British High Commissioner Harriet Cross: Menopause can make better, stronger women

ABOUT 25 per cent of women worldwide consider resigning and about ten per cent actually leave their jobs due to menopause symptoms.

The statistics were mentioned at a World Menopause Day Brunch hosted by Soroptimist International Chaguanas Chapter and Meno-TT at Samurai Restaurant, One Woodbrook Place on October 19.

Speaking to Newsday after the event, British High Commissioner Harriet Cross said it was important to break the taboo of menopause and for employers to address menopause in the workplace.

“Employers should support their employees and retain talent. There are women who struggle at work because of menopause and organisations lose talent because women haven’t been facilitated in coping with symptoms.”

Giving the feature address at the event, Cross, 50, shared her personal experience with menopause in a frank and hilarious manner. She spoke of how she started getting symptoms in her late 30s, how doctors were dismissive of her symptoms when tests came back clear, her decision to take hormone replacement therapy and her wish someone had spoken to her about bone health earlier.

She encouraged the gathered women to educate themselves and take control of the changes forced upon them, whether it be education, exercise, or talking with others about it. She gave suggestions on social media accounts of people who provided education, support and advocacy that they could follow.

She also said the Airports Authority of TT had a good menopause network and highlighted the British Foreign Office’s network and tools for all staff, which facilitated conversations on the topic and showed it realised women were valuable members of the workplace.

She told Newsday menopause could be a very challenging period of a woman’s life but ultimately the change could make them better, stronger women.

Cross, who recently posted on X that she would be handing over her position as High Commissioner to Jon Dean in December, said she had been in TT for over four years. And she looked forward to seeing some of the initiatives she started come to fruition.

“I love TT. They are beautiful islands. The energy of the people, the immensely good work that is happening here, particularly in the NGO sector, is really exciting.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens with green energy. I think there is a load of opportunity there just waiting to be tapped into. I think that’s very exciting as well.”

She said the UK and TT has had a very strong relationship and that would continue. She added that she would return to TT as she made many “links” in the country.

“I will never be too far away from TT.”