Gabrielle Union went from feeling shame about her menopause to feeling empowered.

The 53-year-old actress said she first began experiencing perimenopause in her late 30s and told People she felt ashamed and even questioned her value as a woman as symptoms like hot flashes, hair loss, and mood changes hit. "It challenges you to look at life differently — and not as an ending, but as a beginning,” Union said.

She is now using her platform to normalize the messy, emotional, and medical realities of the transition. “When you're dealing with, you know, hot flashes — whether it's the first time or the 100th — everyone is different. There are no two that are the same,” she shared. In fact, Union said she’d had a hot flash so bad at last year’s Met Gala that Bad Bunny had to check in with her to make sure she was ok.

Union has been open about concrete steps she’s taken to manage symptoms, from dietary changes to speaking with doctors about treatment options. By speaking out, Union joins a wave of celebrities shifting menopause from shame to solidarity, urging women to get information, ask questions, and advocate for compassionate healthcare. 

Union revealed that she’s partnering with Bayer to promote Lynkuet, a prescription drug the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved to treat moderate-to-severe symptoms (hot flashes) of menopause. The new drug blocks NK1 and NK3 receptors involved in thermoregulation. Clinical trials showed the mechanism reduces the frequency and severity of hot flashes and may also help with sleep. Union said she’s “excited” to be “encouraging people to talk to their health care providers so they can figure out what best options are for them, because there are options.”