⚡️In this fun and fierce episode Alicia gets into it with triple positive breast cancer survior/HRT advocate Nikki Kuehl NP, busting through the nightmare of hormonal health and the patriarchal trash heap that’s shaped women’s medical narratives for decades. Nikki reveals her own story—surviving breast cancer, crash-landing into menopause, and realizing just how little real information women - and medical practitioners - are provided while being expected to politely endure the hellspiral.

Together they rip into the infamous Women’s Health Initiative study—the one that slammed the brakes on HRT access for an entire generation—and unpack how fear, misinformation, and outdated science still warp the conversation. They reclaim the truth: hormones aren’t a luxury; they’re a quality-of-life lifeline. And women deserve to understand their options, not tiptoe through a minefield of myths. They dive into the messy politics of hormone therapy, the pros and cons of patch vs. pill, and the absolute necessity of women being fully educated and empowered in their choices so they can make positive change in themselves and the world. They imagine a full-on MENOPUNKS revolution where women refuse silence, demand better care, and take back control of their bodies, their health, and their stories.⚡️

⚡️MENOPUNKS IS A MISINFORMATION SHATTERING FEATURE DOCUMENTARY AND PODCAST ABOUT PERI/MENOPAUSE AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS SEEN THROUGH THE LENS OF DEFIANT GENX MUSICIANS, TRAILBLAZING FEMALE DOCTORS AND OPINIONATED CELEBRITY CULTURE BEARERS ⚡️

GET ON THE LIST: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.menopunks.com⁠⁠⁠

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Menopause and Hormone Therapy

03:00 The Impact of the Patriarchy on Women's Health

05:59 Nikki's Personal Journey with Breast Cancer and Menopause

08:55 The Education Gap in Hormone Therapy

12:01 Rage Against Misinformation in Women's Health

14:56 Navigating Hormone Therapy After Cancer

17:52 The Evolution of Hormone Therapy and Women's Health

20:47 The Role of Research in Understanding HRT Risks

22:53 The Golden Girls and Hormone Replacement Therapy

24:35 The Shift in Women's Health Perspectives

26:38 The Controversial WHI Study and Its Impact

29:28 The Fallout of HRT Miscommunication

31:14 The Consequences of Hormonal Deficiency

34:19 The Role of HRT in Women's Health

37:39 Inflammation and Its Effects on Women

40:39 Sugar, Insulin Resistance, and Hormonal Changes

43:44 Mirena IUD and Hormone Replacement Therapy

46:18 Navigating Menopause Conversations with Healthcare Providers

49:19 Hormone Replacement Therapy: Pills vs. Patches

56:29 Understanding Dosage and Effectiveness of HRT

01:00:44 The Gender Disparity in Hormone Therapy Access

01:05:52 Informed Decision Making in Hormone Therapy

01:07:33 Empowerment Through Knowledge and Choice

01:10:46 The Impact of Hormonal Optimization

01:12:05 Menopunkapalooza: A Celebration of Change

01:18:27 Reclaiming Identity Through Music

01:24:50 The Future of Women and Hormonal Health

In this episode pals Alicia J. Rose, Rachel Blumberg (Califone/Field Drums/Arch Cape) and Jen Sbragia (The Softies/All Girl Summer Fun Band) take an unfiltered deep dive into their creative quality of life before and after HRT and how they're inspired to spark change through a hormonal revolution. Three lifelong creative polymaths fully optimized with zero f🤘cks left to give get real about outdated medical gatekeeping, dangerous misinformation, why society freaks out over aging women, how men get their hormones handed to them like party favors, and what it means to reclaim our energy at a time in life when we’re expected to shrink or disappear - owning the power that has the potential to transform not only our bodies - but the world around us. 🤘

GET ON THE LIST: ⁠⁠https://www.menopunks.com⁠⁠

⚡️IS IT TIME FOR A HORMONAL REVOLUTION MENOPUNNNK STYLE?⚡️

In this episode host Alicia J. Rose dives into a wildly informative conversation with the ever delightful Allison Wolfe of Riot GRRRL legends Bratmobile, plus a special pop-in by menopause specialist and HRT/meno/cancer advocate Nikki Kuehl NP. We get into the origins of Riot Grrrl and Bratmobile, doing the splits at 50, Allison’s own HRT journey - including a live testosterone sampling - and how hormonally optimizing GENX could change the world!

