Menopause Advocate, Jane Pangbourne, Launches YouTube Series To Challenge Disability Label In New Employment Rights Bill

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best arts and entertainment magazine UK“, menopause advocate Jane Pangbourne launches a powerful new YouTube series to challenge the UK’s new Employment Rights Bill that labels menopause as a disability, urging women to embrace education, HRT access, and empowerment instead of workplace adjustments and stigma.

A leading menopause campaigner and bestselling author from Market Harborough has launched a new YouTube series to push back against recent UK legislation that classifies menopause symptoms as a disability in the workplace. Jane Pangbourne argues that the move represents “campaigning gone wrong” and calls for a stronger focus on education, awareness, and accessible treatments instead.

From Personal Struggle to National Voice

Jane Pangbourne, 58, knows the challenges of menopause firsthand. She entered premature perimenopause at just 37, a condition known as Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI). After years of struggling with symptoms and facing several job losses due to lack of workplace support, she took control of her own health through extensive self-education and advocacy.

This experience led her to found Menopausal Not Mad in 2017. Today, she is a Level 6 certificated Women’s Health Practitioner, qualified nutritionist, and holder of certificates in cognitive behavioural therapy, training, and assessment. Her work has earned her recognition as one of the UK’s Top 30 menopause influencers in 2025, the Global Health and Pharma Award for Menopause Health Expert of the Year, and a shortlisting for The Female Boss Trailblazer. She is also the No.1 bestselling author of I Choose Menopause and has gathered over 55,000 signatures calling for better GP advice on menopause.

Having supported women across more than 100 countries for over a decade, Pangbourne has built a reputation as a practical, hopeful voice in an often confusing area.

Criticism of the Employment Rights Bill

The new Employment Rights Bill marks a significant shift. For the first time, menopause is written into UK workplace law. From the end of 2025, if symptoms substantially affect daily work activities — such as concentration, memory, or energy levels — they can meet the legal definition of a disability. This creates obligations for employers to provide reasonable adjustments (for example, fans, rest areas, or flexible dress codes) and protection from discrimination.

Employers with more than 250 staff will soon be required to publish a Menopause Action Plan as part of their gender equality responsibilities, with voluntary adoption encouraged from April 2026 and mandatory compliance expected in 2027. Around 15.5 million people in the UK are currently experiencing perimenopause or menopause, with symptoms that can include anxiety, irregular periods, fatigue, and memory challenges.

While Pangbourne strongly supports better menopause awareness and believes employers should take the issue seriously, she firmly opposes labelling menopause as a disability. She argues that this approach risks portraying women as less capable, potentially leading to stigma, discrimination, and abuse of the system.

She believes existing laws already provide sufficient protection through sex and age discrimination rules, as well as harassment legislation. Rather than “coddling” women with adjustments or encouraging time off, Pangbourne maintains that most women need accurate information, reduced scaremongering around hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and better access to effective treatments — including over-the-counter options where appropriate.

She compares menopause to an underactive thyroid: a condition that requires proper management but does not need to be classified as a disability to be addressed effectively. With the right support, she says, the majority of women can continue working productively and enjoying life without being singled out or limited by a disability label.

New YouTube Series: Practical Education Over Legal Protection

In response to the legislation, Jane Pangbourne is launching a dedicated new series on her YouTube channel. The series focuses on delivering clear, practical guidance to help women — and those who live and work with them — understand and manage menopausal symptoms effectively.

The content aims to cut through misinformation, explain hormone health without fear, and highlight realistic solutions. Pangbourne wants to show that menopause does not have to mean putting careers or relationships on hold. By emphasising education and accessible treatments like HRT, she hopes to empower women to feel like themselves again.

She has previously used large stages to warn audiences about menopause misinformation and notes that some progress has been made in challenging health scares, particularly in the US. However, she believes the UK remains behind and that framing menopause as a disability in law sends the wrong message — one that fosters fear and overwhelm rather than confidence and capability.

Pangbourne has faced online criticism for years for challenging prevailing narratives, yet she remains determined. She describes the new YouTube series as her way of setting the record straight and continuing the fight for better awareness.

A Message of Hope and Practical Support

Pangbourne’s core message is that women do not need further cushioning or special adjustments as a default. Instead, they need to be properly informed about their options and given access to solutions that work. She stresses that open, safe conversations combined with evidence-based support benefit everyone — women, their families, colleagues, and employers.

Through her YouTube channel, she aims to be “a bubble of hope” for those who feel lost in the menopause journey. Her goal is to help thousands more people move through perimenopause and menopause with clarity, confidence, and minimal disruption to their lives and careers.

With over a decade of research and real-world experience, Jane Pangbourne continues to use her platform to reverse negative narratives around menopause. Her new YouTube series represents a direct response to the Employment Rights Bill, prioritising education and empowerment over legal reclassification.

Women and employers seeking practical, solution-focused advice on navigating menopause are encouraged to follow her channel for ongoing guidance and support.

Find more from Jane Pangbourne now:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@janepangbourneglobal

Kindle: https://amzn.to/48xMRq1

Paperback: https://amzn.to/3YxA9nH

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/40dWDuX

Website: https://janepangbourne.org/

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