Skip to main content
The riot grrrls are hitting menopause, and they’re ready to scream about it.
This is a massive shift from how previous generations dealt with “the change,” as it was called in the olden days, barely whispering about it due to shame or lack of medical information. But Gen X has always done things differently. Say hello to the Menopunks.
Their leader is Alicia J. Rose, founder of the Menopunks podcast and director of a documentary by the same name. She’s also a longtime Portland musician, currently in the band Party Witch. She’s throwing an ambitious two-day benefit at the Crystal Ballroom and Mission Theater on June 26–27 called Menopunkapalooza.
In addition to a concert (Calamity Jane, Team Dresch and DJ Allison Wolfe of Bratmobile will perform, among others) and a sneak peek at the forthcoming film, the event will include a free community resource fair and panel discussion about menopause and its predecessor, perimenopause, in an effort to undo decades of misinformation. The gist: In 2002, the federal government published a study linking hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, to an increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease and stroke. In 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reversed course and removed the black-box warnings on these hormones, saying the risks were overblown and the drugs can deliver increased quality of life.
“This thing was ripped out of our mothers’ hands,” Rose says. “We deserve access to life-altering medication.”
The fair will feature health care providers, activists, comedians, live music and community resources. Presenting sponsor Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette will be there to launch its newly expanded menopause services. Admission is free with a ticket to the June 27 concert, or available for purchase on a sliding scale, starting at $10.
“We’re hoping to spark a massive reckoning and hormonal revolution that really fucking changes this narrative once and for all,” Rose says.
GO: Menopunks Peri/Meno Resource Fair at Lola’s Room at the Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside St. linktr.ee/menopunks. 12-4 pm Saturday, June 27. $10 and up, or free with concert ticket.
GO: Menopunkapalooza at McMenamins Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan St., and the Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside St.;linktr.ee/menopunks. Mission: 5 pm Friday, June 26. Crystal: 7 pm Saturday, June 27. $59.75. All ages.
