All the women from Venus

Abstract

Menopause affects half of the world’s population directly and the other half indirectly, with significant consequences for women’s health and well-being. Yet, it remains under-researched and shrouded in silence and taboo. During this project, the urgency to improve the menopausal experience became evident through the voices of marginalised women in Zuid-Holland, who shared sentiments such as: “I feel like I have no use anymore,” “I really don’t want anything to do with the stupid menopause,” and “I wasn’t taken seriously.”

This project explored how the menopausal experience of marginalised women in Zuid-Holland can be improved through research and design using intersectionality theory and a macro-, meso-, and micro-level framework. At the macro-level, negative societal perceptions of ageing strongly impact women’s experiences. A tested intervention to reframe these beliefs was integrated into a global anti-ageism campaign to promote awareness and institutional reform. At the meso-level, interviews and a survey disclosed that the GP-patient interaction is crucial for shaping women’s menopausal journeys. Strengthening this interaction through improved GP education, regularly updated clinical guidelines that reflect new insights, a more supportive, midwife-like approach, and integration of AI communication tools could have a broad ripple effect. Additionally, normalising and accessible information through a national, evidence-based information hub, eventually evolving into a personalized menopause guide app, can deepen inclusivity. At the micro-level, co-creation sessions and interviews revealed that feelings of doubt and disempowerment can be counteracted through open communication within women’s close social networks. Community-based workshops, awareness campaigns, educational initiatives, and products addressing hormonal changes across ages can create the needed dialogue and understanding.

Together, these interventions form a multiple-level strategy, focused on increased awareness through stigma reduction and open communication, targeting the underlying factors that currently shape negative menopausal experiences. Their collective outcomes form a force to create the paradigm shift necessary for a future in which menopause is shared, supported, and understood.
While the project focused on marginalised women, most participants had Surinamese roots, leaving many intersectional identities underexplored. Future research should include women from other cultural backgrounds and investigate the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals. There are also opportunities to expand beyond stigma-reduction, particularly through inclusive preventive health programmes, though further study is needed to define these interventions.

Menopause remains a largely misunderstood phase of life requiring greater attention. The strategy proposed in this project addresses marginalisation, reduces stigma, and opens dialogue where it is most needed, transforming fear and grief into a celebration of life.