According to Mead (2025) "menopause is having a moment." This can be seen in current social media trends as well as in entertainment. The photo above shows actress Kathy Bates as the character Matlock. In the show, she plays an older woman who is able to achieve success in the law firm where she practices simply because no one really notices her. The quote on the meme is a signature line of hers from the show.

I believe this is an extremely important representation because a show that features a woman "of a certain age" communicates that this age is still important and valuable. A television studio is not going to have a main character "just because." They will only have a main character because they believe it will be commercially successful. Therefore, having this woman in her 70s as a title character sends an important message.

"There has been a sharp increase in the number of women talking about menopause on social media... as many turn online for... advice on how best to manage their symptoms" (Weiss, 2023).

Tariq, et. al., (2023) administered a 35-question survey with the objective of evaluating women's understanding and mindset on the subject of menopause. It was their conclusion that "most women were completely uninformed or only had some knowledge of the menopause before the age of 40" (Tariq, et. al., 2023).

As a woman in my 50s, prior to entering the perimenopause phase of my life, I knew almost nothing beyond the jokes about hot flashes. It seems now that anytime I am on social media, more and more content related to perimenopause and menopause is present in my feeds. I suppose the algorithms are working and bringing that content to me because I tend to engage with that content, thus setting up the cycle for social media to show me more. Some of the content is just humorous, poking good-natured fun, and some of the content is serious and educational. I also find some of the content unfunny and only serving to perpetuate incorrect or harmful stereotypes.

With over a million women in perimenopause each year, this is an important subject that deserves attention. Women should feel empowered to educate themselves, talk about what they are going through, and share that information to help others.

Weiss (2023) states that "social media helps break the taboo of menopause by allowing users to talk about their experiences, interact with others and feel less alone." Melani invites others to comment on her posts with other things "we do not care about" so that she can include them in future posts.

A scan of her Instagram page shows that Melani has now entered into endorsement deals with several companies that supply products related to perimenopause and menopause. Weiss (2023) states that "social media is a quick, accessible way to disseminate information."

Weiss (2023) also states that social media can be a force for activism and research but also for confusion and negativity. So far, I have only seen positive reactions to Melani Sanders, and for me personally she has brought a lot of laughs and an appreciation for being "seen."

1. Raise awareness

2. Provide accurate information in an easy-to-understand form

3. Build community

4. Empower women to be in control of their health

Target platform: Instagram

Sample hashtags:

#PerimenopauseAwareness

#MenopauseMatters

#HotFlashLife

#BrainFogIsReal

#SleeplessNotSilent

#OwnYourPause

#PausePositive

Timeline: This could be implemented in the next two weeks and then would hopefully be ongoing.

Required tools/resources: My plan would be to highlight other social media accounts, public health and medical experts, as well as advocacy groups. Therefore, it would require all the other social media platforms (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat) as well as websites such as the Centers for Disease Control, Office on Women's Health, The Menopause Society.

National Institute on Aging. (2025, July). Menopause. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/menopause

In conclusion, it is my opinion that social media can be used for positive or negative reasons. I have been able to educate myself on perimenopause and menopause and have some laughs along the way. Also, seeing all the social media posts on different platforms, lets me know that I am not the only woman going through this phase and it is ok to reach out to others for support as well as be a source of support for someone else.