Topic
Best Solidarity Podcast Episodes
Solidarity is covered across 1 podcast episode in our library — including We Can Do Hard Things. Conversations explore core themes like perimenopause as a flaming hot fire, shriveled apple doll, menopause as a culling, drawing on firsthand experience and research from leading practitioners.
Below you'll find key insights, core concepts, and actionable advice aggregated from the top episodes — followed by a ranked list of the best solidarity discussions to explore next.
Key Insights on Solidarity
- 1.Perimenopause and menopause symptoms are often extreme and debilitating, going beyond common understanding, as Glennon describes her mind as a "beehive" and skin as a "colony of fire ants with tiny daggers" at night (03:07).
- 2.The medical system is failing women in midlife, with "75% of women never get any treatment at all" for their symptoms (17:26).
- 3.Many doctors are uneducated about menopause, as "only one-third of residency programs in OBGYN" have standardized menopause training despite it affecting half the population for a third of their lives (37:51).
- 4.Societal values play a role, as culture values pregnant women but disregards menopausal women, viewing them as "becoming useless" (26:39).
- 5.The "Do Not Care Club" offers a spiritual culling, helping women refuse to tolerate things that are no longer right for their souls, like wearing "stilts" or "hard pants" (53:13).
- 6.Women often get menopause information from each other, not doctors, because 75% receive no treatment, leading to a conflation of "normal with acceptable" suffering (38:53).
Key Concepts in Solidarity
Perimenopause as a flaming hot fire
Glennon Doyle uses this metaphor, represented by a Venn diagram of menopause, fascism, and herself, to describe the intense and overwhelming experience of her symptoms, feeling like her mind, heart, body, and life are "on fire" (00:00, 02:02).
Shriveled apple doll
This is a self-portrait Glennon uses to convey the profound loss of moisture and vitality she feels, both physically and spiritually, during menopause. It represents a shrunken, dried version of her former self, a loss that extends to her soul (11:15).
Menopause as a culling
Spiritually, Glennon views menopause as a process where the "things that never should have had to tolerate are now officially intolerable." It empowers her to shed situations, people, and cultural engagements that are no longer right for her soul (34:49).
The do not care club
Founded by the 'Madame President,' this club offers a collective space for women to consciously decide what they will no longer care about. It's presented as a liberating response to the burdens placed on women, allowing them to reject societal expectations like wearing "stilts" or "hard pants" (51:13).
Actionable Takeaways
- ✓Involve male friends and partners in discussions about menopause to educate them on "what to expect or what might be going on in their households" (01:01).
- ✓Seek out healthcare providers who are credentialed in menopause training by checking resources like The Menopause Society (menopause.org) (49:09).
- ✓Normalize discussions about perimenopause and menopause with friends, family, and mothers to share experiences and find collective solutions, recognizing that "we take care of us" (43:00).
- ✓Question and push back against doctors whose practices feel predatory or dismissive, as Glennon's co-host did by leaving her OBGYN for offering body sculpting postpartum (32:46).
- ✓Consider virtual care options like Midi Health, which offers tailored holistic plans (hormonal, non-hormonal, supplements, lifestyle) and is covered by major insurance (19:28).
Top Episodes — Ranked by Insight (1)
We Can Do Hard Things
Menopause: W.T.F?!?! (Stay till the end for a surprise guest!)
Perimenopause and menopause symptoms are often extreme and debilitating, going beyond common understanding, as Glennon describes her mind as a "beehive" and skin as a "colony of fire ants with tiny daggers" at night (03:07).
Episodes ranked by insight density — scored on key takeaways, concepts explained, and actionable advice. AI-generated summaries; listen to full episodes for complete context.
