California Governor Gavin Newsom has performed a swift U-turn on a key women's healthcare measure, announcing he will include funding for a menopause bill in the state's budget. This reversal came just one day after Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry delivered a stinging public rebuke, accusing the prominent Democrat of "devaluing" women.
A Star-Studded Confrontation
The dramatic shift unfolded after Berry, 59, confronted Newsom moments before he took the stage at the prestigious New York Times DealBook Summit on Wednesday. The actress, a leading advocate for menopausal women, angrily denounced the governor for vetoing the bipartisan Menopause Care Equity Act two years in a row.
"Back in my great state of California, my very own governor, Gavin Newsom, has vetoed our menopause bill, not one but two years in a row," Berry declared. She went further, suggesting his stance made him unfit for higher office, stating, "the way he has overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us, he probably should not be our next president either." Newsom is widely considered a leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028.
The Governor's Rapid Reversal
In a remarkable about-face, Newsom was approached by TMZ at Newark International Airport in New Jersey on Thursday. He claimed the measure was already included in California's 2026 budget, which was passed in June, and that he was "reconciling this" with Berry's team after speaking to her manager.
"We're getting it fixed," Newsom asserted, suggesting Berry was unaware of the budget inclusion before her fiery speech. However, sources within the governor's office told TMZ that Newsom had not planned to announce the funding until 10th January, but Berry's public condemnation forced him to accelerate his timeline.
Following the summit, a spokesperson for Newsom said he "deeply admires Berry's advocacy" and looks forward to collaboration. The spokesperson defended the earlier vetoes, arguing the original bill would have "unintentionally raised health care costs for millions of working women and working families already stretched thin."
What the Menopause Bill Entails
The Menopause Care Equity Act is designed to transform support for women in California. Its key provisions include:
- Ensuring comprehensive health insurance coverage for women experiencing menopause and perimenopause symptoms.
- Mandating the California Medical Board to create a menopause-specific curriculum for medical education.
- Requiring doctors to complete ongoing, menopause-related continuing education.
Berry's advocacy stems from a deeply personal place. In 2024, she discovered she had been in perimenopause for a decade after being misdiagnosed with herpes. This experience propelled her into the public arena to fight for better awareness, research, and care. Last year, she joined bipartisan senators at the U.S. Capitol to push for $275 million in federal funding for menopause research and education.
"The shame has to be taken out of menopause," Berry has said. "We have to talk about this very normal part of our life that happens. Our doctors can't even say the word to us, let alone walk us through the journey."
A Broader Conversation on Age and Value
Berry's comments at the summit extended beyond the specific legislation, touching on societal attitudes towards ageing women. She argued that women approaching 60, like herself, are often considered "past our prime" and rendered invisible across industries, including Hollywood.
"Women are pressured to stay forever 35… we're complimented if we seem to be aging backwards or defying gravity, as if that's even possible," she remarked, admitting she too feels pressure to look younger to remain "seen, relevant and desirable."
Her passionate advocacy, now coupled with a significant political concession from a powerful governor, highlights the growing momentum behind bringing women's midlife health issues out of the shadows and into the centre of policy discussions.
