Facing The (Menopausal) Music Menopause Mix - Hot 100: A Playlist That Reads Like A Story
Traditionally, menopause has been relegated to whispers in dark corners. Now, it’s a song - or rather a playlist - to be sung at top volume. Menopause Mandate is already dancing with joy at the introduction of the HRT Prepayment Certificate. Launched on 1st April, 2023, this means that women can have a year’s worth of HRT for the price of just two prescription charges.
To celebrate, we are launching a Spotify playlist: The Menopause Mix: Hot 100, that will run throughout the month of April.
FACING THE MUSIC
You've watched the programmes, followed the campaigning and read the books. Now it's time to dance to the tunes.
The Menopause Mix: Hot 100 is an eclectic Spotify playlist of 100 song titles, including hits by Rod Stewart, Peter Gabriel, Adele, The Spice Girls and Jay-Z. Some you'll know, some are more...unusual. And when you read the 100 titles in order, the whole thing adds up to a clever and hilarious narrative of the 30+ symptoms.
1. I Am (Jorja Smith)
2. A Lady of a Certain Age (The Divine Comedy)
3. Going Through Changes (Eminem)
4. Menopause (Jenny Talia)
5. Never Saw It Coming (The Jesus and Mary Chain)
WHO ARE MENOPAUSE MANDATE?
Founded last April by Chair, Mariella Frostrup, and Carolyn Harris MP, and with patrons including Michelle Griffith Robinson, Cherry Healey, Penny Lancaster, Gabby Logan, Davina McCall, Lavina Mehta MBE, Lisa Snowdon and Carol Vorderman. Menopause Mandate is a campaign group aiming to improve education and support for women in peri and menopause.
There are around 16 million women over the age of 45 in the UK. We may use amusing terms and puns, but the hard reality is that menopause and menopausal women are still under-funded, under-researched and under-supported. The introduction of the prepayment certificate is hugely welcome, but it's taken 18 months to be implemented.
92% of women said that they felt unprepared for menopause, 80% of women will experience at least one symptom they describe as particularly difficult, and one in four women will have menopause symptoms that significantly impact their quality of life. It is unacceptable that menopause isn't taken seriously.
We have no intention of letting it drop out of the charts.
HOW WILL WE KNOW?
Spotify, the world’s most popular audio streaming service, has donated audio and banner advertising space on its platform to help the playlist reach an even wider audience, and Universal Music has lent support with music rights.
The campaign will go out across posters, digital, radio and social this week (5th April), with outdoor media companies Clear Channel UK and Route Media both generously donating poster space across England and Wales during April.
Chair of Menopause Mandate, Mariella Frostrup, and patrons Carolyn Harris MP, Lavina Mehta MBE and Michelle Griffith Robinson were photographed in front of one of the posters on Borough High Street, London (4th April).
COVER UP
American artist and lecturer Helen Redman, who created a series of images around menopause in the 1990s, has provided the artwork for the Spotify album cover for free. https://helenredman.com/menopause/
WHAT IS THE PREPAYMENT CERTIFICATE?
On April 1st, the single prescription charge for HRT finally launched. Originally proposed in October 2021 by Carolyn Harris, MP and Chair of the Menopause APPG, this allows women to buy a certificate for the cost of two NHS prescriptions - £19.30 (These also went up 30 pence on 1st April - no joke) - and therefore receive HRT for a year. This is said to be benefiting 400,000 women, who are currently paying £225 a year for oestrogen and progesterone. It doesn’t include testosterone.
CHAIR OF MENOPAUSE MANDATE, MARIELLA FROSTRUP. ‘What better way to celebrate the introduction of the prepayment certificate and Menopause Mandate’s first birthday? This mix has something for all music tastes, and be sure to read the playlist out loud and in order. It’s wit incarnate’.
SIR ROD STEWART: “I'm happy to be included in such a stellar line-up, and to support menopausal women.”
PETER GABRIEL: “Until recently all the suffering, treatment and opportunities for menopause were not out in the open. The Menopause Mix is a great idea to use music and humour to bring it out in the daylight, get the information accessible and change attitudes.”
VISIT THE PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY: ‘Menopause Mix’ on Spotify, go to https://sptfy.com/menopause
For more information & IMAGES please contact laura.biggs@inutuitiveevents.co.uk