Why doctors are applauding this TV show's health plot line for women

Eight minutes into the new season of “Your Friends & Neighbors,” Amanda Peet’s character is talking about menopause. Specifically, her dry vagina.

For midlife women, it’s not surprising. Her character Mel is middle-aged.

But for TV, it’s still groundbreaking. (Sarah Jessica Parker’s character on “And Just Like That” in 2023 wouldn’t even say the word vagina in a much-discussed episode.)

Menopause and perimenopause are often reduced to a punchline in most TV shows and movies or not even shown.

But representation matters.

By episode two, Peet is Googling symptoms: Brain fog. Lack of concentration. Night sweats. All part of perimenopause.

Podcasters, creators, comedians and writers have been taking menopause conversations from taboo to mainstream. TV and movie studios are beginning to follow.

We need to keep talking about it.

Fatima Naqvi, a New Jersey obstetrician and gynecologist at Atlantic Health and certified menopause provider, says simply including a menopause story line is a good start.

Next, she says, she hopes shows can portray the nuance of perimenopause and menopause.

“I’m a big believer in showing how it can be a very positive time. It’s not the end of anything,” she says. “It’s a renewal and that’s important to highlight.”

Peet has praised the show’s creator for including this storyline, especially since she’s also in perimenopause in her own life. She has said the show allows her to express her rage, destigmatize the conversation and even share that hormone therapy is safe.

You can argue that the show can't portray menopause with enough nuance given the time frame.  And no woman goes through perimenopause or menopause in the same way, influenced by their health, culture and where they live. But its inclusion in a popular TV show shouldn’t be overlooked.

Peet is 54. Her character on the show is 50. On Reddit, some women complained that the idea that Peet's character was just learning about perimenopause now was unrealistic. Others said the show missed an opportunity to talk about vaginal estrogen, and go into more detail.

But there is a generation of women in their 40s and early 50s just now learning that their symptoms ranging from dry eyes to itchy skin are signs of perimenopause. And many of them are still struggling to find doctors and providers to treat their symptoms. And even when they do, they are facing a shortage of available medication such as estrogen patches.

Many women still think their symptoms won’t begin until their menstrual period stops.

“It’s important to be seen,” Naqvi says. “I’m part of Gen X and we are not just going to take this all in stride. And what’s most important is we talk about it and women find a practitioner who will listen to them.”

Menopause has been nearly invisible on the screen. Of the 225 films prominently featuring a 40-plus female character released between 2009 and 2024, only 6% (14 films) mentioned menopause, the Geena Davis Institute found in a December 2025 study.

“We need to see ourselves represented,” Naomi Watts told USA TODAY in January. “Talking about menopause and showing our stories in movies can help women feel less alone. It’s about taking the shame and stigma away and that’s important through storytelling of all kinds.”

And yet, two out of three people surveyed said it’s important to portray menopause on screen in a more realistic way, according to the institute.

“We are more than just hot flashes,” Madeline Di Nonno, president and CEO of the Geena Davis Institute told USA TODAY. “Movies and TV can directly affect how women see themselves. And we need to do better.”

Perimenopause will continue to drive Peet’s story arc this season. And if that starts with a dry vagina and helps more women find help for their symptoms and keep their hearts and bones healthy, we’re here for it.

Laura Trujillo is a national columnist focusing on health and wellness. She is the author of "Stepping Back from the Ledge: A Daughter's Search for Truth and Renewal," and can be reached at [email protected].