Helen Normoyle is the co-founder of specialist online health service, My Menopause Centre.
As we prepare to mark International Women’s Day, or IWD 2023, we’ve been asking women in the media, marketing and creative sectors to share what it all means to them.
Helen lays out below why equity is a whole year round event for the MMC, what government can do to help older workers and how men can be ‘part of the solution’…
What does IWD mean to you?
IWD is always important to me as a day of raising visibility for women in the continuing push towards equality.
This year’s theme, #EmbraceEquity, is especially important to me because it is something that is at the heart of everything we do in My Menopause Centre for us it’s an all year round activity.
Equity is about recognising that we’re all individuals with different circumstances, and the only way to really level the playing field is by supporting our personal needs.
By considering everyone’s unique story, we can create a truly inclusive and diverse world that not only uses but values the talents and perspectives of everyone.
And this is particularly relevant when it comes to the menopause. All too often we’re just seen as ‘menopausal women’ but how we experience it is unique to every single one of us.
That’s why this IWD is an important reminder to meet people where they’re at and not make assumptions about ‘knowing’ what they’re experiencing – whether that’s a friend or a colleague, our mums or sisters.
This year’s theme is #EmbraceEquity – how are you planning to address this year’s theme? How will this be reflected in your work?
As I said above, My Menopause Centre’s purpose and mission, as well as helping empower women to take control of their menopause and thrive, is to help drive the whole of society towards embracing equity by making menopause everyone’s issue, and not just a ‘women’s issue’.
We have also deliberately recruited a very inclusive and diverse team of menopause specialist doctors, as we want every woman to see themselves reflected in our clinic.
We also seek to ensure that we tell the stories of all women, so we proactively go out and find women from all different walks of life and from all communities, including marginalised and underrepresented communities, to tell their stories.
Finally, we really want to help normalise the conversation around menopause across all sectors of society, tackle taboos and make it an inclusive topic.
Women’s rights is a major news story currently – what is the most pressing issue facing women in the UK right now?
I think that there are several pressing issues for women, depending on where you are in your lifestage.
I think for women with children, access to affordable childcare is key. Because that can be a driver of how much they can participate in the workforce, as well as the impact that unaffordable childcare can have on their wellbeing and homelife.
And I think for women in their 40s and 50s+, it’s menopause and the continuing lack of awareness and support in the workplace and society as a whole.
How can women in business promote women’s causes effectively with their clients?
Start with the commercial reasons for doing so, why it makes good business sense (as well as being the right thing to do) – and there’s a stack of research and data to evidence the benefit of an inclusive and diverse workforce – whether that’s proper childcare, maternity policies or menopause support. It helps you attract and retain talent.
What should the government be doing to help ensure gender equity is achieved more quickly?
The government needs to do more to demonstrate that it understands the importance of addressing gender equity both for a fairer and more equal society and to benefit the economy.
With the right support, they could be getting more of the economically inactive cohorts of people that they need to get back into work, for example.
After all, they want more over 50s back in the workplace, yet they’re dragging their heels on ensuring that the right support is provided to menopausal women in the workplace, despite research showing that about one in 10 women aged 45-55 left their jobs last year due to menopause symptoms and ultimately, the lack of workplace menopause support.
These women are trying to manage their menopause symptoms while struggling to hold down their job without enough support, at the same time as often caring for elderly parents and supporting their own children.
Yet menopausal women are the fastest-growing work-age demographic in the UK. The government’s thinking and actions need to be more joined up.
With the right support, they could be attracting menopausal women back into the workforce and retaining those already there.
Where are you seeing the most progress in gender equity?
In the national conversation – it’s great that taboos and stigmas around menopause are now being broken, and more and more women are being vocal about why it is vital that there is more awareness and support for menopausal women right across society.
What can men do to support IWD this year?
Be allies, be advocates and help change the system. And don’t make any assumptions.
It’s important that men talk to women to really understand the challenges and the issues facing them and be part of the solution.
Who’s your most inspirational female role model?
I thought Betty Boothroyd who very sadly recently passed away, was amazing, as a hugely impressive politician who broke the glass ceiling in politics as the first female Speaker in the Houses of Parliament.
She really led the charge for women. But overall, I’d say Maya Angelou. She was and continues to be a true inspiration as a bold and impassioned activist who never stopped fighting for equality.