Quebec politician praised for speaking openly about menopause symptom in legislature

A Quebec Liberal member of the national assembly (MNA) is receiving widespread praise after candidly acknowledging a hot flash during official proceedings at the provincial legislature this week.

Jennifer Maccarone briefly halted a parliamentary commission to say she was experiencing symptoms of menopause, telling colleagues in French that she was having a hot flash and noting that menopause can happen even during legislative work.

“It’s like somebody turning the furnace on to 120 degrees and it’s distracting,” Maccarone later told Global News in an interview, describing the sensation. “We should talk about this openly.”

The video clip was shared on social media, where it quickly gained traction, drawing roughly one million views and thousands of comments applauding her for not shying away from the moment.

“You know there’s brain fog, there’s a whole bunch of things that accompany menopause,” she said. “We thought we’d share the moment — it’s human — but I was not expecting the one million views.”

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Among those praising Maccarone was Eva Hartling, founder of The Brand is Female, who said the exchange helps normalize an experience many women face.

“I love that moment because it normalizes an experience that a lot of women go through,” Hartling said, adding that openness makes the topic more relatable and removes stigma.

Brigitte Viel, Quebec chair of the Menopause Foundation of Canada, said too many women still feel pressure to conceal menopause symptoms in the workplace.

“The fact that someone in a very public position has decided to tackle it head on –say what was happening, call it out, explain it — allows other women to be seen and to feel understood and to feel that it’s OK,” Viel said

The foundation recently launched a campaign called “Menopause Works Here,” encouraging employers to better support workers experiencing symptoms.

Maccarone said it was not the first time she has flagged a hot flash while on camera, but it was the first time the moment went viral. She said the reaction shows many people are living through similar experiences.

“I think it’s important that you address it,” she said. “You’ll realize that there’s a lot more solidarity and a lot of people living through exactly the same thing.”

She said she plans to keep speaking openly in an effort to help break the stigma surrounding menopause.

For the full story, watch the video above.