Podcast Summary: Gettin' Grown – “Second Puberty” (ft. Dr. Sharon Malone & Dr. Wendy Goodall McDonald)
April 7, 2026 | Loud Speakers Network

Episode Overview

This episode of Gettin' Grown features hosts Jade and Kia in conversation with two generations of leading Black women OB-GYNs: Dr. Sharon Malone (menopause specialist, author, host of The Second Opinion, and chief medical advisor at Alloy Women's Health) and returning favorite Dr. Wendy Goodall McDonald (aka “Dr. Every Woman”, board-certified OB-GYN, educator, and entrepreneur). The main theme is “Second Puberty”—navigating perimenopause, menopause, and the structural challenges Black women face seeking adult care for their reproductive and overall health. The episode is filled with honesty, humor, actionable advice, and empowering self-advocacy—making it resonate for anyone confronting “grown woman” realities, especially Black women in their 30s and 40s.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking the Taboo: Black Women’s Health, Perimenopause & Second Puberty

• Open, humorous, and honest conversation about reproductive health—“bips and bops”—is essential to break cultural silence and shame.

• Both generations agree: many women are blindsided by perimenopause and menopause, despite seeing older women in their family go through it.

• Quote: “No one says, hey, by the way, this is coming up. … You get your period and you have no idea. ... Well, the same thing happens towards the end of your reproductive years. ... Can you give a sister a heads up?” — Dr. Sharon Malone [14:58]

• Symptoms go beyond hot flashes: mood swings, brain fog, night sweats, insomnia, vaginal dryness, weight redistribution, and more.

• Black women spend more time on average in perimenopause than white women (“The average amount of time Black women are in perimenopause/menopause: 10 years. For white women: 4 to 7 years.” — Dr. Sharon Malone [98:38])

2. Generational Shift & Open Conversation

• There’s a cultural shift toward open dialogue about aging and reproductive health.
• Historically, previous generations kept symptoms to themselves, leading to younger women being “blindsided.”
• It’s important for Black women to advocate for themselves, break generational silence, and share knowledge.

3. Navigating Healthcare: Finding and Vetting Providers

• Changes in healthcare structure (rise of private equity, hospital systems) have made finding long-term, patient-centered doctors harder.

• Tips for vetting a surgeon or provider:

  • Ask how frequently they perform a procedure (“I want it to be yesterday or last week, not six months ago.” — Dr. Sharon Malone [20:56])
  • Doctors recommended by your current OB-GYN are usually a safer bet than online reviews. (“I'll take that [doctor’s] person over the Yelp review.” — Dr. Wendy Goodall McDonald [21:15])
  • Continuity of care is challenging, so assembling your own medical team and knowing what questions to ask is crucial.

• Resource: Dr. Malone’s book Grown Woman Talk (first chapters cover how to evaluate physicians, and assemble a medical team) [25:33]

4. Systemic Barriers: Healthcare Disparities & Structural Racism

• The American healthcare system adds barriers for marginalized communities, especially Black women.

• Historic and ongoing disparities are not just about personal behavior, but systems: lack of access, institutional racism, and bias in medicine.

• Quote: “We like to attribute poor outcomes to poor behavior. … It relieves you of the responsibility of addressing the real drivers of health. … Still in 2026, trying to blame Black women.” — Dr. Sharon Malone [55:41]

• Historical context: Dr. Malone recounts personal experiences of family members in segregated Southern hospitals and discusses the racist origins of much medical “science” (referencing Josiah Nott, J. Marion Sims, and the legacy of Black bodies as experimental subjects) [44:04, 60:13].

• Both doctors stress the importance of integrating this awareness into how AI and new tech are developed, to avoid “powering broken systems” with new tools [39:42].

5. Self-Advocacy & Agency

• Black women must show up to medical appointments as empowered, informed partners.
• Important to move beyond paternalistic medicine (“you have to be much more active in that conversation” — Dr. Sharon Malone [27:20])
• Learn your body, keep records, ask questions, don’t accept dismissals (“There is no suffering Olympics. You’re not going to get a medal … because you suffered for ten years.” — Dr. Sharon Malone [103:04])

6. Changing Fertility Timelines, IVF, and “Should Be” Social Pressures

• Cultural trend: Average age at first birth has increased, now 28–29 (vs. early 20s in the past).

• More women are considering egg freezing, IVF, and becoming parents later in life, but these are costly and not guaranteed: “We cannot outrun our biology.” – Dr. Malone [73:30]

• Egg freezing is expensive ($15–20k+ per cycle), with most eggs never used.

• The “should be” trap: Social programming tells women they “should be” mothers or married, but self-acceptance and agency matter more.

