I Couldn't Help But Wonder... Why is Talking about Menopause Still More Taboo Than Talking About Sex?
A Sex and the City Guide to Navigating Perimenopause Like the Fabulous Women We Are
Remember when Sex and the City first aired and suddenly we were all talking about things we'd never discussed before? Vibrators, orgasms, and whether we were a Charlotte or a Samantha in bed became perfectly acceptable conversation starters. The show gave us permission to be honest about our desires, our bodies, and our experiences as women in ways that felt revolutionary.
Fast forward twenty-five years, and here we are—the women who grew up watching Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha navigate love, careers, and life in the city. We're now in our late 40s and 50s, and guess what? We're facing another taboo topic that desperately needs the Sex and the City treatment: perimenopause.
Just like the show taught us that talking about sex was healthy, normal, and necessary, it's time to apply that same openness to discussing what happens when our bodies start changing again. Because let's be honest—we've gotten really comfortable talking about getting our periods and our fertility struggles, but we're mysteriously silent about what happens when our ovaries start winding down.
Which Character Are You When It Comes to Perimenopause?
Just like we all saw ourselves in different characters throughout the series, we're probably channeling different energy when it comes to how we're handling these new changes in our bodies. Let's break it down:
The Samantha: "I'm Taking Control of This Situation"
Remember when Samantha started hormone therapy and was reading everything she could get her hands on? She was the friend who wasn't afraid to talk about what was happening to her body, research every option, and take charge of her health.
If you're channeling Samantha energy, you're probably:
Googling symptoms at 2 AM
Ready to try any treatment that might help
Unafraid to discuss vaginal dryness with anyone who'll listen
Frustrated that there isn't more information readily available
The Samantha in all of us knows that knowledge is power, but even she would agree that getting health advice from celebrity books (hello, Suzanne Somers reference!) isn't the same as getting evidence-based medical information.
The Charlotte: "But What Does This Mean for My Femininity?"
Charlotte always worried about propriety and what these changes meant for her identity as a woman. She'd probably be the one quietly wondering if perimenopause means she's "less feminine" or if she should be embarrassed about what's happening to her body.
If you're feeling very Charlotte about perimenopause, you might be:
Hoping these symptoms will just go away on their own
Worried about what your partner thinks about the changes
Wondering if this is just "part of aging" you need to accept
Hesitant to bring it up with friends or even your doctor
Charlotte would eventually realize that taking care of herself is the most feminine thing she can do, but she'd need support and accurate information to get there.
The Miranda: "Show Me the Data"
Miranda would want peer-reviewed studies, clinical trials, and hard facts. She'd be frustrated by the lack of research on women's health and annoyed that she has to become her own advocate to get answers.
If you're channeling Miranda energy, you're probably:
Tracking every symptom with scientific precision
Frustrated by doctors who dismiss your concerns
Worried about brain fog affecting your work performance and career
Wondering why there isn't better data on something that affects half the population
Miranda would absolutely love having access to evidence-based information and would probably have spreadsheets documenting her symptoms and treatment responses.
The Carrie: "I Couldn't Help But Wonder..."
Carrie would be overthinking everything, wondering if her symptoms were connected to her relationships, her career stress, or just life in general. She'd probably write a column about it and realize she wasn't alone in her confusion.
If you're feeling very Carrie about perimenopause, you might be:
Wondering if these changes are connected to everything else going on in your life
Having an existential crisis about what it means to be the "sex expert" when sex itself is becoming so complicated
Looking for the deeper meaning in what's happening to your body
Wanting to talk about it but not knowing where to start
Carrie would eventually realize that understanding what's happening to her body would help her make sense of everything else.
The Real Question: Why Are We Still Whispering About This?
Here's what I couldn't help but wonder: Sex and the City taught us that talking openly about sex was healthy and normal. So why are we still treating perimenopause like a secret shame instead of a natural life transition that affects millions of women and deserves the same honest conversation? Just like Sex and the City normalized conversations about women's sexuality, we need to normalize conversations about perimenopause. We need to share our experiences, support each other, and demand better information and care.
Maybe it's because we've been conditioned to believe that aging is something to hide, or that our self-worth is somehow tied to our youth and fertility. Or maybe it's because we're so busy taking care of everyone else that we've forgotten to advocate for ourselves.
But just like Charlotte eventually learned to ask for what she wanted, Miranda learned to demand respect, Samantha learned to prioritize her health, and Carrie learned to trust her instincts, we need to learn to speak up about what our bodies are telling us.
What Would the Girls Do? Get the Right Information
If the Sex and the City women were navigating perimenopause today, they'd probably do what they always did: support each other, share information, and refuse to suffer in silence. But they'd also be smart enough to want better resources than celebrity books and wellness influencers.
This is where Ask Elina comes in — think of it as having access to the kind of evidence-based information that would satisfy Miranda's need for data, Charlotte's need for reassurance, Samantha's desire for treatment options, and Carrie's need to understand what it all means. Because you deserve accurate information about what's happening to your body.
The app provides:
Evidence-based answers that cuts through the noise
A safe place to talk about anything, from relationships to careers to eating habits
The kind of support system the girls would have created for each other
The Bottom Line
Sex and the City taught us that talking about women's experiences (even the uncomfortable ones) is powerful. It's time to bring that same energy to perimenopause. We won't be dismissed by healthcare providers who don't understand what we're going through. We won't be silenced by a society that's uncomfortable with women aging. And we definitely won't get our health information from influencers who are more interested in selling than helping.
We're the generation that grew up watching four women navigate life on their own terms. We learned that it's okay to be ambitious, to prioritize our pleasure, to demand respect, and to support each other through everything. Now it's time to apply those lessons to this next chapter.
Get Ask Elina and join the conversation we should have been having all along.
And just like that... we started talking about perimenopause with the same openness we once reserved for cosmos and Manolos. Because we're fabulous at every age, and our health deserves the same attention we give our careers, our relationships, and our Sunday brunch conversations. Ready to take control of your perimenopause journey? Download Ask Elina and get the evidence-based information you deserve. Because when it comes to your health, you should never have to wonder—you should know.