Discourses on menopause — Part II: How do women talk about menopause?

Abstract

a b s t r a c t The aim of this article is to describe which of the different available discourses women relate to as revealed in the way they talk about menopause. We use a discourse analytic approach, which implies that meaning is ascribed to things according to how we talk about them. Twenty-four menopausal women from Denmark were interviewed. They were selected to cover a broad spectrum of Danish women with different menopausal experiences and social background factors. Seven previously identifi ed discourses could be found in the interviews, though to varying degrees from woman to woman. Nearly all women used terms from the biomedical sphere like 'a period of decline and decay', even if they did not necessarily agree with this view. Also the existential discourse permeated most of the interviews, especially when the conversation turned to the ageing process, femininity and self-development. The way the menopause was talked about almost became kaleidoscopic when images speedily changed from the decrepit osteoporotic woman or a woman with lack of vitality and sex-appeal to a healthy and strong woman with control over her body and self. Since many women contact doctors in relation to menopause, and since the way doctors talk about menopause is infl uential, doctors should carefully consider which words and images they use in the counselling. The medical way of perceiving menopause is just one of many, and doctors must be aware that there are other different and partially contradicting discourses at play in society and in the women's universes.

Experiencing menopause in the UK: The interrelated narratives of normality, distress, and transformation

“…Such varied yet shared experiences suggest that any one woman's menopause should not be expected to follow a particular course: Her experiences arise from a complex interplay of personal predicament, somatic change, and sociocultural context. These findings accord with current research emphasizing the diversity of menopausal experience (Banister, 1999;Hvas & Gannik, 2008). Yet it is also helpful to see the commonalities.…”

“…Recent research has explored the diversity of menopause for individual women, their "kaleidoscopic" contradictory emotions, and the uniqueness of each experience (Hvas & Gannik, 2008). The aim of this study was to explore the interaction between the biological and the social expressed in women's menopausal experiences and perceptions and to understand both the uniqueness of each woman's menopausal experience and the sociocultural tropes they expressed.…”

“…Western women's ambivalence to their changing bodies relates to negative cultural stereotypes of older women and valuing of youthful sexual attractiveness, while devaluing aging (Ballard, Elston, & Gabe, 2009;Banister, 1999;Hvas & Gannik, 2008;Rubinstein & Foster, 2013). The consequent stigmatization of menopause also relates to its medicalization (Ferguson & Parry, 1998), negative perceptions of somatic change, and silence surrounding it (Nosek, Kennedy, & Gudmundsdottir, 2010).…”

“…For some Western women, aging can bring freedom, self-awareness, growth, reflection, and reassessment of role (Hvas & Gannik, 2008;Perz & Ussher, 2008). In parts of the world menopause has shown to be a time of freedom from previous restrictions (Beyene, 1986) and personal rebirth and empowerment (Morrison et al, 2014).…”

Qualitative Enquiry into Women's Views of the Specialist Menopause Service in Dundee and Media Coverage of Hormone Replacement Therapy

“…1 Some see the menopause as a 'period of decline and decay'. 2 A combination of physical and emotional changes can make women feel that they are unable to cope. Time is needed to explore these feelings and allow care to be tailored to the individual.…”