Halle Berry declares Gavin Newsom ‘should not be our next president’ after he vetoed menopause care bill

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Halle Berry, the Academy Award-winning actress, doesn’t appear to be backing California Governor Gavin Newsom in the upcoming presidential election. She made that very clear on Wednesday.

During her speech at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit – where California Governor Gavin Newsom was also speaking – actress Halle Berry publicly criticized him. The 59-year-old, known for roles in films like “Monster’s Ball” and “Catwoman,” specifically addressed his likely plans to run for president in 2028. Berry spoke openly about her experiences with perimenopause and expressed disappointment that Newsom vetoed a bill in October that would have expanded insurance coverage for menopause care.

Speaking at Jazz at Lincoln Center, she explained that California Governor Gavin Newsom had vetoed a menopause bill she supported for the second year in a row, but she remained optimistic, adding that he won’t be in office indefinitely.

She argued that his tendency to dismiss the concerns of women – a significant part of the population – particularly during mid-life, disqualifies him from being president. She ended with a simple, ‘Just saying,’ which drew some reactions from the crowd.

Voices

Contributor: California can be a leader by taking menopause policy seriously

Governor Gavin Newsom has a chance to show and explain how addressing menopause is actually a matter of supporting democracy.

The governor’s office said Thursday that Newsom respects Berry’s work as an advocate and is eager to collaborate with her and others to address this important matter.

The governor supports increasing access to menopause care, an issue many women face. However, he vetoed bill AB 432 in October because his team believed it would have inadvertently increased healthcare costs for working women and their families, who are already facing financial strain. This bill was a revised version of AB 2467, which he previously vetoed earlier in 2024.

The announcement also stated they believe collaboration this year will both increase access to important menopause treatments and prevent women from facing increased costs.

I’ve been so impressed watching Halle Berry become such an advocate for women’s health. She bravely shared her own journey with menopause publicly this year, and it all started when she realized the painful symptoms she’d been experiencing during sex – which a doctor had wrongly attributed to herpes – were actually due to vaginal dryness caused by perimenopause. It was a really difficult experience for her, but it inspired her to create something amazing: Respin. It’s a digital community where women can find support and information, whether they’re going through menopause now, approaching it, or just wanting to learn more. I think it’s fantastic that she’s using her platform to shed light on something so important.

Entertainment & Arts

Halle Berry shared that her doctor believed she had a severe case of herpes after she explained the symptoms she was experiencing during perimenopause.

I was really impressed to see her on Capitol Hill last year. She joined forces with senators from both parties to push for more money to help women get the education and treatment they need for menopause. It’s great to see someone using their platform to address something so important!

Berry emphasized on Thursday that improving menopause care isn’t solely the responsibility of women or those going through it – everyone has a role to play.

As a lifelong movie lover, I was really struck by something someone said recently. It felt like they were speaking directly to all of us who care about cinema. They said, ‘We need everyone here – all of you – because this is a fight worth fighting.’ But it wasn’t about physical conflict; it was about keeping the spirit of film alive. They emphasized how important it is to stay open-minded, to keep asking ‘why,’ and to genuinely care about all kinds of stories, even the ones that challenge us or make us uncomfortable. It really resonated with me – it’s a reminder that appreciating cinema fully means embracing everything it has to offer, even the stuff we don’t immediately understand.

Berry urged women not to let anyone undermine them, especially during a significant time in their lives. Approaching her 60th birthday, the actress shared that she’s no longer willing to waste energy on things that don’t matter.

I’m going to fight with everything I have, because my future, my daughter’s future, and the future of women all depend on this.

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2025-12-05 02:01