Halle Berry, a menopausal woman who is proud of it, regularly speaks out on topics considered "sensitive." The actress, who portrayed Catwoman on screen and played a heroine in the X-Men universe, has a real-life superpower: she breaks taboos with the sheer power of her words. Recently, she admitted to postponing her gynecologist appointments because of a chaotic first experience in the stirrups. This personal account resonates with many women.<\/p>\n
An Oscar-winning actress who has portrayed badass characters, Halle Berry is an activist at heart. This woman, who matured before the captivated eyes of audiences and whose image graced the walls of our teenage bedrooms, is more than just a silhouette. Moreover, this body, which made such an impression in that daring latex catsuit and which was long considered a fantasy, is something she still seeks to understand and decipher.<\/p>\n
While she's often portrayed as a demigoddess fallen from the sky, she has the same anxieties as "the average woman." Having accepted menopause, she doesn't hesitate to speak out about what others try to keep secret for the sake of their image. The most adored celebrities in the film industry remain human above all, including those who have embodied powerful and unflappable fictional characters.<\/p>\n
In an interview with HuffPost<\/a> , Halle Berry opened up about her intimate health. She spoke about a fear that's almost universal: the fear of the gynecologist. It seems that even the biggest actresses postpone routine appointments, not because of busy schedules or demanding auditions, but out of apprehension. Halle Berry constantly delays this daunting moment, and even though there's no "good reason" to miss such an exam, she says she was traumatized by her first Pap smear.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I was younger, because of the old speculum, I didn\u2019t go every year. Frankly, I didn\u2019t like it,\u201d<\/em> Halle Berry said. She continued, \u201cI didn\u2019t like having to clench my teeth. I didn\u2019t like how it felt.\u201d<\/em> This statement makes even more sense since her 18-year-old daughter is entering an age where spreading her legs in front of a dazzling light is practically a rite of passage.<\/p>\n If, like Halle Berry, many women procrastinate on this check-up that takes place below the belt, it's not just because they fear bad news or alarming results. When they undress for the examination, they feel weak and highly vulnerable. Fear of judgment, of the final diagnosis, of the pain felt through this cold metal object, which hasn't evolved since the 19th century\u2026 women prefer to remain ignorant rather than submit to this examination, which sometimes feels like "just an object."<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I learned that 72% of women forgo their pelvic floor exam for fear of undergoing this intimate, often painful and distressing examination with the old, outdated speculum, I was deeply concerned,\u201d<\/em> the actress lamented. It must be said that the speculum is something of a medical relic, resembling a torture device more than a great ergonomic innovation.<\/p>\n Concerned about women's intimate well-being, Halle Berry has made this universal issue a personal crusade. Aware of the outdated and barbaric nature of the speculum, a relic of a bygone era in gynecology, she partnered with the company Nella to modernize this instrument and make it more user-friendly. Together, they developed a speculum made of polymer, a material believed to be softer and quieter. A belated revolution in the design of medical equipment, but one of public benefit.<\/p>\n Halle Berry, the face of the Bond girl who has become the face of a vital cause, wants to address the shortcomings of a two-tiered healthcare system that has long accused women of exaggerating their symptoms or being overly sensitive. Her deep commitment to this personal awareness campaign stems from her own experience of feeling neglected by the medical establishment, as if trapped in a "no woman's land."<\/p>\n In an interview with Women's Health<\/a> , Halle Berry recounts experiencing a prolonged period of perimenopause without understanding what was happening to her. She felt like a stranger in her own body. At one point, healthcare professionals even mistook gynecological symptoms<\/a> for herpes. This experience opened her eyes to the lack of training among doctors, who are still largely uninformed about this pivotal time in a woman's life. This experience served as a catalyst and encouraged her to create the collaborative platform Respin, a kind of "safe space" for women entering menopause.<\/p>\n "We deserve more resources, more funding, more education, more research, because we have the right to understand how our bodies work and what is best for us,"<\/em> concludes Halle Berry, who also deserves the Oscar for kindness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Halle Berry, a menopausal woman who is proud of it, regularly speaks out on topics considered "sensitive." 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Actresses, singers, models and athletes open up about their insecurities, their battles and their refusal of rigid beauty rules, stories that echo questions many women ask themselves.<\/p>\n Following celebrities without comparing yourself means remembering that their images are the result of professional work: lighting, makeup, styling, picking the best shots and sometimes retouching. A few habits help:<\/p>\n Celebrity news is often fleeting. What interests us are the moments when a public figure talks about their body, their health or the pressures they face, because these stories resonate with our readers\u2019 daily lives. We aim to share these voices rather than judge anyone\u2019s figure, and to place each story in a broader context: the pressure to be thin, ageism and sexism in the entertainment industry.