There’s a phase almost every woman goes through, but very few feel comfortable talking about it openly — menopause. Hot flushes, sleep changes, mood shifts, and life still expects you to carry on like nothing is happening.
Genelia D’Souza Deshmukh recently opened up about menopause in a candid conversation with SheThePeople, reminding us that it isn’t something to be feared or whispered about; it’s a natural phase in which the body is simply entering a new rhythm.
“It bothers me to hear these things. Someone told me, when you’re menopausal, when you attain menopause, you’re going to start looking older. I said okay. Most women don’t talk about menopause because they fear that they’re looking older. I think looking older is beautiful to put it into perspective,”
“Change is inevitable. I never want to be 20 again. I feel I’m much cooler at 40,” she added.
Menopause isn’t something to be embarrassed about. It’s not an ending, but a transition every woman deserves understanding, space, and support to go through.
Menopause shaming is real
Mallika Timblo, founder of Terrapy, a purpose-led women’s health brand says menopause is one of the most significant biological transitions a woman will experience, yet it remains one of the least understood.
“While awareness has improved in recent years, many women still find themselves navigating this stage with little information, limited support, and a lingering sense that what they are experiencing is something they should simply endure,” she tells indianexpress.com.
According to her, one of the least discussed aspects of menopause is not the symptoms themselves, but how often women are encouraged to minimise them.
‘Many women are told that what they are experiencing is simply stress, ageing, work pressure, or a natural part of life. Sleep disturbances, anxiety, brain fog, low mood, fatigue, changes in confidence, and shifts in how a woman feels in her own body are often normalised without being fully understood.
The result is that conversations about menopause are delayed, symptoms go unrecognised, and women spend years questioning themselves rather than seeking support, she adds.
Timblo says that this can have a profound impact on mental wellbeing.
“Menopause often arrives during an already demanding phase of life. Many women are balancing careers, caring for children, supporting ageing parents, managing relationships, and carrying the invisible mental load that comes with it all,”
When physical and emotional changes are dismissed or explained away, she says that it can create feelings of isolation, frustration, self-doubt, and, in some cases, anxiety or depression.
According to Timblo, not every woman will experience menopause in the same way. Some move through it with relatively few symptoms, while others find it deeply disruptive. “Neither experience is more valid than the other. What matters is creating space for women to trust their own experience rather than measure it against someone else’s,” she tells indianexpress.com.
The conversation around menopause needs to move beyond awareness alone. She believes it requires acknowledgement. “Listening without judgement, recognising that symptoms are real even when they are invisible, and creating environments where women feel comfortable seeking support can make an enormous difference,” says the expert.
Menopause is not a weakness, nor is it something to be endured quietly. It is a natural life stage that deserves understanding, conversation, and compassion.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.
Genelia D'Souza Deshmukh on menopause shaming. (Source: Instagram/@geneliad) 
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