Halle Berry says this is evidence of Newsom’s veto that should
Halle Berry slammed California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) at an event Wednesday, calling his approach to women’s issues proof he’s unfit to be president.
The actress and menopause advocate didn’t hold back during the New York Times’ Dealbook Summit, where The Hollywood Reporter said she told the audience, “At this stage in my life, I have nothing left to give.”
Berry criticized the governor for repeatedly crushing the bipartisan Menopause Care Equity Act, saying, “In my great state of California, my own governor, Gavin Newsom, has vetoed our menopause bill not one, but two years in a row.”
California’s Menopause Care Equity Act would have ensured that evidence-based menopause treatments were covered by insurance, but Newsom vetoed the law, citing limits it would impose on providers.
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She wasn’t worried, though, telling the audience, “It’s okay, because he’s not going to be governor forever, and the way he’s passed over women, half the population, by devaluing us, he probably shouldn’t be our next president either. Just saying.”
Berry’s comment was a direct attack on the self-confessed 2028 presidential hopeful, who coincidentally was scheduled to appear at the summit that same afternoon.
During her appearance, the Oscar winner also reflected on how society’s pressure for women to be young forever left many without answers about the effect of aging on health and the symptoms of menopause.
“In 2025, there is still a lot to talk about, discover and discover, especially if you are a woman going through middle age and carefully considering your longevity,” the “X-Men” actor said. “Because in 2025 me, Halle Berry and women my age will simply be devalued in this country.”
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Disputing the idea that women lose their value as they age, Berry added: “Our culture thinks that at 59 I’m past my prime and that women my age are starting to become invisible in Hollywood, in the workplace and on social media.”
“Women are pressured to stay 35 forever,” she continued. “We are congratulated if we appear to be aging backwards or defying gravity, as if that were possible, and if we somehow manage to look younger than we are, it is suggested that that is the gold standard by which our worth should be measured.”
Earlier this year, Berry launched comprehensive menopause care company Respin as a way to support her advocacy.
Respin describes itself as “a resource for women in the midst of, on the cusp of, or preparing for menopause,” and the mission is to combine scientifically backed treatment methods with community support and “help women embrace this natural transition with curiosity, wonder, and excitement.”