<\/p>\n Body shaming means criticizing, mocking or judging someone based on their physical appearance: weight, height, skin, body hair, age or facial features. Public figures are especially exposed because every photo of them is publicly commented on, but it affects everyone, online and in everyday life.<\/p>\n Body dysmorphic disorder, often called body dysmorphia, is a mental health condition marked by an excessive preoccupation with a perceived flaw in one\u2019s appearance that is minor or invisible to others. It can cause intense distress and repetitive behaviors, such as constantly checking one\u2019s reflection. Only a health professional can diagnose it and recommend appropriate support.<\/p>\n When a widely followed public figure talks about insecurities, an eating disorder or criticism of their weight, they bring visibility to an experience that is often lived in shame. These stories can help others speak up and encourage them to seek help. They remain personal accounts, however, and are no substitute for advice from a health professional.<\/p>\n Want to go further? Our Culture<\/a> section analyzes movies, TV and music through the lens of representation, our Society<\/a> section looks at beauty standards and discrimination, and our Body positive<\/a> section supports you on the road to accepting your body.<\/p>","parent":0,"count":2802,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":307,"category_count":2802,"category_description":" The Celebrities section of The Body Optimist follows celebrity news from a specific angle: what stars\u2019 public statements reveal about bodies, mental health, aging and beauty standards. Actresses, singers, models and athletes open up about their insecurities, their battles and their refusal of rigid beauty rules, stories that echo questions many women ask themselves.<\/p>\n Following celebrities without comparing yourself means remembering that their images are the result of professional work: lighting, makeup, styling, picking the best shots and sometimes retouching. A few habits help:<\/p>\n Celebrity news is often fleeting. What interests us are the moments when a public figure talks about their body, their health or the pressures they face, because these stories resonate with our readers\u2019 daily lives. We aim to share these voices rather than judge anyone\u2019s figure, and to place each story in a broader context: the pressure to be thin, ageism and sexism in the entertainment industry.<\/p>\n Body shaming means criticizing, mocking or judging someone based on their physical appearance: weight, height, skin, body hair, age or facial features. Public figures are especially exposed because every photo of them is publicly commented on, but it affects everyone, online and in everyday life.<\/p>\n Body dysmorphic disorder, often called body dysmorphia, is a mental health condition marked by an excessive preoccupation with a perceived flaw in one\u2019s appearance that is minor or invisible to others. It can cause intense distress and repetitive behaviors, such as constantly checking one\u2019s reflection. Only a health professional can diagnose it and recommend appropriate support.<\/p>\n When a widely followed public figure talks about insecurities, an eating disorder or criticism of their weight, they bring visibility to an experience that is often lived in shame. These stories can help others speak up and encourage them to seek help. They remain personal accounts, however, and are no substitute for advice from a health professional.<\/p>\n Want to go further? Our Culture<\/a> section analyzes movies, TV and music through the lens of representation, our Society<\/a> section looks at beauty standards and discrimination, and our Body positive<\/a> section supports you on the road to accepting your body.<\/p>","cat_name":"Celebrities","category_nicename":"people","category_parent":0}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444301","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8340"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=444301"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444301\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":444354,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444301\/revisions\/444354"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/444303"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=444301"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=444301"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=444301"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}} Modernizing the speculum: the actress's powerful act<\/h2>\n
Halle Berry, very involved in women's health<\/h2>\n
What you\u2019ll find in the Celebrities section<\/h2>\n
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How can you follow celebrity news without comparing yourself?<\/h2>\n
\n
Our approach: listening to what stars say about their bodies<\/h2>\n
Articles to start with<\/h2>\n
\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
What is body shaming?<\/h3>\n
What is body dysmorphia?<\/h3>\n
Why do celebrities\u2019 stories about their bodies matter?<\/h3>\n
What you\u2019ll find in the Celebrities section<\/h2>\n
\n
How can you follow celebrity news without comparing yourself?<\/h2>\n
\n
Our approach: listening to what stars say about their bodies<\/h2>\n
Articles to start with<\/h2>\n
\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
What is body shaming?<\/h3>\n
What is body dysmorphia?<\/h3>\n
Why do celebrities\u2019 stories about their bodies matter?<\/h3>\n