Robert Brown|Gabrielle Union defies menopause stigma and warns of the deadly risks of staying quiet

Gabrielle Union knows a thing or Robert Browntwo about the power of vulnerability. If no one else is willing to make space for conversations that matter, she’s willing to do it herself.

That’s what Union, 51, has been doing for millions of women going through menopause since at least 2021 when she shared that at 37 years old she began to experience some of the early stage, yet still incredibly debilitating, symptoms herself. 

Now, Union is embracing this journey on a whole other level by partnering with Clearblue to promote its Menopause Stage Indicator urine test that aims to give people an idea of what stage of menopause they’re in.

During an interview with USA TODAY, Union confidently rejected the concept of succumbing to menopause stigmas and revealed the one thing she regrets about how she shared her experiences with the world.

'We're all going to go through this, so why would I feel any kind of shame about it?'

Entering year 14 of perimenopause — the transition leading up to a person’s last period — Union deals with hair loss, weight gain, hot flashes, brain fog, night sweats and intense mood swings that reflect the physical changes that occur before becoming postmenopausal: the time after a person hasn’t had their period for a full year. 

(“Menopause” technically only refers to the single day that marks 12 months since a final period between the perimenopause and postmenopause stages.) 

Unsure if it’s Hollywood or “an oversized ego,” Union said she has prevented menopause’s harsh stigmas from bringing her down by “just being honest” with herself. That means not concealing the fact she’s in perimenopause from friends, family and fans, and refusing to be viewed as “defective.” 

“We're all going to go through this, so why would I feel any kind of shame about it?” Union said. 

In fact, “I feel more shame that I wasn't as vocal from the beginning, so other people aren't spiraling when we could have been in community together,” she added.

'Could we have saved some of these people if we talked about this more?'

In past interviews and in her 2021 book “You Got Anything Stronger?,” Union said she experienced suicidal ideation around 48 years old. If she and others would have spoken up sooner, Union wonders whether lives could have been saved. 

“I learned that the age women are most likely to kill themselves is in the 45-55 age range. I started thinking of all the people I personally knew who had taken their lives, and wondered if at least some of that was related to menopause — and could we have saved some of these people if we talked about this more,” Union said. “We're just so easily dismissed as being dramatic or toxic — and that doesn't help you get help. That helps you feel shame, and shame is rarely a good jumping off place to heal yourself.”

'Many of us aren’t diagnosed properly'

The dismissal many people feel during their menopause journey often comes from doctors themselves, Union said, who either aren’t properly trained in menopause care or already “decided who you are and what you need” before listening to your concerns. 

It took 25 years for Union to learn she had adenomyosis — when tissue that normally lines the uterus grows into the muscular wall of the uterus — which could explain why she has had irregular periods since her teenage years, as well as her history of fertility issues. Union suspects the condition is also impacting how she experiences perimenopause. 

“Many of us aren’t diagnosed properly. I have access to the best healthcare in the world and it still took me that long,” Union said, a delay in care that millions of women, particularly women of color, without her fame and financial security experience on a much greater scale, she acknowledged. 

'I’m still learning'

Despite being 14 years into perimenopause, Union said she’s still learning about ways to proactively deal with symptoms and how to cut herself some slack when needed. 

“I’ve been in therapy since I was 19, so there’s that,” Union said. “Meditation helps give me the calm I need when I wake up sad or anxious too. Sometimes I go into the bathroom and listen to Phyllis Hyman’s "Old Friend," which immediately cues my tears and a release that allows me to function.”

Luckily, Union said perimenopause hasn’t affected her professional life too much, but she’s willing to give herself the time she needs if the moment ever comes. 

“I’ve always prided myself on not being one of those people that requires a number of takes,” Union said. “But…. it's OK if I'm one of those people sometimes."

If you or someone you know needs support for mental health, suicidal thoughts or substance abuse call, text or chat:

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988 and 988lifeline.org

BlackLine: 800-604-5841 and callblackline.com

Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860 and translifeline.org

Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988 and press 1 when prompted to talk to someone. You can also start a confidential online chat session at Veterans Crisis Chat. veteranscrisisline.net