Where We Stand (And Why It Matters)

By Shea Everly

I didn't start That's Just Peri to make a political statement.

I started it because I was 3am-awake, drenched in sweat, wondering if something was seriously wrong with me — and every Google search led to either a clinical wasteland of jargon or a sales page trying to scare me into buying something. I started it because when I finally talked to my doctor, she shrugged. I started it because I spent months thinking I was losing my mind before someone casually mentioned the word "perimenopause" and my entire life suddenly made sense.

That's a personal story. But it's also a political one. Because the reason I — and millions of women — go through this experience with almost no support isn't an accident. It's the result of decades of underfunding women's health research, dismissing women's symptoms, and treating midlife as something to be quietly endured rather than understood.

So while I didn't set out to make a statement, I need to make one. Because the world That's Just Peri exists in demands it.

The silence is the politics

Here's what I've learned building this platform: in 2026, staying neutral isn't neutral. When women's healthcare access is being restricted, silence is a position. When LGBTQIA+ people are being targeted by legislation, choosing not to say anything is saying something. When corporations are quietly walking back their commitments to diversity and inclusion, "staying out of it" means staying on the wrong side.

That's Just Peri is not going to stay out of it.

This doesn't mean every article on this site is going to be a manifesto. Most of what you'll find here is exactly what you came for — honest information about what's happening in your body, product recommendations you can actually trust, and the occasional 3am solidarity post that reminds you you're not alone and you're not imagining things.

But underneath all of that is a set of values that shapes every decision I make about this platform. And I think you deserve to know what they are.

What we believe

We believe women have been failed by the healthcare system — and that this failure is not accidental. Perimenopause research is decades behind where it should be. Women's pain is still routinely dismissed. Midlife health is treated as a cosmetic concern rather than a medical one. We exist because we refuse to accept that.

We believe in the dignity and autonomy of every person navigating this transition. Perimenopause isn't exclusive to cisgender women. Trans men experience it. Nonbinary people experience it. Our language, our recommendations, and our community reflect that reality. If you're going through this, you belong here. Full stop.

We believe in reproductive autonomy. Your healthcare decisions are yours. We will never promote a product, a provider, or an ideology that seeks to limit your choices about your own body. When we discuss HRT, birth control during perimenopause, or any other treatment option, we present the evidence and trust you to decide what's right for you.

We believe representation matters — in the content we create, the authors we recommend, the brands we promote, and the experts we cite. We actively seek out and amplify BIPOC voices in menopause research and wellness. We look for products made by women of color, queer-owned businesses, and founders from communities that have been historically excluded from both the wellness industry and the healthcare conversation.

We believe science is for everyone. Not just for people with medical degrees. Not just for people who can afford functional medicine practitioners. The information on this site is evidence-based, accessibly written, and free. When we cite a study, we explain what it means in real language. When the evidence is inconclusive, we say so. When something is our personal experience rather than scientific fact, we're clear about that too.

We believe the wellness industry has a predator problem. There are companies — big ones — that see menopausal women as a vulnerable market to exploit. They use fear-based marketing, pseudoscience, shame about aging, and manipulative sales tactics to sell products that don't work or aren't safe. We refuse to be part of that machine. Every brand on this site has been vetted not just for product quality but for marketing ethics.

Why we don't work with certain companies

You'll notice some conspicuous absences on this site. That's intentional.

We generally don't link to Amazon. Their labor practices, anti-union campaigns, and monopolistic behavior are well-documented and fundamentally at odds with the values of this platform. When we recommend a product or a book, we'll always point you toward independent, values-aligned retailers — like Bookshop.org, which supports independent bookstores with every purchase. That said, we also live in the real world. We know that for some of you — depending on where you live, what's available, or what your budget looks like — Amazon may be the most accessible option. We're not here to judge how you shop. We also understand that that platform is the only launch option for some small businesses, so our take here is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

We don't promote MLM companies as affiliates. Multi-level marketing companies operate on a business model where the vast majority of participants lose money. According to FTC data, over 99% of MLM distributors earn less than minimum wage or lose money entirely. Many MLMs specifically target women aged 35-55 — our exact audience — with promises of financial independence that rarely materialize. Some have been linked to the spread of health misinformation.

