Statement from the SHE+ Foundation on Hormone Health, Scientific Integrity & Equal Access to Care

The SHE+ Foundation unequivocally rejects the notions that frame testosterone levels can be used as defining measures of strength, readiness, or vitality. Reducing a complex area of hormonal health and endocrinology medicine to a political talking point misses the critical parts of evidence-based medicine and equitable healthcare.

Hormones regulate nearly every aspect of human health. Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid hormones, cortisol, insulin, and countless others influence cardiovascular health, bone density, metabolism, fertility, sexual function, cognitive health, sleep, mood, and overall well-being. Every person has hormones, and every person deserves access to evidence-based care when those relevant endocrine systems are disrupted. 

Recent reports promoted broader testosterone testing and treatment as a means of improving military readiness, despite experts cautioning against broad, non-individualized approaches and emphasizing that hormone evaluation should be based on medical need and established clinical guidelines. 

Yet this moment also exposes a broader contradiction in our national conversation.

For decades, women's hormone health has been chronically underfunded, understudied, dismissed, and stigmatized. Millions live with conditions such as menopause, endometriosis, infertility, postpartum hormonal changes, sexual dysfunction, thyroid disorders, and other endocrine conditions face delayed diagnoses and limited access to specialized care, including hormone therapy. 

We cannot celebrate the importance of hormone health only when the conversation centers on testosterone while continuing to minimize or politicize the hormone-related healthcare needs of women.

Hormone health matters when a service member experiences low testosterone. It matters when a woman struggles with debilitating menopausal symptoms. It matters when someone lives with PCOS or endometriosis. It matters when infertility, postpartum recovery, sexual pain, thyroid disease, or hormonal changes affect daily life.

The science does not change based on whose hormones we are discussing.

The SHE+ Foundation calls on policymakers, healthcare leaders, and the medical community to move beyond selective conversations about hormones and instead commit to meaningful investment in comprehensive hormone research, evidence-based education, and equitable access to quality care for all.

Healthcare policy should be guided by peer-reviewed science. Public conversations about hormones should elevate understanding, not reinforce stigma or stereotypes. Every individual deserves access to medically appropriate hormone evaluation and treatment based on their unique health needs.

The SHE+ Foundation remains committed to our mission “to advance women's sexual health and well-being through groundbreaking research, comprehensive education, and unwavering support. We strive to eradicate stigma, empower women with knowledge, and ensure equitable access to quality healthcare for all, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or geography.”