Vaginal dryness and menopause: why do so many find it so hard to talk about? Actress Naomi Watts breaks the silence with this touching yet funny Instagram post.
Menopause: it affects an incredible number of women on this planet. And yet: the topic can be put right next to abortion and miscarriages in the "taboo" drawer. So here, too, there is a need for role models who are open about the accompanying niggles such as vaginal dryness or hot flashes. One of them, since the end of January, is actress Naomi Watts, who shared a funny, touching post on Instagram that will encourage and inspire women worldwide to talk more about it, too.
This is the menopause post of Naomi Watts
In the picture of her post, Naomi Watts can be seen twice. Once as a teenager and once in the present time. The joke of the story: already with 15 Jaht the actress did not take a leaf from the mouth and made courageous for Johnson & Johnson tampon advertisement. In a speech bubble, she proudly says, "When can I start using tampons?" Next to her, the now Naomi Watts can be seen uttering the equivalent in a speech bubble: "When can I start using lube?"
The actress wants to draw attention to the topic of menopause through the witty comparison. But just as funny and profound as the image is the message Naomi Watts shares about it.
This is what Naomi Watts says about menopause and vaginal dryness
Naomi also starts her text with a joke – asking who else has had a "Dry January aka dry January" besides her? She goes on to point out that while many find it easy to talk about periods and puberty, menopause and vaginal dryness make many nervous. The taboo she is now trying to break.
"I took in the Johnson & Johnson tampon commercial when I was 15…. Facing forward…confident…curious…. The other image shows what it might look like if we approached midlife hormonal challenges with the same boldness," Naomi Watts writes of the image. "When it comes to the 'adult version' of hormonal changes, we are relegated to the shadows of secrecy and shame…with a total lack of information, plus misinformation! Who knew we'd have to sneak a sip of lube before sex?"
Lube during menopause: a super tip and totally normal – says the expert
Noami Watts goes even further in her post, sharing tips from scientist Dr. Jen Gunter: "Lube can be a great addition to sex. Some people need it because they suffer from dryness or other symptoms of menopause, but many people, menopausal or not, just like lube. Unfortunately, there is a lot of stigma attached to lube. Some people are even made to feel that there is something wrong with them because they like and/or need lube. It seems that you are either too wet or too dry for the patriarchy. To that I say, bullshit. And, lube for all my friends if they want it." We can only agree with this and Naomi Watts' opinion. After all, as the actress concludes, "more than 1 billion people worldwide will be menopausal by 2025…. That's a whole lot of dry (vaginas)!". Her credo: "Let's not kid ourselves, let's take menopause, and yes, dry vaginas, into the mainstream. And no ifs, ands or buts about it!".
