A STORE in Dumfries has launched a menopause pledge and people locally are urged to sign up to show solidarity.
The Holland and Barrett shop in the Loreburn Centre is part of the Pause and Listen initiative, which calls for a more supportive society around the menopause.
It comes after research found that two thirds of women say they do not talk about the menopause, with 61 per cent citing fear of ‘judgement’ and being treated differently.
Despite 83 per cent of women saying that the menopause is less of a taboo subject now than it has ever been, 33 per cent said they have had experienced a negative reaction, such as shutting the conversation down, when they had spoken about what they were going through and how they were feeling.
Now the health and wellness retailer is on a mission to make the country more supportive with the pledge, which states:
We won’t pretend to know how your menopause feels.
We won’t say millions of people go through it every day.
We won’t tell you to just get on with it.
We won’t say “You’re way too young to go through the menopause”.
We won’t make light of your menopause.
We will give you the chance to offload.
We will help you try to find ways to get through it.
We will understand that your menopause is unlike anyone else’s.
We will show you that you don’t have to do this alone.
And above all we will always listen and support you.
It can be signed via their website or in the Dumfries store.
In addition, the shopping chain has trained 4000 staff members to advise customers on the menopause, including in Dumfries.
Holland and Barrett spokeswoman Fiona Sweny said: “There has been real progress made in recent years to bring the menopause to the forefront of the conversation, thanks to the many high-profile women who have been openly speaking about their experiences in the media.
“However, while awareness has improved, there is still a big job to be done in helping women feel heard.
“We know everyone’s journey is different and while we won’t pretend to know how an individual’s experience feels, we can promise to be there to listen, support, and offer guidance and invite others to join us in this promise.”
