Thread by @HairyLeggdHarpy

When my ovaries failed early, and I needed to find out which hormones would best eliminate symptoms, reduce my cancer risk, mitigate dementia risk, preserve my bone density

I know *I* definitely needed the advice of men lingering in menopause forums on HOW TO ACCESSORISE

And when the menopause clinic cut my tummy yesterday to insert another oestradiol pellet, I COMPLETELY FORGOT to ask the female nurses to decorate my wound with a flower tattoo AND they never so much as SUGGESTED a different colour of stitch.

They need men in that clinic STAT

Because without men, how will we know whether we are inserting a micronised progesterone capsule with enough FLAIR in our vaginas?

And if taking it orally, does the resultant dizziness cause a swoon onto an ON-TREND FAINTING COUCH, or instead some piece of velvet crap from B&M?

In all seriousness.

You have never yet heard of trans-men invading erectile dysfunction or prostate cancer groups. And you never will.

Because that would be APPALLING.

But men are in women's endometriosis, pregnancy, miscarriage, cervical cancer, menopause groups.

GET. OUT.

Female bodies, female issues, female health, female people, female groups.

Men are NOT WELCOME.

Women who would undermine those spaces for other women?

Also NOT WELCOME.

Say no.
Say it louder.
Say it over and over again.
Don't stop saying it.

At the menopause clinic yesterday, I learned that it is the ONLY NHS clinic in the whole of the UK that provides oestradiol implants.

You know how I found out they did?

A menopause forum.

Do you know how many women miss out on ACTUAL treatment for menopause?

THOUSANDS.

Do you know how many women exit, or are chucked out of female health groups once they object to men's presence in them?

No, you don't, and neither do I, because no-one is keeping track of how many women lose out as a result of including men where they don't belong.

But LOTS.

Because we ALL hear stories from other women on a regular basis.
Weekly.

Left that group.
Got chucked out of that one.
Couldn't get support any more.
It became all about the men.
Couldn't mention female issues in it.
Incessant fawning over the men.

This is happening in PREGNANCY groups. MISCARRIAGE groups.
Centering men.

We need stronger leaders
Stronger admins
Stronger moderators

Advocates for WOMEN.
Ready and extremely willing to say NO to men.

Take back your Facebook groups, women.
Volunteer to admin.
SAY NO TO MEN.