Menopause: It’s a Movement! is a data-driven education and advocacy initiative focused on helping Michigan women thrive through menopause — at work, in healthcare, at home and beyond. The effort grew out of a clear need for more awareness and support, highlighted by strong engagement during a 2023 webinar hosted by MWC. Follow-up survey data in 2024 revealed that 60% of respondents had little to no knowledge of perimenopause or menopause, and many had not discussed it with their healthcare providers.
Building on the momentum, the initiative expanded statewide through 13 community conversations beginning in 2025, alongside Gov. Whitmer and Halle Berry, elevating women’s lived experiences and shaping a broader call to action. Since then, the effort has engaged more than 2,500 women, informed the introduction of seven menopause-related bills, and generated over 600 survey responses — creating one of the most robust state-level datasets on menopause and work in the country while positioning Michigan as a leader in midlife women’s health.
The information that MWC learned from the Menopause in the Workplace Survey and from the conversations held with women across the state led to the following recommendations for employers and lawmakers:
For Employers:
- Educate employees, not just women, about perimenopause and menopause.
- Provide trusted information and resources.
- Update policies with a midlife women’s health lens, create low-cost workplace accommodations, and review and expand benefits.
- Provide basic menopause awareness training for supervisors and HR staff.
For Lawmakers:
- Create and fund public education and awareness campaigns.
- Improve access to women’s midlife and menopause health care.
- Create policies for menopause physician education.
- Create policies to support midlife women in the workplace.
“Addressing menopause in the workplace is essential to understanding the full scope of challenges women face across their careers and lives,” said Cheryl Bergman, executive director of the Michigan Women’s Commission. “As part of our mission to assess the status of women in Michigan, highlight critical issues and celebrate their contributions, the Menopause Movement is a vital step toward creating policies and workplaces that support women at every stage.”
This report is part of ongoing efforts of the MWC to share women’s voices and take action on what women are telling us they need to thrive.
Read the full report online.
