Breaking Silence, Building Strength in Midlife Health and Menopause Equity.
About the Menopause Equity Initiative
The Menopause Equity Initiative (MEI) is a year-long (2025-2026), community-led effort to raise awareness about menopause as a public health and equity issue in Connecticut. HDI works alongside its established Menopause Equity Collective, which represents statewide organizations and community residents dedicated to prioritizing and championing midlife women's health at the community, workforce, and policy levels that meet the real needs of Connecticut women.
By centering the lived experiences of those most affected by menopause, the MEI aims to:
- Normalize menopause as a natural stage of life.
- Increase access to culturally responsive, evidence-based menopause resources.
- Inform workplace, medical, and community policies to better support women's health.
- Build community capacity to advocate for the health of aging women.
- Help women make informed decisions about their health and wellness throughout life.
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Throughout the year, the MEI will offer events, tools, and conversations on a variety of health, wellness, and equity topics related to menopause and midlife, covering everything from physical and emotional well-being to cultural perspectives, workplace experiences, and access to care.
Menopause Equity Collective
This initiative is guided by a committed group of partners and advisors, including:
Upcoming Events
Power of the Pause Celebration: A Menopause Equity Event
Date: October 25, 2025
Time: 11:00am - 3:00pm
The Mouth Matters: Oral Health & Menopause
Date: Fall 2025
MenofPause: Men Supporting Loved Ones Navigating Menopause
Date: Spring 2026
Past Events
May is Women’s Health Month, let’s talk about menopause
Photo taken of the event planning committee at the May 3rd Menopause event. Representatives from event partners: UConn's Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP), Health Disparities Institute at UConn Health, The Aurora Foundation, and The Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity, & Opportunity (CWCSEO).
The Launch of the Initiative: Breaking the Silence on Menopause
On May 3, 2025, over 100 attendees gathered at the Connecticut Legislative Office Building in downtown Hartford for a brunch that would spark a movement.
Presented by the Health Disparities Institute and The Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity, & Opportunity (CWCSEO) and in partnership with Aurora Women and Girls Foundation and the Farmington Valley CT Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, the event included a panel discussion and screening of The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause, a groundbreaking documentary that confronts the neglected crisis of menopause head-on. Medical experts shared their personal and professional experiences, while attendees shared stories, asked questions, and built a community of solidarity.
As one attendee put it, “This is about more than hot flashes and brain fog; it’s about dignity, support, and rewriting the narrative of aging for our generations now, before us, and after us.”
“It is NOT all in our heads…menopause inequities need to be acknowledged, listened to, and not treated as a deficit.”
Together, event organizers, panelists, and attendees identified a few strategies necessary to advance menopause equity in Connecticut. Health professionals and legislators need to recognize menopause as a health priority, address disparities in care, and create supportive workplace policies. They called for more research, better insurance coverage, and ongoing education—especially for communities that have been historically underserved.
Check out this feature in UConn Today to learn more about the event: “UConn Health Disparities Institute is Breaking the Silence Around Menopause”