  • Quote: “Should be doesn’t exist.” — Dr. Wendy Goodall McDonald [78:04]

• Other motherhood paths: adoption, fostering (zero wait for Black babies to be adopted), artificial insemination, or living joyfully child-free.

7. GLP-1s, Weight, and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

• GLP-1 medications (for obesity/diabetes) are making a difference for women with chronic conditions, but must be paired with protein, diet, and exercise—muscle loss is a real risk if used alone [91:04].

• Combination of HRT and GLP-1 therapy is most effective for weight management in menopause.

• Major takeaway: Black women significantly underuse HRT, despite greater prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms.

  • Most effective for hot flashes, mood swings, sleep, etc.
  • Many are discouraged by old beliefs (e.g., breast cancer risks), but HRT is safer now and can improve quality of life [95:16].
  • Don’t wait for test results; treat the symptoms, not numbers [101:03].

8. Participating in Research & Clinical Trials

• Black women are underrepresented in medical studies, not because of historical mistrust alone, but because they are simply not being asked or studies aren’t accessible [66:11].
• Participation (when possible) can help make future research more inclusive and benefit the community.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On generational silence:

  • “I'll be telling my mom about these mood swings and night sweats and weight gain and all the things. And she’d be like, oh, yeah, girl. And it’s like, well, girl, why didn’t you give the doll a heads up?” — Kia [14:16]

• On the lack of suffering Olympics:

  • “Menopause is inevitable. ... Suffering is the optional part.” — Dr. Sharon Malone [103:54]

• On intersection of racism and medicine:

  • “This is what medicine did. … We blame them. It must be your skull, your ability to learn. … You need to understand that ... so you know what to correct.” — Dr. Sharon Malone [61:13]

• On empowerment and self-advocacy:

  • “Don’t suffer. There is no suffering Olympics. You’re not going to get a medal at the end.” — Dr. Sharon Malone [103:04]
  • “Should be doesn’t exist.” — Dr. Wendy Goodall McDonald [78:04]
  • “It's not a cliff we're falling off of. It is actually getting into our prime… It's the beginning for some of us.” — Dr. Wendy Goodall McDonald [104:08]

• On resource creation:

  • “This book is what to expect if you expect to live beyond 40.” — Dr. Sharon Malone, about Grown Woman Talk [29:48]

• On the dangers of keeping quiet:

  • “We have got to stop being ashamed of everything that women's bodies do.” — Dr. Sharon Malone [42:14]

Important Timestamps

• [10:50] Dr. Malone’s journey to menopause advocacy and intention to focus on Black women’s health
• [14:16] The “blindsided” feeling entering perimenopause/menopause
• [17:49] Information overload, anticipatory dread, and the impact of social media algorithms on health anxiety
• [20:56] How to vet and choose a surgeon or provider
• [25:33] Tools/guidance for evaluating doctors in Dr. Malone’s book
• [39:42] The need for doctors to be involved in creating AI and new health technologies
• [44:04] Dr. Malone’s childhood experience of her mother’s fatal illness and systemic medical neglect
• [60:13] Legacy of medical racism: Josiah Nott, J. Marion Sims, and the system they created
• [73:30] Limits and realities of IVF and egg freezing
• [91:04] GLP-1 use in menopause; importance of pairing with nutrition and exercise
• [95:16] Black women’s underuse of HRT and information needed to make empowered decisions
• [98:38] Perimenopause lasts up to 10 years for the average Black woman
• [103:04] Dr. Malone’s closing word: "Don’t suffer"
• [104:08] Dr. Wendy’s closing: “It's not a cliff we're falling off of. It is actually getting into our prime.”

Calls to Action & Resources

• For Listeners:
  • Advocate for yourself at the doctor’s office; know your health history; don’t accept dismissive answers.
  • Seek out Black women practitioners, but don’t let lack of availability prevent you from getting needed care.
  • Consider participation in research if possible.
  • Review Dr. Sharon Malone’s Grown Woman Talk for in-depth guidance.
  • Check out Dr. Wendy’s “EveryBody” brand for wellness products designed for Black women.
  • Access menopause/perimenopause care at Alloy Women’s Health, led by Dr. Malone.
  • Seek trusted, evidence-based content and stay engaged in open, honest conversations about your body and health.

Overall Tone & Takeaways

• The conversation is warm, funny, real, and deeply empathetic, mirroring the hosts’ signature blend of “kitchen table” sisterhood and urgency.
• Both Dr. Malone and Dr. Wendy insist that Black women deserve better care, more information, and permission to put themselves first: “It’s not a cliff, it’s a beginning.”
• Cultural and structural barriers remain, but there is reason for hope—change comes from speaking openly, advocating bravely, and supporting one another.

Summary Created by an AI Podcast Summarizer | For more, listen to [Gettin' Grown] and check show notes for resource links.