Approaching her 57th birthday this August, Halle Berry has opened up like never before, laying bare her emotions and sentiments on aging, menopause, and female sexuality in a raw, heartfelt essay for Women’s Health.
"I'm my best self now that I reached 56 years old," the Oscar-winning actress confesses, unveiling a vulnerable side of herself. "I finally realize what I have to say is valuable, even if no one else agrees."
Her revelations don't just end at introspections. At the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, Halle steered the conversation towards broader women's health topics, emphasizing the need to destigmatize discussions surrounding sexuality and intimacy.
"We can make talking about women’s health issues less taboo by daring to talk about it,” she asserts, rallying women worldwide to share their narratives.
© Getty ImagesSuch openness is the driving force behind Re-Spin, Halle's digital health and wellness platform launched in 2020. She sees community as the gateway to understanding and empathy, explaining, "We're all going through it.”
However, what truly stands out in her essay is the candid reflection on menopause, a phase often shrouded in misconceptions and societal stereotypes. Rejecting the norms that often see aging women as "disposable" or suggesting they "should retire", Halle, the loving mother of Nahla Ariela and Maceo-Robert, provides a refreshingly defiant perspective.
© Getty ImagesSEE: Halle Berry shows downside to having insanely toned legs in hilarious video
She argues, "The most important thing about owning your sexuality as a woman is accepting the station you're at — and embracing that.”
Love and relationships intertwine with her journey. Since 2020, Halle has shared her life with Grammy-winning musician Van Hunt, a chapter that seems to bolster her advocacy for self-acceptance.
She reiterates the significance of embracing one's current phase in life, saying, "Own wherever you are. That's where I'm at."
Diving deeper into her professional journey, Halle touches upon her recent foray into directing. Her debut, Bruised, which premiered on Netflix in 2021, proved transformative. It’s made her evaluate scripts from a new perspective, looking for genuine female voices.
"What's the female point of view?” she asks, underscoring the lingering male dominance in scriptwriting.
Her essay, a mix of introspection, defiance, and advocacy, is a testament to Halle's resilience and wisdom. In her own words, challenging societal norms and encouraging authentic female representation is "the greatest role I've been playing lately."
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