In the interest of full honesty: I personally use a few doTERRA products. Some of them are genuinely the best versions of those products I've found. That said, the company has recently taken positions that don't align with my personal values, so I'm actively trying alternatives for several of the products I've relied on. If I ever mention a specific product I use and love, I'll tell you. But there's a difference between "this product works for me" and "this business model works for women." The products might. The model doesn't.

We don't work with brands that promote pseudoscience. If a company has been sued for false advertising, warned by the FDA for making unsubstantiated health claims, or built its brand on fear rather than evidence, it doesn't belong here. No matter how generous the commission.

We don't work with brands that fund harm. Before we partner with any company, we look at who owns them, what they fund, and what they stand for. Companies that financially support anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation, anti-reproductive rights organizations, or other causes that directly harm our community are excluded. Period.

How we choose what we recommend

Every product recommendation on That's Just Peri goes through a vetting process. Here's what we ask before anything appears on this site:

Is the brand ethical? Who founded it? Who owns it now? Are they women-owned, BIPOC-owned, independently operated? Have they been involved in any lawsuits, FDA enforcement actions, or ethical controversies?

Is the science real? Are the product's claims supported by evidence? Are the ingredients transparent? Is there third-party testing? Or is this just clever marketing dressed up in lab-coat language?

Is the marketing honest? Does the brand use shame, fear, or manipulation to sell? Do they prey on insecurity? Do they make promises they can't keep? Does their landing page make you feel empowered — or desperate?

Is the brand inclusive? Does their language acknowledge that not everyone experiencing perimenopause is a cisgender woman? Do they market to diverse communities? Are their products accessible at different price points?

Would I recommend this to a friend? This is the final test. Not a theoretical friend — a real one. The one who texted me at midnight because she thought she was having a heart attack and it turned out to be a panic attack triggered by a hormonal shift. Would I hand her this product and say "try this"? If there's any hesitation, it doesn't go on the site.

Yes, we earn income from recommendations

Full transparency: That's Just Peri is a business. When you purchase a product through a link on this site, we may earn a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. That income is what makes it possible for this platform to exist, for the content to remain free, and for me to keep doing this work.

But here's what I need you to understand: we choose our partners based on values alignment first. This sometimes means lower commissions. It sometimes means turning down partnerships that would be lucrative but don't pass our vetting process. It always means that revenue is a byproduct of trust, not the other way around.

We will never recommend a product because it pays well. We will only recommend products that are genuinely good, from brands that are genuinely trying to make midlife better for women, that we would genuinely suggest to someone we love.

If a brand partnership ever conflicts with our values, the brand goes. Not the values.

Why now

I know that values statements can feel performative. Another company posting a rainbow logo in June, another brand putting "empowerment" in their tagline while doing nothing to back it up.

That's not what this is.

This is a line in the sand during a time when lines are being erased. When women's health rights are being rolled back. When LGBTQIA+ communities are under legislative attack. When DEI — the bare minimum acknowledgment that not everyone starts from the same place — is being dismantled by institutions that should know better. When the wellness industry is full of grifters who will sell you anything if you're scared enough.

That's Just Peri is small. I know that. One woman with a website and a lot of 3am opinions. But every reader who finds this platform and thinks "finally, someone who gets it" — that matters. Every product recommendation that sends money to a women-owned company instead of a faceless corporation — that matters. Every article that gives someone the information their doctor wouldn't — that matters.

These values aren't a marketing strategy. They're the reason this platform exists.

And if you're reading this and thinking "this is the kind of place I've been looking for" — welcome. Pull up a chair. It's 3am, we're wide awake, and we have a lot to talk about.