Halle Berry Rips Gavin Newsom For ‘Devaluing Women’

Actress Halle Berry used her appearance at The New York Times’ DealBook Summit on Wednesday to launch a political broadside at California Gov. Gavin Newsom, blasting the Democratic governor for twice vetoing a bipartisan bill designed to expand menopause-related health coverage. Berry accused Newsom of “devaluing” women and even questioned his fitness for higher office just minutes before he took the stage at the same event.

Berry, 59, has recently become one of the entertainment industry’s more vocal advocates for menopause awareness. But her latest criticism targeted a prominent figure in her own party — a governor widely believed to be positioning himself for a 2028 presidential run.

“At this stage in my life, I have zero f–ks left to give,” Berry said, according to the Hollywood Reporter, before turning her ire toward Newsom.

“Back in my great state of California, my very own governor, Gavin Newsom, has vetoed our menopause bill, not one but two years in a row,” she said at the summit. “But that’s okay, because he’s not going to be governor forever, and the way he has overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us, he probably should not be our next president either.”

The actress urged the audience to join her in advocating for expanded midlife care, framing the issue as one requiring national attention.

“Just saying, I need every woman in this country to fight with me,” Berry said. “The truth is, the fight isn’t just for us women. We need men, too. We need all of the leaders, every single one of you in this room. This fight needs you.”

The bill at the center of the dispute — the bipartisan Menopause Care Equity Act — would have required insurers to cover a broader array of treatments for women experiencing menopause and perimenopause. It also sought to create a menopause-specific curriculum for physicians, requiring continuing education on the subject through the California Medical Board.

Berry’s activism on the issue intensified after she learned in 2024 that she had spent roughly a decade in perimenopause but had been misdiagnosed with herpes — a mistake she has cited as evidence of widespread gaps in women’s health education.

Menopause, which typically begins between ages 45 and 55, brings symptoms ranging from hot flashes and mood shifts to insomnia and difficulty concentrating. Physical effects such as thinning hair and dry skin are also common as estrogen levels decline, the Daily Mail noted.

Berry has carried her message to Washington as well. Last year, she appeared on Capitol Hill alongside a bipartisan group of senators to support a $275 million proposal for menopause research and education.

“The shame has to be taken out of menopause. We have to talk about this very normal part of our life that happens,” she said then. “Our doctors can’t even say the word to us, let alone walk us through the journey.”

During her latest public appearance, Berry framed her advocacy as both personal and generational.

“As a founder, I’m building for myself what I wish I had 10 years ago with the knowing that it’s going to help generations and generations to come,” she said.

But she also argued that cultural attitudes about aging continue to shape how women — especially those in public life — are treated.

“In 2025 there is a lot to still be talked about and discovered and uncovered, especially if you are a woman who is navigating midlife and thoughtfully considering your longevity, because in 2025 I, Halle Berry, and women of my age are simply devalued in this country,” Berry said. “Our culture thinks that at 59 years old, I am past my prime, and that women my age start to become invisible in Hollywood, in the workplace, on social media.”

She added pointedly, “Women are pressured to stay forever 35.”