Topics such as women’s health and femininity are close to the heart of the Oscar winner, director and fitness platform founder. In a panel talk with Bayer, the 56-year-old spoke about the deconstruction of harmful stereotypes about women’s health and about her own body awareness. Afterwards, Berry deepened the conversation with the editor-in-chief of “Women’s Health”, Liz Plosser.
How do you break a taboo on a topic? By talking about it more. Halle Berry was able to determine this for herself, especially when it came to the topic of women’s health. In her opinion, topics such as the female menopause are still a negative topic. Menopausal women often hear things like: “Your life is over”, “You have to be taken away”, “Society has no place for you anymore”, “You should retire”, “You can pack up”, according to the 56 -year-olds who claim to be going through menopause themselves.
“I’m challenging all these stereotypes that you have to look a certain way or feel a certain way. I’m at my best at 56. I have the most to offer in my life. I have no more idle time to forgive. I’m confident in my femininity. I’m finally realizing that what I have to say has value even when no one else agrees,” said Halle Berry.
“My advice to women is always: take ownership of the situation you’re in,” she explains, explaining that in your 20s, you “own” exploration, have a lot of curiosity, and don’t let yourself be rushed. Women in their thirties are often unsettled by the thought that they “have to” make decisions about whether or not to have children. Berry also says that having a child means giving up most of your personal life. “And maybe you’re not a woman who wants to do that. There’s no harm, no wrong, no judgement,” says Halle Berry. She herself has two children, daughter Nahla, born in 2008, and son Maceo, born in 2013. She had her children at the age of 41 and 47.
Berry has discovered the role behind the camera as a director and focuses on what the female point of view would be like in her work. Most screenwriters are men, she says, and they write roles for women. The female view of the situation is often missing. Berry tries to direct those around her to think outside the box and put themselves in the shoes of the opposite sex.
Quelle:Women’s Health
