Las Vegas recently played host to a unique event: The World’s Hottest Menopause Party.
The event brought together powerhouse celebs, including actresses Halle Berry and Naomi Watts and comedian Sherri Shepherd, to empower, educate and inspire women around the world who are navigating menopause. It was a testament to just how far the conversation around menopause has come—and at the heart of this transformation is the groundbreaking film, The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause. I wrote about the premier of this film a few months ago, but at the time I had no idea the profound impact it would have on women worldwide.
From an Idea to a Movement
For the women behind The M Factor, the film’s impact has been beyond anything they could have imagined. “When this was a nugget of an idea, our hopes were to help a handful of women at a time and that those women would pass it on,” said Jo LaMarca Mathisen, a former NBC Today Show executive who co-produced the film. “Did we dream of a bigger impact? Sure! But we had no idea this film would grow into the global phenomenon it’s become.”
The M Factor has been screened in over 40 countries, with more than 700 official screenings—including in corporate boardrooms, medical conferences and legislative chambers. “The film has been screened in countries where women haven’t been allowed to discuss their menopausal symptoms—either out of fear of offending their husbands or the cultural stigma of being seen as no longer valuable,” said Denise Pines, one of the film’s co-producers and a partner at Women in the Room Productions. “The response has been overwhelming.”
The statistics tell the story of its reach: over 988 PBS broadcasts, more than six million online views and an astounding 1.2 billion media impressions. But beyond the numbers, the real impact of The M Factor is in the way it has given women a voice. “The film has helped free women from silence,” said journalist and the film’s co-producer Tamsen Fadal. “It has helped them have conversations about something that has been silent for far too long.”
Before the documentary’s release, menopause was often treated as an individual struggle, with little support from the medical community. Women were frequently dismissed or misdiagnosed, left to navigate the transition alone. The M Factor changed that. “The response has been just beautiful,” said Fadal. “I have been shocked by the interest, especially since we were initially told ‘there is not an audience for this.’”
Broadening the Menopause Conversation
Dr. Somi Javaid, a board-certified OB/GYN and founder of HerMD, has seen firsthand how the film is changing the perceptions around menopause. “I know providers who have watched the film and are now motivated to get trained to help their patients, igniting a newfound passion and purpose,” she said. “For decades, it has been heartbreaking to watch women suffer in silence and face dismissals. This documentary highlights these personal stories and systemic issues, acting as a catalyst for change within the medical community.”
That shift is beginning to take shape in even broader ways. The film has been incorporated into medical school curricula and even used as a continuing medical education (CME) credit for healthcare providers. “Now, we’re working on an intentional movement to educate healthcare professionals globally through legislation,” said Pines, who is advocating for states to follow California’s lead in mandating medical training on menopause. “We believe that every state—and every country—should empower doctors to better serve women during this transformative phase.”
The movement has even reached corporate America. “So many multinational corporations and legislators have held screenings—from the entertainment industry and insurance providers to biotech and pharmaceutical companies, as well as mayors and state representatives,” Pines explained. Employers are beginning to recognize the importance of menopause-friendly workplace policies, and some companies are now implementing menopause benefits for employees.
But beyond policy and awareness, The M Factor has provided something even more critical—community. “The M Factor started the conversation but women around the world created the movement,” Fadal said. “It has been incredible to see them join together in hundreds of cities around the world and talk and laugh and share so there is no longer shame attached to this time in life.”
Time for Change
The film’s producers believe the time is right to bring menopause into the mainstream conversation. Watts, a longtime menopause awareness advocate, recently penned a New York Times bestseller entitled, Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I’d Known About Menopause. Fadal’s new book, How To Menopause: Take Charge Of Your Health, Reclaim Your Life, And Feel Even Better Than Before, aims to demystify the concept of menopause. “I wanted to create a menopause manual that cuts through the chaos so women can take back control of their body and their confidence during this beautiful time in life,” she said.
LaMarca noted how the conversation has evolved over generations. “It’s hard walking around with a secret that might be affecting your personality, your body, your mind and your relationship with the people you love,” she said. “Women are finally like, ‘I’m not living like this anymore. I demand help.’”
And the evolution of the menopause conversation may be continuing. Pines hinted that the team is already at work on a follow-up film. “There were voices we left out in the first film, and we want to keep the momentum going.”
For the women behind The M Factor, this journey has been about more than a film—it’s been about rewriting the narrative of menopause for generations to come. “We must help women thrive as they age,” said Pines. “When women thrive, everyone around them thrives.”
With the momentum from The World’s Hottest Menopause Party and the global response to The M Factor, it’s clear that this conversation is not going away. It seems that it’s just getting started.