The dismissal many people feel during their menopause journey often comes from doctors themselves, Union said, who either aren’t properly trained in menopause care or already “decided who you are and what you need” before listening to your concerns.
It took 25 years for Union to learn she had adenomyosis — when tissue that normally lines the uterus grows into the muscular wall of the uterus — which could explain why she has had irregular periods since her teenage years, as well as her history of fertility issues. Union suspects the condition is also impacting how she experiences perimenopause.
“Many of us aren’t diagnosed properly. I have access to the best healthcare in the world and it still took me that long,” Union said, a delay in care that millions of women, particularly women of color, without her fame and financial security experience on a much greater scale, she acknowledged.
'I’m still learning'
Despite being 14 years into perimenopause, Union said she’s still learning about ways to proactively deal with symptoms and how to cut herself some slack when needed.
“I’ve been in therapy since I was 19, so there’s that,” Union said. “Meditation helps give me the calm I need when I wake up sad or anxious too. Sometimes I go into the bathroom and listen to Phyllis Hyman’s "Old Friend," which immediately cues my tears and a release that allows me to function.”
Luckily, Union said perimenopause hasn’t affected her professional life too much, but she’s willing to give herself the time she needs if the moment ever comes.
“I’ve always prided myself on not being one of those people that requires a number of takes,” Union said. “But…. it's OK if I'm one of those people sometimes."
If you or someone you know needs support for mental health, suicidal thoughts or substance abuse call, text or chat:
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988 and 988lifeline.org
BlackLine: 800-604-5841 and callblackline.com
Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860 and translifeline.org
Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988 and press 1 when prompted to talk to someone. You can also start a confidential online chat session at Veterans Crisis Chat. veteranscrisisline.net
veryGood! (953)
Related
- Elon Musk's skyrocketing net worth: He's the first person with over $400 billion
- West Virginia Gov. Justice ends nearly two-year state of emergency over jail staffing
- NCAA, leagues sign off on nearly $3 billion plan to set stage for dramatic change across college sports
- Commentary: The price for me, but not for thee?
- 'Malcolm in the Middle’ to return with new episodes featuring Frankie Muniz
- NCAA men's lacrosse tournament semifinals preview: Can someone knock off Notre Dame?
- Growing publisher buying 10 newspapers in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi
- The Truth About Travis Scott and Alexander A.E. Edwards' Cannes Physical Altercation
- San Francisco names street for Associated Press photographer who captured the iconic Iwo Jima photo
- Louisiana governor signs bill making two abortion drugs controlled dangerous substances
Ranking
- Macy's says employee who allegedly hid $150 million in expenses had no major 'impact'
- 11-year-old graduates California junior college, has one piece of advice: 'Never give up'
- 20 Singapore Airlines passengers injured by turbulence still in intensive care, many needing spinal surgery
- Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother stole more than $1 million through fraud, authorities say
- As Trump Enters Office, a Ripe Oil and Gas Target Appears: An Alabama National Forest
- Commentary: The price for me, but not for thee?
- Family members infected with brain worms after eating undercooked bear meat
- Naomi Osaka's message to young Asian players: Embrace your unique backgrounds and cultures
Recommendation
Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
Tribes say their future is at stake as they push for Congress to consider Colorado River settlement
T-Mobile is raising prices on older plans: Here's what we know
New research could help predict the next solar flare
Jamie Foxx gets stitches after a glass is thrown at him during dinner in Beverly Hills
Over 27,000 American flags honor Wisconsin fallen soldiers
Colorado is first in nation to pass legislation tackling threat of AI bias in pivotal decisions
Republican AGs ask Supreme Court to block climate change lawsuits brought by several states