Before we talk about symptoms, hormones, or interventions we have to examine the words we use to describe women, aging, and the most natural biological transitions of our lives. Because language doesn’t just reflect our attitudes—it actively shapes how we experience our bodies, our worth, and our place in the world.

Drawing from personal experience, cultural history, etymology, and media portrayals, I explore why menopause and women’s aging have been shrouded in silence, stigma, and shame—and how deeply sexist assumptions are embedded in the very words we use.

In this episode, we explore:

* Why women “age out” of relevance while men “age into” status

* The origins of words like spinster, crone, hag, hysterical, and old maid—and what they reveal about cultural bias

* How euphemisms around menstruation and menopause reinforce secrecy and shame

* Why even the word menopause frames it as a loss rather than a transition

* The surprising animal origins of words (“animalogies”) like estrus, estrogen, and crone

* How media has (rarely) addressed menopause

* Why reclaiming language is a powerful act of self-respect, agency, and healing

This conversation is for women navigating perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause—and for anyone who loves, lives with, or wants to better support them.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of Food for Thought, celebrating 20 years of practical inspiration for living compassionately, sustainably, and healthfully.

For the animals,—Colleen

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The Language of Menopause