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Naomi Watts has been open about her experiences with early menopause for years. She was one of the first celebrities to discuss it, and has said she’d like to lift the stigma and silence surrounding menopause. Naomi has a new book coming out on January 21, 2025 titled Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I’d Known about Menopause. It deals with menopause and aging in general. Naomi will tell stories from her life and feature conversations with friends and experts. The book is meant to feel like an intimate chat with a close friend.
“Women have had to suffer in silence and shame for too long about the changes they undergo during menopause, with little access to information, support or even much of an open conversation,” Watts tells PEOPLE exclusively. “I hope that this book can play a part in making women feel a little less alone, a little more supported, and dare I say, a little more excited about the natural changes that life has in store for us.”
Dare I Say It is the resource Watts — already a leading voice in menopause awareness — craved when at age 36, she found herself completely caught off guard by menopause symptoms, which typically begin between ages 45 and 55, per the National Institutes of Health.
“Feeling confused, alone and unsupported about this stage of her life, Watts was determined to do better for herself and for other women and began boldly using her platform to normalize conversations about this natural process,” reads a press release about the forthcoming book.
“I want this book to read like you’re sitting down over coffee and having an intimate chat with your girlfriend,” Watts said, in a statement. “I hope it will be of help for anyone trying to get a hold on this phase of life and make it a time of liberation rather than purely a time of trial. Menopause is a part of a woman’s midlife, but midlife is about far more than menopause.”
Watts also tells PEOPLE that she is “so grateful to everyone who spoke to me for sharing their stories.”
In a message to her future readers, she adds, “I can’t wait for you to hear about the highs and lows and everything in between about this life stage and get some real, practical advice and comfort about how to take on these changes head-on.”
Dare I Say It is a natural next step for Watts, who founded her menopausal wellness brand, Stripes Beauty, in 2022. Speaking with PEOPLE about the brand earlier this year, the star said, “I know I had shame and fear and doubt. Chances are that a lot of other people are going through the same thing.”
“I had a lot of anxiety in the lead up to creating this business, and then I just felt like, well, every woman is going to get to this point. Why are we not getting better care?” she added at the time. “There’s just a lack of education and research.”
I just turned 40 and I already have anxiety about entering perimenopause. I’m halfway through Dr. Jen Gunter’s The Menopause Manifesto and last month, I started adjusting my workouts accordingly. I also am really focused on my nutrition, too. I do think that, as with every topic involving women’s reproductive health, a lack of education about what to expect beyond getting hot flashes and not being able to sleep. I’ve learned a lot about what to expect from my body, but there really are so many women out there that are either too embarrassed or made to feel shame when it comes to learning about their bodies. I think it’s great when celebrities are open about such topics because they can reach more people in general. Even more so, I love that these types of stories open it up for us to share our stories!
photos credit: Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon
