Drew Barrymore Talks Dating During Perimenopause: 'I Don't Want You to Think I'm Some Dusty Old Dry Thing'

The 48-year-old actress discussed her experience with perimenopause and admitted she wants to “rebrand” menopause to erase the stigma associated with it

Drew Barrymore is opening up about perimenopause and how it has impacted her dating life.

The 48-year-old actress detailed her experience with perimenopause symptoms during a panel last week alongside Oprah Winfrey, Maria Shriver, Dr. Sharone Malone, Dr. Heather Hirsch and Dr. Judith Joseph. Perimenopause refers to the time where the body starts to make its natural transition to menopause, which marks the end of a woman's reproductive years.

"There's something in that stigma that I don't want you to think I'm some dusty, old, dry thing. That's not the image I want," Barrymore explained, noting that she was hesitant to tell a recent date about the topic of the panel.

"I feel very confident, normally, and I want to be who I am and present myself. But in that moment I thought, I have to tell this story because it was a real life experience of, I'm so proud to be here," she continued. "I'm an open book. But in that one moment, I was like, 'I don't want to say what it is, because I'm engaging in someone who I want to see me a certain way.'"

Barrymore added that the moment made her wonder if there's any way society can "rebrand" menopause so that it's not a taboo topic.

"If Mark Zuckerberg could rebrand Facebook to Meta, maybe we can do this for menopause," she explained. "Because, we've got the word men-o-pause. Pause is a natural stop... to a lover that there might be something repellent about that subject. Whereas with no one else do I find this subject taboo."

"You're just that dry old bag when you talk about menopause. And that is the conversation, the stigma that has to change," she added. "We have to make it funnier, more sexy and more safe. Because the 'aha moment' is the safe."

Related:Gayle King and Drew Barrymore Encourage Women to Seek Support During Menopause: 'Don't Be a Hero!'

Related:Celebrities Who Got Real About Their Experiences with Menopause

Barrymore has recently been vocal about her experience with perimenopause. Last month, the actress was joined by Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler during an episode of The Drew Barrymore Show when she had her first hot flash.

"I am so hot, I think I'm having my first perimenopause hot flashes," she said while quickly taking off her blazer and fanning herself. "For the first time, I think I'm having my first hot flash. Whoa!"

"Oh, I feel so honored," Aniston quipped.

"I'm so sorry, do you feel this?" Barrymore asked before Aniston said it's internal heat. "Or maybe I'm just that excited."

She then told Aniston, 54, and Sandler, 56, that she recently spoke on a panel about menopause and it's crazy that she experienced the hot flash while on TV.

"Well, I'm so glad I have this moment documented," Barrymore said with a laugh.

The previous week, the star sat down with Gayle King and spoke about ending the stigma associated with menopause. Barrymore and King both agreed that the only way to change the narrative is to keep talking about it — with both women and men — and not be embarrassed by it.

Barrymore said the stigma will end as people see "the more women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s are looking so attractive, feeling so vibrant, living their best lives. The way menopause has been branded is, 'You're old, you're done.' That's not it."

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