Over the past few months, I have been interviewing women in Ireland on their experiences and understandings of menopause for a masters degree. What is emerging is that the damaging and derogatory rhetoric that has surrounded menopause for decades needs to be challenged. Women’s agency in relation to menopause continues to be undermined.
Remaining silent contributes to this, in fact silence is the real enemy here. Opening conversations changes everything, enabling women to understand and pro actively manage their own journey.
Throughout this past year, there are three narratives I hear repeatedly from women. There is FEAR, there is SHAME and there is DENIAL, its pervasive in our society when the word MENOPAUSE is mentioned.
Why one has to ask has this happened? One could argue that there is a massive injustice here!
Lack of information, lack of understanding, hiding the fact that we women are menopausal. The whispers, the pity, the way menopause has been framed for decades is so very wrong.
Menopause has been framed for decades to disempower women…………… It’s time to change this.
Until next time
Stay safe
Breeda x