Why are women retiring at 54? It’s not because we’re sick

It’s said that only women and a few toothed whales undergo menopause, so you’d think that far more attention would be paid to such a rare and special phenomenon. Yet despite half the human population experiencing menopause, it remains an uncomfortable and taboo subject, so much so that many women are left scared, confused or even traumatised by their perimenopause and menopause symptoms.

I was one of those women who experienced sleepless nights, joint pain, fatigue and hot flashes so spectacular they could heat all of Sydney on a cold winter’s night. And if that weren’t bad enough, enter stage left the brain fog.

Understanding of menopause affords flexibility, such as the option to work from home when dealing with insomnia or the comfort to take off a jacket when you’re burning up.

Like other women, I was expected to suffer in silence. One GP was so dismissive, lacking any empathy or care, that it was a long time before I again raised my symptoms with a medical practitioner. It wasn’t worth the abject disregard.

Sadly, my experience is not unique; many women are left to endure intolerable symptoms. I’ve learnt that scores of women have had to search extensively to find a GP who is even willing to recognise menopausal symptoms, let alone offer proper treatment options.

This is not a slight against GPs. There are many excellent ones. This is a slight on a system that doesn’t prioritise appropriate care. How can it, when most people don’t want to talk about it? A lack of education and awareness leaves wide open the possibility of misdiagnosis or mistreatment.

These are some of the themes that the Senate community affairs committee’s inquiry into issues related to menopause and perimenopause is exploring.

During its hearings, one startling revelation was the early retirement age of Australian women. In 2022-23, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that the average retirement age for women was 54.7 years. This is years before their male counterparts, with many citing declining health as the key impetus for retirement. Why isn’t this statistic better known? Why aren’t we shocked by it?

I was 53 when I entered the Senate, and I’m now 54. I know I have many years of worth ahead to give. The idea that many women are forced to leave the workforce so early is devastating. Devastating for the women, devastating for our economy, for productivity and for so much opportunity and value lost.

It’s also entirely unnecessary, especially when many women desire to remain in the workforce, to continue reaching career milestones, and to fulfil their goals. Instead, they are being held back by stigma, and by a health system and workforce that have little desire to understand women’s health – especially once they hit midlife.

We shouldn’t allow a culture in which women go through this alone, shamed into not discussing their experiences, and often let down by health practitioners who aren’t appropriately educated or informed.

Yet, through the course of the inquiry hearings so far, the women who have given evidence have provided simple solutions. Flexibility and awareness. These two simple concepts can be easily integrated into any workplace or policy. Women going through menopause aren’t seeking special leave; we don’t need to be sent away until we “get better”. We aren’t sick. Research from the UK indicates the availability of menopause leave further perpetuates stigma and unconscious bias, rather than providing practical solutions.

Women going through menopause need clear medical information and understanding. Understanding affords flexibility, such as the option to work from home when dealing with insomnia or the comfort to take off a jacket when you’re burning up, as I’ve had to do many times in the Senate, and not be seen as disrespectful or judged as unprofessional. The freedom to turn down the heat, literally and figuratively. Navigating menopause shouldn’t be doom and gloom for women, from a human or professional perspective.

I’m looking forward to the course of this inquiry giving women experiencing menopause a long-awaited voice. There is real multipartisan support to improve the lives of all women navigating this natural part of their lives.

Menopause isn’t the “end of useful” life for women; it’s simply a stage of life. One we need to do better to address.

Maria Kovacic is a Liberal senator for NSW and member of the Senate committee currently looking into issues related to menopause and perimenopause.

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