'It's normal' — Leading gender advocacy group encourages Singaporeans to talk about menopause

Singapore's leading gender and equality advocacy group, AWARE, is urging the public to openly discuss menopause, as it is a natural part of life that affects half of the population. In a social media post from November 5, AWARE stated that menopause is normal, and its stigma can be diminished by breaking the silence around the topic. The group highlighted that women often face negative labels and attitudes towards their bodily functions, including menopause, and that many lack knowledge about the condition and its impact.

AWARE's post cited that 60% of workers feel that the stigma surrounding menopause prevents them from openly discussing it, leading to inadequate management of its often severe symptoms. While the typical age for menopause in Singapore is 49, symptoms can begin as early as a woman's 30s or 40s. Additionally, 70% of women report that menopause deeply affects their lives.

To help employers create a supportive environment, AWARE provided guidelines for discussing menopause at work. These include listening without judgment, directing people to credible sources for information, encouraging medical consultation, normalising the conversation, using respectful language, and creating safe spaces for dialogue.

On the other hand, AWARE cautioned against dismissing symptoms, making jokes about menopause, speculating about colleagues' experiences, repeating shared information without consent, assuming uniform experiences of menopause, pressuring women to disclose personal details, or framing accommodations as special treatment.

AWARE also shared a link to the Menopause Care Playbook, which provides strategies for creating a supportive workplace.