Women’s Accounts of Heterosexual Experiences in the Context of Menopause

Hyde, Abbey; Nee, Jean; Drennan, Jonathan; Butler, Michelle; Howlett, Etaoine

doi:10.1080/19317611.2011.586574

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Whilst biomedical models implicitly conceptualize women’s sexuality at midlife as an individual experience, located in the (dys)functional body, many midlife women conceptualize desire in the context of their intimate relationship (Goldhammer & McCabe, 2011), and attribute sexual changes that occur at menopause to their relationship (Dillaway, 2005; Hyde, Nee, Drennan, Butler, & Howlett, 2011). This viewpoint is supported by empirical research which reports that the presence of a sexual partner is a significant predictor of women’s desire in later life (DeLamater & Sill, 2005), and that the quality of a sexual relationship is a more important predictor of continued engagement and enjoyment of sex than hormonal status (Cawood & Bancroft, 1996; Dennerstein et al., 2005; Osborn et al., 1988).…”

Section: Indifference or Desire? Relational Context Of Sexuality Durimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It also demonstrates that women are able to adopt non-medical strategies to address any embodied changes experienced by themselves, or their partner, including challenging the very definition of ‘sex’, and exploring a range of sexual activities. Nevertheless, coital sex is important for many couples, and a number of women have described overcoming changes in vaginal lubrication through the use of topical hormonal cream or lubricants (Dillaway, 2005; Hyde et al., 2011). For example, two women we interviewed said: “I use this local hormonal cream, which is not a lubricant but it just helps to reduce the dryness”; “I had suppositories as well, to make me more wet.” These accounts do not imply that women are internalizing a biomedical view the menopausal body, however, as these interviewees are not attempting to ‘prevent’ menopause, and are not describing their bodies as dysfunctional.…”

Section: Indifference or Desire? Relational Context Of Sexuality Durimentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sex and the menopausal woman: A critical review and analysis

Ussher

Perz

Parton

2015

Feminism & Psychology

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Medical discourse has positioned the menopausal transition as a time of sexual atrophy and loss of femininity, with hormonal replacement as the solution. In contrast, feminist critics have argued that women’s experience of sexual embodiment during menopause is culturally and relationally mediated, tied to discursive constructions of aging and sexuality, which are negotiated by women. The aim of this article is to present a critical examination of women’s experiences of sexuality during and after the menopausal transition, drawing on previous research in this field, as well as qualitative research we have conducted with women at midlife, and women who have experienced premature menopause as a consequence of cancer treatment. We aim to challenge myths and misconceptions about the inevitability of sexual decline at menopause, as well as normalise the embodied changes that some women experience – whether menopause is premature, or occurs at midlife. We argue that sexual difficulties or disinterest reported by women during and after menopause are more strongly associated with psycho-social factors than hormonal status, in particular psychological well-being, relationship context and a woman’s negotiation of cultural constructions of sex, aging and femininity. However, sexuality can continue to be a positive experience for women throughout adult life and into old age, with many menopausal women reporting increased sexual desire and response. This undermines the biomedical construction of menopause as a time of inevitable sexual atrophy and decay.

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Section: Indifference or Desire? Relational Context Of Sexuality Durimentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Indifference or Desire? Relational Context Of Sexuality Durimentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex and the menopausal woman: A critical review and analysis

Ussher

Perz

Parton

2015

Feminism & Psychology

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“…For example, within constructions of heterosex an emphasis is placed on coital sex as “real sex”, with other sexual practices positioned as “alternative” or “precursors” to sex (Gavey, McPhillips, & Braun, 1999; McPhillips, Braun, & Gavey, 2001). Coital sex is often positioned as an implicit expectation within heterosexual relationships (Potts, 2002), and as a natural and healthy part of adult life (Hyde, Nee, Butler, & Drennan, 2011). This may marginalise cancer survivors who are unable to take up normative practices of sex due to body changes following illness.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Women’s constructions of heterosex and sexual embodiment after cancer

