Emma Barnett said that while going through perimenopause at the age of 38 she felt like she had been “robbed, robbed” of her identity.
The presenter, now 40, said on her new BBC podcast: Ready to talk to Emma Barnettthat it was “the first time in my life that I didn't really want to be a woman—the first time I thought I'd really like to be a guy.”
She said that during perimenopause, she felt like she had lost her identity and that she was still waiting to “get back” to who she used to be.
Speaking to guest Kate Thornton, she said: “I feel like there's been a theft. I feel like there's no emergency number to call. I'd like to report a crime. Yes, someone stole from me.” There is no one to report this to.”
Concluding the episode, Barnett said she hoped that “the normalization – which we both said needs to happen in perimenopause, and this hormonal degradation that happens from… age 30 all the way into women – can move into common language.”
Perimenopause is the transition period leading to menopause when the ovaries gradually produce less estrogen, causing symptoms such as irregular periods and hot flashes, while menopause is the final point after menstruation stops for 12 months in a row.
Conversation and awareness about menopause and perimenopause have increased significantly in recent years, thanks in part to the work of high-profile figures such as TV presenter Davina McCall and comedian Bridget Christie.
But the rise in knowledge comes with what health experts are calling a “menopause gold rush” as companies, celebrities and influencers take advantage of the “lack” of reliable information on the subject.
Women's health scientists at University College London said health companies and content creators see menopause as a “lucrative market” and are trying to capitalize on gaps in public understanding.
Researchers have called for a national education program to be rolled out after finding that a significant number of women do not feel well informed about the menopause.
Publication in the medical journal “Postreproductive Health”.They said: “There is a rapid expansion in the number of unregulated private companies and individuals providing menopause information and support for profit; it has been called the “gold rush of menopause”.
