Half of us go through menopause at some point in our lives. It has been like this for millennia and certainly won’t change for the rest of human history. Yet, at the end of the first quarter of the 21st century, this condition is still steeped in negative stereotypes. Misogyny, ageism, ableism, as well as racism and transphobia resist changing the narrative, with the consequence that people going through menopause often face shame and a lack of information about what is happening in their bodies.
Menopause: What’s Changed? is a brand-new exhibition launched in March 2025 by The Vagina Museum. Set in Bethnal Green, London, the show draws attention to the history of silence and stigma surrounding menopause by highlighting underrepresented experiences and dismantling stigma.
The exhibition starts by answering basic questions about menopause. What is this phenomenon? Why does it happen? What are its symptoms?
As the term suggests, menopause – from the Greek meno, which means ‘month’, and pausa, which stands for ‘pause’ – refers to the permanent ending of the menstrual cycle, which happens naturally with age. It must be differentiated from perimenopause, which is the time when menopause symptoms start manifesting and can last for several years. The hormonal changes associated with this condition can cause a range of symptoms, typically hot flushes, night sweat, vaginal dryness, sleep disturbance, brain fog, mood changes and dental problems, along with changes in sex drive, aches and pains, recurrent urinary tract infections and indigestion.
All straightforward so far. However, the more you explore the room, the more new questions start wandering into your head.
As I read a panel explaining that the word ‘menopause’ was first coined in 1821, I thought, ‘Wait, what? 1821? Then how was the ending of the menstrual cycle understood before that date?’
Unfortunately, it wasn’t understood at all. In the past, menopause symptoms were often linked to ‘climacteric insanity’ – “a term used to describe mental illness in women aged 40-60”, reads one of the panels – and patients affected by this condition were, in drastic cases, incarcerated in special asylums. In the 16th century, effects like mood changes or loss of bone density were even connected to myths surrounding witches. If menopause is mentioned at all in the past, it’s usually related to a noblewoman’s fertility. This is the case with Katherine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry VIII, who was rejected by her husband because, after seven pregnancies and only one child who survived infancy, she was blamed for not being able to bear an heir.
Although the silence surrounding menopause now seems to have been overcome, knowledge of this condition remains partial. For example, not everyone who experiences menopause is over 45. Premature ovarian insufficiency, surgeries to remove ovaries, and treatments for cancer or endometriosis can all cause menopause at a younger age.
Similarly, not everyone who experiences menopause is white. In this regard, Nina Kuypers, founder of Black Women in Menopause, stresses the huge gap in information available about menopause for Black women.
And again, trans and non-binary people might go through menopause either as part of the natural aging process or after surgeries to remove ovaries and through HRT (hormone replacement therapy).
All this shows that menopause is not a middle-class, white cis woman’s experience. It intersects with race and ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, and class. The sooner we all realise that, the sooner we will close the research gap in menopause and make each unique experience more visible than ever.
You can visit Menopause: What’s Changed? at the Vagina Museum for free, Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm.
The Vagina Museum was risking closing forever for lack of funding. However, thanks to the incredible support of generous donations, they have raised £60k in just 48 hours. If you want to help the museum continue to grow, you can donate here.
This article is part of the series Fobbed Off and Female: A series on medical misogyny. To read more inspiring stories of everyday women making a real difference in the world, be sure to check out the latest edition of Wempower magazine, listen to our podcast, or visit our YouTube channel.
