What’s “The M Factor”? Why this menopause documentary is heating up audiences everywhere
Did your mom talk to you about menopause?
My mom never had a hot flash. Nor a period cramp. I know — she’s a fabulous freak of nature, and I’m thankful for all she taught me. But I learned to stick my flushed head in the freezer from my auntie, whose bloodline runs straight to my uterus.
This same question about our moms (if you’re lucky enough to have one on this earth) came with a series of other conversation-starters I received when I co-hosted a screening of The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause alongside menopause expert Margaret Ladnerat the Color Club in Chicago in November.
The sold-out screening prompted questions about HRT (hormone replacement therapy), peri/menopause at work, mental health, sex, feminist advocacy, and a slew of symptoms in what intuitively felt like a safe place — and a movement.
After watching the film, I was personally blown away by how dramatically menopause affects every aspect of our person, especially our brains (and surprisingly, our teeth!) — along with how the Mothers of Gynecologydevastatingly endured multiple experimental surgeries without anesthesia as enslaved Black women.
Being in my Midst bubble, I sometimes forget how little other women talk about this stuff openly. Fortunately, the film supports similar community screenings around the world so women can join forces and get the information they need to live their best lives.
Why now? 1.1 billion women worldwide will be in menopause by 2025
Menopause is a lifelong transition with significant health risks, including cardiovascular disease, bone loss, and dementia, notes The M Factor press. Despite its universality, the U.S. healthcare system often inadequately prepares physicians to address menopause, leading to the dismissal of legitimate health concerns as age-related issues result in the silence and suffering of millions of women.
“Every single woman will go through menopause,” said executive producers Denise Pines and Tamsen Fadal. “The neglect, ridicule, or shaming of debilitating symptoms is unacceptable and impacts more than just an individual woman’s well-being.”
In the film, doctors and policymakers speak out on changes that need to be made, especially in the workplace, where roughly 44% of women are over the age of 45. The film also sheds light on disparities faced by Black and Brown women as they assess their treatment options.
Experts include neuroscientist Dr. Lisa Mosconi, certified menopause practitioner Dr. Sharon Malone, Delta Dental of California CEO and president Sarah Chavarria, and urologist Dr. Kelly Casperson (above).
Created by Emmy Award–winning filmmaker Jacoba Atlas and produced by Women in the Room Productions and Take Flight Productions, The M Factor aims to educate and empower women to seek proper healthcare support.
