Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I'd Known About Menopause

Watts shares the “winding road” of her career journey. She entered her field as a costume designer and transitioned into working in fashion journalism before leaving to pursue acting. Watts relocated from Australia to the United States with few connections and little money. She reflects on her bravery, noting how she has carried that boldness into middle age and encouraging middle-aged women to “bet on” themselves.

Sharing several anecdotes, Watts shows how many women feel “liberated” in middle age, becoming highly ambitious while also having the time and energy to pursue their interests. She brings up author and activist Mariella Frostrup, who emphasizes the economic bias against women:

Within twelve years of having your first child, you’re likely to be earning 33 percent less than a male contemporary […] By the time you get to your pension at the end of your working life, it’s going to be somewhere between 15 and 40 percent less again than that of a male contemporary (148).

Frostrup also asserts that workplaces benefit from hiring across a diverse age range. Watts reflects on her own career struggles and how she now selects roles featuring characters that she connects with and productions that will help her “grow.” While acknowledging the uniqueness of her career field, Watts also asserts that professional environments are similar, relating the story of news anchor Tamsen Fadal, who had to leave set because of her

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