⚡️SUBSCRIBE NOW ⚡️

⚡️DISTRIBUTED BY RUINOUS MEDIA ⚡️

⚡️❤️‍🔥 MENOPUNKS IS A MISINFORMATION SHATTERING FEATURE DOCUMENTARY AND PODCAST ABOUT PERI/MENOPAUSE AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS SEEN THROUGH THE LENS OF DEFIANT GENX MUSICIANS, TRAILBLAZING DOCTORS AND OPINIONATED CELEBRITY ICONS ⚡️

⚡️GET ON THE MENOPUNKS LIST & SUPPORT ⚡️

⚡️Allison Wolfe⚡️

⚡️BRATMOBILE ⚡️

⚡️NIKKI KUEHL NP/BONFIRE WELLNESS ⚡️

Long description:

In this episode of the Menopunks podcast, host Alicia J. Rose welcomes musician Allison Wolfe to discuss her journey in the music industry, the impact of the Riot Grrrl movement, and the challenges of navigating midlife and menopause. Joined by nurse practitioner Nikki Kuehl they explore the importance of hormone therapy, women's health advocacy, and the evolving landscape of creativity in midlife. The conversation highlights the significance of friendship, collaboration, and the need for proper healthcare for women as they transition into this new phase of life. In this engaging conversation, the speakers delve into the complexities of hormone therapy, discussing the importance of understanding hormone levels, the role of progesterone and testosterone, and the impact of these hormones on women's health. They share personal stories, including experiences with cancer and hormone therapy, and explore innovative treatments like 'scream cream.' The discussion emphasizes the need for women to advocate for their health and the potential societal benefits of hormonal optimization.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Metapunks Podcast and Guests

02:46 Allison Wolfe: Musical Journey and Influences

05:58 The Riot Grrrl Movement and Its Impact

08:51 Songwriting Process and Band Dynamics

12:03 Memories of Early Performances and Festivals

14:52 The Role of Community in Music

17:44 Empowerment Through Music and Feminism

20:55 Transitioning to Midlife and Menopause

23:55 Introducing Nikki: A Nurse Practitioner Perspective

28:30 Navigating Menopause: Personal Experiences and Challenges

36:37 Hormone Replacement Therapy: A Journey to Relief

45:14 Understanding Hormone Therapy: Dosage and Effectiveness

55:31 Navigating Hormone Adjustments

56:39 Understanding Hormone Levels

01:00:04 The Role of Progesterone

01:01:38 Exploring Testosterone Options

01:04:07 The Controversy of Testosterone Prescriptions

01:05:42 Scream Cream: A New Frontier

01:11:35 Exploring Scream Cream and Women's Sexual Health

01:14:31 The Impact of Hormone Therapy on Well-being

01:18:25 Navigating Hormone Therapy and Cancer Risks

01:23:29 Revolutionizing Women's Healthcare and Hormonal Optimization

01:27:24 Empowering Women Through Hormonal Awareness

Peri/menopause with a side of punk. Filmmaker Alicia J. Rose teams up with Dr. Aoife O’Sullivan to rip the hush-hush label off menopause and perimenopause — the wild hormonal ride that half the population endures but few discuss honestly. Aoife shares how her own hormonal crash turned her from a by-the-book doctor into a passionate women’s health advocate. Together, she and Alicia call out medical gaslighting, untangle the fallout from the Women’s Health Initiative, and torch the fear-mongering myths around hormone therapy. They also take on the cultural cringe around aging, the patriarchy baked into modern medicine, and the rise of Menopunks— a rebellious movement urging women to reclaim their health, their voices, and their power. Funny, frank, and fiercely human, this conversation isn’t just about hormones — it’s about starting a revolution.

Menopunks

Dr. Aoife O’Sullivan

The Dusty Muffins Podcast

I’m filmmaker and musician Alicia J. Rose, and I want to empower women with the energy to start a revolution. By 2030, one billion women will be in menopause. One. Billion.

Imagine if every man’s balls fell off by 50 — you think the world would stay quiet about that? Welcome to menopause: complete hormonal castration. And perimenopause? She’s the chaotic, b*tchy opening act that none of us can escape. The worst part? We’re seeking help from a medical system that keeps spreading the lie that hormone replacement therapy causes breast cancer — misinformation that’s been harming women’s health since 2002.

That’s why I’m making MENOPUNKS — a feature documentary and podcast about menopause, perimenopause, quality of life and the creative process. It’s time to set the record straight about HRT, and give people the tools to advocate for their bodies, their energy, and their sanity.

Because women can’t do good if they don’t feel good.

Because gender-affirming care is a human right.

And because it’s way past time to reclaim our health and raise some hell — as MENOPUNKS.

So join me as I pull back the curtain on the filmmaking journey, swap stories with incredible musicians, artists, and menopause experts, and expose one of the biggest medical cover-ups in modern history.

Are you a MENOPUNK? LFG⚡️

MENOPUNKS.com