Step Aside, Longevity Bros, The Future of Wellness is Female
Amy Dockser Marcus’ July 11th Wall Street Journal article, “Step Aside Longevity Bros. It’s Time for the Longevity Ladies” struck a deep chord. Finally, the conversation is shifting. Longevity isn’t just about data and discipline; it’s about designing a future rooted in science that honors the female body and mind. And for the first time, that science is catching up.
A growing wave of female scientists, clinicians, and entrepreneurs are challenging the male-dominated longevity narrative and asking: What happens when we study women’s hormones, ovaries, muscle mass, and brain health on their own terms?
Dr. Diana Bianchi, Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, recently emphasized that “ignoring sex as a biological variable has led to gaps in medical understanding that can no longer be justified.” This is especially critical in longevity research, where aging looks (and feels) dramatically different for women.
Here’s just a glimpse at what’s emerging:
Hormones, Intimacy & Identity: Urologist and intimacy educator Dr. Kelly Casperson is reshaping how we talk about sexual health, hormone replacement, and female empowerment, particularly in midlife. Her work reveals that sexual wellness is not a luxury or vanity topic, but a vital sign of hormonal balance, emotional health, and personal agency. Through research-backed education, she’s breaking down myths around estrogen therapy and showing women how to reconnect with their bodies, their desires, and their partners for longevity that includes pleasure, connection, and self-worth.
Muscle as Medicine for Women: Dr. Gabrielle Lyon has led the charge on muscle-centric medicine, highlighting how muscle loss (which accelerates in women post 40) is a key predictor of insulin resistance, inflammation, and frailty - more than fat ever was. Her work shifts the goal from being thin to being strong and metabolically resilient.
Longevity in the Pelvis: Women like Kim Vopni ("The Vagina Coach") and researchers at institutions like McMaster University are finally bringing pelvic floor health into the longevity equation, showing its direct connection to mobility, core strength, sexual health, and even cognitive function via vagus nerve stimulation.
These breakthroughs are why I founded the Women’s Wellness Circle within YPO; and why I’m honored to Chair the first-ever YPO Women’s Wellness Summit, happening January 15–17, 2026 in Los Angeles. This three-day experience is unlike anything we’ve seen at YPO, it is an immersive, science-based exploration of women’s health, hormones, and long-term vitality, featuring leading female doctors and experts who are redefining the rules of aging well.
The Women’s Wellness Summit speakers include:
Jane Fonda - Redefining Longevity
Dr. Kelly Casperson - Hormones & Intimacy
Dr. Mary Claire Haver - Navigating Perimenopause & Menopause
Dr. Gabrielle Lyon - Muscle as Medicine
Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen - Metabolic Health & Longevity
Dr. Vonda Wright - Longevity and Orthopedic Health
Dr. Neha Sangwan - Emotional Resilience & the Mind-Body Connection
Louisa Nicola, MMed - Brain Performance & Cognitive Optimization
Kim Vopni - The Pelvic Floor Revolution
Mona Sharma - Nutrition & Holistic Healing
Here’s what I believe: Longevity isn’t a solo pursuit, it’s a community. We deserve healthcare, resources, and conversations tailored to our biology, our stories, and our future. That’s what YPO’s Women’s Wellness Circle is here to offer, and what the upcoming Women’s Wellness Summit is here to ignite. If you’re a female YPO Member or spouse partner, I invite you to join our WWC tribe. Let’s build this future, intentionally, powerfully, and together. Log into YPO Connect + to sign up here or email: ask@ypo.org
To your vitality,
Lizanne