Have you seen the news this week?
The last taboo
Calling menopause the last taboo, Ros Altmann, the governments tsar for olders workers said “Some manage to get through it but roughly 50% might not. [Women] are being performance-managed out of their jobs.”
Altmann has said that menopausal women are falling off the radar because some of them are suffering terrible symptoms and feel unable to cope.
These women feel unable to approach their employees to talk about the issues. Not many older women would feel comfortable talking about the menopause with their line manager, especially if they were younger than them.
Forward thinking employees
This week I was invited to talk to the East Sussex Fire and Rescue service about menopause as part of their International Women’s Day initiative.
It is always lovely to see men and women at all ages wanting to learn about what happens to a women as she goes through the menopause.
It was quite an interactive discussion and they were telling me how one of the higher ranking female bosses wants to know how they can support their older female staff. Hurrah…How forward thinking.
My friend and colleague, Kathryn Kolas from www.simplyhormones.co.uk is the expert on educating companies on how to educate and support their staff around these matters. It’s great to see more companies wanted to be proactive.
Let’s face it we are the first generation to live so much longer post menopause. In the early 20th century the life expectancy was 40 years old!
We have NEVER lived so long post menopause, we could get to a place that we live as long post menopause and we did pre menopause.
Do we really have to write ourselves off? Do we really have to feel invisible to the younger population? Do we have nothing to add to the world once we stop producing children? No of course not but this is the story we are told and many of us believe.
What about the sisterhood?
When looking at all the press around this week I was sunned by some of the responses. Especially by other women.
Things like…
“So what about PMT and pregnancy. They are just as hormonal. Stop using natural events as an excuse.”
“yet another excuse……. Next it will be cant work because its not fashionable or its that time again. Just be glad you have a job and a society that lets you. Sure men have problems too but they don’t bleat endlessly on about them.”
“With that ghastly hairstyle it’s a wonder anyone listens to her. Most women just knuckle down and get on with it, and all credit to them. I work full time with a dicky ticker but it doesn’t stop me.”
They wanted equality now they use every female excuse they can think off. Menstruation, pregnancy and now the menopause. I managed the menopause as did my mother before me, without time off and without HRT
So much for the sisterhood lol. There were also lots of positive comments like this one…
“I have setup and run three businesses in my time. If decided to start a new venture I would not employ any body under the age of 45. My 60 years in business has shown me that the more mature ladies do a far better job, are more reliable and are better educated.”
There is much work to be done to get rid of this last taboo. Let’s face it EVERY women will go through it at some point whether they have symptoms or not. It’s time to stand up and be counted and not shut away behind net curtains.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2974904/Women-battling-menopause-forced-jobs-Campaigner-says-companies-ignoring-impact-employees.html#ixzz3TaUOYh81
