Halle Berry Criticizes Governor Newsom for Allegedly Making False Claims

Halle Berry Escalates Dispute with California Governor over Menopause Healthcare

Actress Halle Berry has intensified her public disagreement with California Governor Gavin Newsom, accusing him of making empty promises regarding their dispute over menopause healthcare legislation.

In a recent interview with The Cut, the Oscar-winning actress revealed that despite Newsom’s public claims that they were “reconciling” their differences, she has received no communication from him or his office. “It’s disturbing when people say they’re going to do things and then they don’t,” Berry stated.

The conflict centers around the Menopause Care Equity Act, legislation that Berry has championed to improve healthcare access for women experiencing menopause. The bill would have required insurance companies to cover necessary treatments and mandated ongoing education about menopause for doctors.

Berry didn’t hold back in her criticism, suggesting that Newsom’s potential presidential aspirations could be jeopardized by his stance. “If he is going to run to be our next president, he can’t sleep on women. Wake up, Gavin,” she warned.

The dispute first gained public attention last December when Berry spoke at the New York Times DealBook Summit. There, she argued that Newsom’s decision to overlook menopause care effectively devalued half the population, famously noting that if men experienced similar symptoms, “we’d be calling that a health crisis on par with Covid, and the whole world would shut down.”

Berry has emphasized the economic impact of menopause symptoms, pointing out that one in six women leave the workforce due to menopause-related issues. This exodus, she argued, affects not only individual households but the broader economy as well.

In response to Berry’s latest comments, a spokesperson for Newsom called her remarks “very unfortunate.” The Governor’s office defended his veto of the original bill, explaining that as written, it would have inadvertently increased healthcare costs for working families.

Newsom’s team maintains that the Governor has now put forward a proposal to support menopause care through the state budget, which they claim fulfills his earlier promises to address the issue. However, this approach has not appeased Berry, who continues to advocate for comprehensive legislative action.

The public dispute highlights the growing awareness around women’s health issues, particularly those affecting middle-aged women. Menopause, which typically affects women in their 40s and 50s, can cause symptoms including hot flashes, sleep disruption, mood changes, and cognitive issues that can significantly impact quality of life and work performance.

Healthcare advocates have long argued that menopause has been underresearched and undertreated in the medical community, creating gaps in care that affect millions of women. The dispute between Berry and Newsom brings these concerns into sharper focus on the political stage.

Berry remains steadfast in her advocacy, calling on both men and women to join the fight for better medical support. She stressed that the struggle isn’t solely a women’s issue, urging leaders to “stay curious and care about the topic, even when it feels unfamiliar and uncomfortable.”

As this high-profile disagreement continues, it raises important questions about how women’s health issues are prioritized in public policy and healthcare systems, potentially influencing similar discussions in other states.