A speaker argues that "male menopause" misrepresents male biology. Menopause is a rapid estrogen drop causing hot flashes and sore nipples; men experience gradual testosterone decline without comparable effects. Men's mid-life depression and anxiety are mental-health issues, not menopause.
Chapters
Let's talk about the male menopause. Really? Really? The male menopause? Well, one organization, the NHS, according to the Daily Mail, which I just happened to read— I don't like it, but it just sort of popped up in my feed— said that this organization was talking about the male menopause and giving men an opportunity to take time off work if they were struggling with hot flashes. Really? Sore nipples, mm, interesting, and that they were calling it the male menopause. Now, we know that the menopause is a real condition for women that happens because we have this significant drop in hormones and that causes a whole bunch of shit to go on in our bodies. Men, on the other hand, do experience a drop in testosterone, not at the same level and speed at which we do, and it's much slower and it's unlikely to have the same effect as what we are experiencing. Nevertheless, men do have stuff that goes on later in life, but I wouldn't call it the menopause. I would say that I've noticed that some older guys get depressed. Sometimes they may feel a bit anxious. Sometimes they may look down at what once was a flat tummy and isn't any longer. And feel a bit shit about that. But is that the menopause? No, that's not. That's other things that are going on to do with their mental health. And we don't need that word applied to a condition that doesn't exist for a certain gender of the population. So go find your own word. That's what I'm saying. Go find your own word.
