By Bridget Sheehan
Menopause is a significant experience in life for many people.
It can be a long journey – for many women and gender diverse people it can take up to 10 years from the start of perimenopause to reach postmenopause.
“It’s medical. It’s also emotional, social and relational,” explains Victoria University Professor Priscilla Dunk-West, who is a sociologist and Course Chair for Social Work.
Professor Dunk-West is leading a study funded by VicHealth, to understand the experiences of LGBTQIA+ women and gender-diverse people as they experience menopause.
Until now, research in Australia in this space has been very limited.
“I come to my research with a lived experience lens, some very challenging years of perimenopause. As a queer person, I looked at the literature and spoke with medical professionals and could see there was a big gap.”
She explains that this differs from the broader cultural understanding of adolescence which is widely known to be a time of change – more than just the bodily manifestations.
“There is so much more to menopause than symptoms. I wondered how people navigate menopause in their queer relationships, how menopause was experienced in LGBTQ+ communities and how, as a broader community, we understand menopause for queer people,” Professor Dunk-West said.
The research team aims to build an understanding of what LGBTQIA+ communities need from health systems and practitioners and develop a Practice Guide for health professionals.
“We are asking people: what should health practitioners know about LGBTQ+ experiences of menopause? What do you wish you knew? What kinds of things helped you to navigate this experience?”
“Research findings about transgender people’s experiences of menopause will likely differ from lesbian or bisexual experiences of menopause. There might be synergies as well as differences across groups. Other factors like geographical location and social connectedness will also impact people’s experiences. Getting a better picture of these things is important.”
Share your experience
If you identify as LGBTQ+ and have experienced (or are experiencing) any stage of menopause – from perimenopause through to postmenopause – you’re invited to share your experience.
There are two components to the research study and you are welcome to take part in one or both parts.
The first is an online survey, while the second is an in-person activity: an arts-based research method called ‘body mapping.’ It involves creating a collage in the shape of a body, on paper, that facilitates an open-ended conversation with the researcher. The process helps start conversation and gives focus to the discussion.
The research team also plans to share anonymised body maps in an art exhibition, to facilitate direct conversation with health professionals and community.
To take part in the survey, please follow the link in @Lgbtqmenopause on Instagram.
To find out more, email Priscilla.Dunk-West@vu.edu.au.
