BY FARAH G. DECANO
There are certain inevitable life events that have been so persistently framed in a negative light that they have calcified into prejudice. For women, the most inescapable and perhaps most maligned of these is menopause.
How many of us have been conditioned to believe that women of a certain age are “witches,” “bitches,” or undesirable shadows of their former selves? We are told their “bed gymnastics” must ebb as their estrogen and progesterone diminish. Because of this stigma, few women speak openly about this transition. After all, who in society actively signs up to be labeled a bruha?
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This societal cruelty treats women past their reproductive years as mere termagants, conveniently ignoring the immense physical and emotional labor of their youth. Enduring decades of monthly cycles and the rigors of childbirth is no small feat. Women approaching the end of their procreative journey deserve more than just “assistance”—they deserve profound care and unwavering respect.
It is time to bring these hormonal shifts out of the shadows. We must stop treating a natural biological progression as a humiliating condition or branding women as “human waste” once their childbearing years conclude.
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The transition is not easy. It often mirrors the symptoms of aging: sore joints, chronic backaches, brain fog, and the relentless surge of hot flashes. If society truly valued women for more than their “reproductive usefulness,” our laws would reflect that.
What if the government honored these women through instituted policies? Perhaps they should be entitled to the 20 percent discount earlier? What about age 55?
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Beware the woman who has moved beyond her reproductive years. She no longer begs for respect; her presence commands it.
Biologically, this stage marks a fascinating evolution. As the amygdala becomes less reactive, the “hormonal fog” of younger years clears. The brain undergoes a process of pruning and rewiring, sharpening the areas most often used. Unburdened by the fluctuations of a monthly cycle, a woman often exhibits a more refined wisdom and a natural inclination toward leadership.
Fortunately, the tide is turning. Social media is helping to dismantle old myths, and “netizens” are beginning to recognize the menopausal stage for what it truly is: The Rise of the Matriarch.
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History often attempts to sideline women as they age, yet many of our most influential figures reached the pinnacle of their power well after menopause. These women lead and redefined the world: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the legal titan who became a cultural phenomenon in her later years; Golda Meir, the “Iron Lady” of Israeli politics who led her nation through its most pivotal moments as Prime Minister; Diana Nyad, who, at age 64, became the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage; Toni Morrison, the Nobel Prize-winning author who wrote her most profound, world-altering literature in her 50s and 60s; Melchora “Tandang Sora” Aquino, the “Mother of the Philippine Revolution” who fueled the resistance well into her 80s; and Conchita Carpio-Morales, the formidable former Ombudsman of the Philippines, known for her fearless crusade against corruption late into her career.
Whoever brands a woman a “witch” after menopause is likely just a puny being, trembling in the presence of her brilliance.