The present study investigated the effects of the flavonoid chrysin (5,7-dihydroxyflavone) on anxiety-like behavior in rats in a model of surgical menopause and evaluated the participation of γ-aminobutyric acid-A (GABA_A) receptors in these actions. At 12 weeks post-ovariectomy, the effects of different doses of chrysin (0.5, 1, 2, and 4 mg/kg) were evaluated in the elevated plus maze, light/dark test, and locomotor activity test, and comparisons were made with the clinically effective anxiolytic diazepam. The participation of GABA_A receptors in the actions of chrysin was explored by pretreating the rats with the noncompetitive GABA_A chloride ion channel antagonist picrotoxin (1 mg/kg). The results showed that chrysin (2 and 4 mg/kg) reduced anxiety-like behavior in both the elevated plus maze and light/dark test, and these effects were similar to diazepam. Pretreatment with picrotoxin had no effects on its own but prevented the anxiolytic-like effects of chrysin in both tests. Chrysin also increased rearing and grooming, without significantly altering the number of crossings in the locomotor activity test; these effects were also similar to diazepam. In conclusion, the flavonoid chrysin produced anxiolytic-like effects through actions on GABA_A receptors in a model of surgical menopause in rats. These findings support the hypothesis that this flavonoid could be a future natural alternative for ameliorating symptoms of anxiety after surgical menopause in women.