One of the biggest themes Dr. Birt returns to is this: too many women normalize what should never be considered normal.
The signs are often there. But because women are so used to managing, pushing through, and “handling it,” many symptoms get brushed aside until they begin to disrupt daily life.
Heavy or abnormal periods. Pelvic pain. Painful sex. Trouble conceiving. Mood swings. Sleep changes. Weight shifts. Hormonal changes that seem subtle at first—until suddenly they are not.
Too often, women explain these things away.
They say, “Maybe this is just how my body is.”
Or “It runs in the family.”
Or the all-too-common, “I thought this was just part of getting older.”
Dr. Birt is clear: not everything common is normal.
Just because your mother dealt with it.
Just because your friends laugh about it.
Just because women have been silently enduring it for generations.
That does not make it acceptable.
And that’s especially true when it comes to perimenopause—a phase she says many women are woefully underprepared for.
Perimenopause: The Sneaky Shift No One Warned You About
If menopause has long been the whispered conversation, perimenopause is the conversation that barely happens at all.
And yet, according to Dr. Birt, this is often where women first begin noticing changes in their bodies, moods, sleep, energy, and weight—sometimes long before their cycles become noticeably irregular.
That’s part of what makes it so confusing.
Women start feeling “off,” but can’t quite pinpoint why. They may feel more anxious, more fatigued, less like themselves. Their bodies start responding differently. Their confidence may dip. And too often, instead of asking questions, they blame themselves.
Dr. Birt wants women to stop doing that immediately.
Perimenopause, she explains, is a transition, not a personal failure. It is not a sign that a woman is “losing herself.” It is simply a new chapter that deserves information, support, and care—not shame.
That distinction matters.
Because when women don’t understand what is happening, they often retreat into silence. And silence, as Dr. Birt points out, can lead to isolation, misinformation, and delayed care.
In other words, the glow doesn’t disappear. It just needs a new language.
Let’s Talk About Sexual Wellness—For Real
If there is one arena where women are still expected to be simultaneously desirable and silent, it’s sexual wellness.
Dr. Birt believes one reason these conversations remain so difficult is that many families—and communities—still haven’t normalized them. There is often discomfort around discussing desire, pleasure, pain, curiosity, or changes in sexual function, especially for women.
So many women are left to “figure it out” on their own.
And that guessing game comes at a cost.
When women feel embarrassed to discuss their sexual health, they may ignore pain, dismiss changes in desire, or avoid bringing up concerns altogether. What should be addressed with clarity instead gets tucked away behind discomfort.
But Dr. Birt’s philosophy is simple: women deserve to talk about their bodies without embarrassment.
That includes the beautiful parts.
The frustrating parts.
The sensual parts.
And yes—the complicated parts, too.
Because sexual wellness is not frivolous, it is part of overall wellness. Full stop.
