Lisa Ann Walter Asserts Menopause Shouldn't Be 'The Punchline,' Thank You Very Much

Menopause is unavoidable. Marking the hormonal drop when a woman stops having periods, menopause is more than an end to monthly bleeding — it also brings annoying symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, mood swings, and vaginal dryness. Adding insult to injury, this natural process is largely marginalized and often turned into the butt of jokes or ignored altogether. "The Parent Trap" star Lisa Ann Walter is on a crusade to shift this narrative, working with the vitamin brand Centrum to host "Hot Conversations," a campaign that spreads menopause awareness. As she told People in 2024, "Getting older as a female in this country has got to become something that is not the punchline."

Walter is an ideal spokesperson for the cause — in her 60s, she's had plenty of firsthand experience with menopause. "I went through some of the symptoms ..., like brain fog and sleeplessness. I spent plenty of time up at two in the morning contemplating my own mortality," Walter confessed to New Beauty in 2024. "And it's not so easy to just get up and go to work the next morning." She adds that the lack of education around menopause makes it harder for women to prioritize the self-care they need. For instance, many women don't understand how skin changes during menopause until they're in the middle of it. "I wish I had taken care of the skin on my body. The skin on my body is dry and it's almost — I don't want to say scaly because that sounds horrifying — but it's not nice," Walter told Eating Well in 2024.

There are tips for keeping your menopausal skin healthy, but without access to the real facts around menopause, many women may not be prepared for this and many other symptoms. Unfortunately, it's not easy to start these conversations. As Walter points out, menopause has long been tied to larger societal issues, especially the dismissive view of mature women.

Menopause is not a niche health issue. According to research from AARP, menopause symptoms affect 90% of women over the age of 35. So why is it so often glossed over? Lisa Ann Walter thinks this minimization ties to lingering sexism and ageism. As the "Abbott Elementary" star told People in 2024, "I don't know anybody in my mother's generation that spoke openly about menopause. ... Anything that has to do with being a woman is somehow connected to something that's shame-based." She added, "If men experienced menopause, there would be contests for it. Like, it would be, who has the hottest hot flash? Seriously."

The lack of menopause support can be especially bad for women in the workplace. "If a woman is experiencing any symptoms ... she's surrounded by guys making dumb frat boy jokes about dry vaginas," Walter told Katie Couric Media in 2024. "She's not going to feel safe or comfortable ... So we're all sitting there hiding our fans in our purses and trying to hide the symptoms." The same AARP report shows that 73% of employers and 54% of women agree that businesses should do more to help workers through menopause.

"It's hard to talk about these things because you're immediately desexualized," Walter explained to New Beauty. "You're old and dried out." But by shining a light on menopause, from its symptoms to its pervasiveness, Walter thinks we can begin to erase the stigma. "As a feminist and as a woman, I absolutely refuse to get on an ice flow and be shipped out to sea because I'm no longer a baby maker. I still have worth and value in society."

Clearly, there is room for improvement in the current discourse (or lack thereof) around menopause. As Lisa Ann Walter explained to Eating Well, "When you reach the age when menopause happens, you hear, 'Oh, you're in menopause. You're dry, you're done [...] you're not the same as a fresh young person.'" Speaking to New Beauty, she added, "How we feel about women aging is tied directly to their ability to have children. ... Afterward, you're not as vital to society."

Instead, Walter believes the story around menopause should be one that celebrates age and experience. "Instead of telling older women that we've aged out, society should be honoring us for the wisdom that we have," she told New Beauty. "I'm an active mother, I pull 14-hour days, I'm on the national and local boards for my union, I chair three committees, I have a speech tonight. I have never been more active and energetic."

Ultimately, our goal should be to create an open dialogue around menopause — both the ups and the downs. From helping women recognize the signs of a hot flash to improving how we value mature women, Walter hopes her advocacy will make a difference.