Halle Berry criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom for vetoing menopause-related legislation while speaking at the New York Times’ 2025 DealBook Summit in New York.
Berry, the actor and founder of Respin, said she is lobbying at both the federal and state levels for increased funding and coverage related to menopause care. “I’m also fighting when I go to Washington and I introduce a bill that will ensure that $275 million go towards research and medical education,” she said.
Actress Halle Berry goes scorched earth on Gavin Newsom, says he is incapable of being President:
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 24, 2026
“He's overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us in midlife. He probably should not be our next president either, just saying.”
pic.twitter.com/GFVjl9tSo2
She said her advocacy has included supporting legislation in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Illinois. Berry pointed to Illinois as a recent example of progress. “Actually, a good thing that happened yesterday, uh Illinois just became the first state to mandate coverage for HRT, which is hormone replacement therapy,” she said.
Berry contrasted that with actions in California. “But the opposite of that, back in my great state of California, my very own governor, uh, Gavin Newsom has vetoed our menopause bill, not one but two years in a row,” she said.
She then criticized Newsom’s record on the issue and referenced his potential future political ambitions. “With the way he’s overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us in midlife, he probably should not be our next president either. Just saying,” she said.
During her remarks, Berry described her experience with perimenopause and aging in Hollywood and called for greater public attention to women’s health in midlife. She argued that menopause symptoms are not treated with the same urgency as other medical conditions. “If men had a medical condition that disrupted their sleep, brain function and sex life, we’d be calling that a health crisis on par with Covid, and the whole world would shut down,” she said.
Berry founded Respin to provide programs focused on menopause symptom care and has used public appearances to promote broader discussion and legislative action on the issue.
