‘I’m in menopause!’: Halle Berry helps unveil bill to boost women's health care

hello uh first let me say how incredibly honored I am to be here and never did I think in my lifetime I would be here uh advocating for something and being a champion of a cause especially this one but I want to thank Senator Murray um you were the first person that I met when I came here uh on this journey um and Senator Makowski thank you for coming on as uh also a co-lead uh when that happened I knew right away oh my God this is going to be a bipartisan uh movement because I can't think of a topic that should not be politicized I can't think of an issue that's more of a human rights issue than anything so to have support from both sides of the aisle is really important for all women and I thank everyone else all of you other beautiful smart strong women up here for Lending your support and agreeing to co-lead or co-sponsor uh because this is probably I think In Our Lifetime ladies one of the most most important thing that we'll do for ourselves and it's really important that we all stand together and lock arms and I am beyond honored to be here and be a part of this movement that's happening so so you guys might say okay why me why am I here well first I'm here because I'm standing up for myself because I know that when a woman stands up for herself she stands up for all women and all women go through menopause and you know we think that this is something that affects just old women we've been you know Society has told us when we get to be old we should just sort of putter away we should fall off Into Obscurity and that our issues don't matter well that's just not true I am going to be 58 years old this year and I have never felt better I have never felt more ready for this world I am wiser I I have raised I'm in the process of raising children I started late I'm raising children and I'm more accomplished than I've ever been I've I've risen to the top of my chosen industry it's not time for me to go out to pasture and lay down and die that which our society would tell me it's time for me to do I want to start a brand new career right I'm going to start a business that will speak to women in midlife because I want to use the platform that I have to really do real good in life making movies has been fine and I'm proud of that but I really want to for this next Act of my life really give back in a way that's substantial that will be talked about long after I'm gone but it will really make a difference in the life of every woman so one of the things that I've been struggling with and this is a part of my job in all of this is to always keep this issue human you've all I'm sure have heard about my lady part issues but menopause is not just about our lady parts and so many people think it's just about what happens you know below our belly button and that's where our issues are that's not true one of the most most impactful issues that we're facing when we get to midlife is our brain health because estrogen we have estrogen receptors in every cell in our body every organ in our body and when we get to midlife and our estrogen levels start to drop it affects every part of our body not just our lady parts that people kind of want to like write it off to it affects every part of who we are right so it's really important that we lean into our healthare in midlife not lean out it's really important that when we go to see our doctors they have thoughtful conversations knowable conversations with us about what's going on with us and I'll tell you a quick story not about my lady Parts I told that story this is another story I was at the doctor three days ago and I went in to talk to him about an issue and I said to him you know why I'm having this issue right and he says yes I know I said tell me why am I having this issue he said you tell me why you're having the issue I said no you tell me why I'm having the issue and we went back and forth you tell me you tell me you tell me I finally realized he wasn't going to say it so I thought okay I have to do what no man can do I have to say it I said I'm in menopause okay and that's why I'm having this issue and he said oh my God I could never say that to you look at you you don't look like you're in menopause I could never say that and if I said that to all of my female clients they'd punch me and again I knew that is why I'm here doing this work because it has to be destigmatized the shame has to be taken out of menopause we have to to talk about this very normal part of our life that happens our doctors can't even say the word to us let alone walk us through the Journey of what our menopausal years look like or look like or our years after that right so when I have these moments real moments that happen to me I know that every other woman around this country are having these real moments as well they're lost they're afraid they don't have Direction and they need help so that's why I'm here I'm here as a citizen of the United States as a woman who is demanding that our government give us what we need because we deserve it we have been overlooked we have been discarded for far too long and I'm so grateful to have a team of powerful strong smart women who are saying enough is enough because guess what it's enough it's enough so thank you so very much for being here and caring about this issue and I have one last thing to say and this is a call of action while I'm so grateful for all of the ladies that are here I'm slightly disappointed that they're all not here today because that's just me I get my heart set on something and that's why I wore my orange suit because I wanted all of the women to be here today and the ones that aren't here yet I want them to know we've got work to do we know but I'm coming for you we are coming for you we are coming for you and I will not stop until we all stand here all the women of the Senate myself included I'm not of the Senate but I'm here with them and we're going to stand together and we're going to fight to get this past and then I want every woman out there whatever state you're from reach out to your Senator male or female reach out to your Senator and tell them what you need demand to be heard because that's one way you stand up like I'm standing up right here you stand up in your own State and you demand that there's a change and that money is allocated for your health in midlife and Beyond thanks for watching stay updated about breaking news and top stories on the NBC News app or follow us on social media

Channel: NBC News

Views: 290,482

Keywords: NBC News

Id: UDtxbEGqf1s

Length: 6min 38sec (398 seconds)

Published: Thu May 02 2024