Parton

Ussher

Perz

2016

Feminism & Psychology

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The significant impact of cancer on women's sexual well-being has been acknowledged increasingly within research. However, the role of cultural discourse in shaping women's construction and embodied experience of sexuality has received less attention. In this study, we examined heterosexual women's constructions of sexual embodiment in the context of cancer. Sixteen women across a range of ages (20-71 years), cancer types and stages took part in in-depth semi-structured interviews. A thematic decomposition analysis was conducted on the interview transcripts, drawing on feminist poststructuralist theory. A main theme was identified in which the women took up subject positions of ''Embodying sexuality'' and ''Embodying the absence of sexuality''. Accounts of ''Embodying sexuality'' included ''Experiencing bodily ease during sex'' and ''Managing a dysfunctional body during sex''. The women's positioning of ''Embodying the absence of sexuality'' included ''Asexuality and the absence of desire'' and ''Unsuccessful attempts to renegotiate sex''. Women's intrapsychic negotiation of sexual and gendered discourse, the materiality of embodied change and relationship context influenced their constructions of sexual subjectivity. These findings indicate a need for researchers and clinicians to acknowledge cultural discourses of sex and gender that shape the possibilities and constraints for women's sexual well-being after cancer.

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“…As participantes deste estudo atribuíram a si próprias a maior responsabilidade pelas vivências negativas da sexualidade no climatério, muito embora seja conhecida a relação entre a perda de desejo sexual e os aspectos que envolvem o casal, e não apenas os indivíduos (Shifren et al, 2008 (Hyde et al, 2011;Oliveira, Jesus, Merighi, 2008;Wood, Mansfield, Koch, 2007). De acordo com Leiblum (2002), as mulheres são influenciadas pelos termos de permissividade sexual engendrados pela cultura em que vivem.…”

Section: Sexualidade E Relacionamento Amoroso/ Conjugalunclassified

É tempo de se cuidar mais": pesquisa-ação para promover a saúde da mulher no climatério

Rodolpho¹

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PA, cujo processo foi constituído das etapas de diagnóstico situacional da realidade, planejamento e execução das ações executivas e avaliação. Todos estes encontros foram gravados em áudio e transcritos integralmente, e este conjunto de dados foi submetido à análise temática. Resultados: As assertivas "O espelho fala a verdade": as mudanças corporais interferindo na autoestima das mulheres no climatério; "A vida gira como um carrossel": altos e baixos nas condições emocionais e no convívio com os membros da família; "O tempo agora é outro": mudanças na sexualidade e relacionamento amoroso/conjugal no climatério; e "É tempo de se ABSTRACT Introduction: The Climacteric period marks the transition between the reproductive and non-reproductive phase of women, and it is influenced by biological and psychosocial aspects in a range of different cultural contexts. The literature reveals a lack of information and healthcare guidance supported by health services, although the experience of physical and emotional suffering has been well documented in the climacteric, as a result of stressful women's life changes. Objectives: The aims of this study were to explore women's experiences regarding the climacteric period; to identify women's questions and needs concerning the climacteric; to raise women's difficulties and approaches to manage the problems regarding the climacteric; and to elaborate an educational material dedicated to women's health promotion, focused on the climacteric period. Method: Action-research (AR) was the method used, enhanced through the pedagogical reference of Paulo Freire. The study population comprised a group of nine women between 45 and 65 years old users of a primary healthcare facility of São Paulo city. Focal groups and educational workshops were both organized and applied to the nine AR's group meetings, which were developed through the phases of reality's situational diagnostic, action planning and execution, and evaluation. All these meetings were recorded, the information was integrally transcribed verbatim, and the data were submitted to thematic analysis. Results:Four major thematic findings highlight the experience lived by women during the climacteric: 'The mirror tells the truth: bodily changes' perception affecting the women's self-esteem in the climacteric; 'Life twists and turns like a carousel': ups and downs regarding emotional conditions and family relationship'; 'Now, the time is changed': changes regarding sexuality and affective/marital relationship in the climacteric; and 'It's time to pay close attention to self-care': searching for self-care in the climacteric'. Discussion: The climacteric period brings changes regarding body and mind, which affect familiar, marital, and social relationships, as well as women's experience of sexuality and perception of health and self-care. In the action-research process, women could reflect on these issues, which helped them to identify the need of adjustments concerning the copying of new situations, and the ways of reorganizing their d...

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Women’s Accounts of Heterosexual Experiences in the Context of Menopause

Cited by 7 publications

References 24 publications

Sex and the menopausal woman: A critical review and analysis

Sex and the menopausal woman: A critical review and analysis

Women’s constructions of heterosex and sexual embodiment after cancer

É tempo de se cuidar mais": pesquisa-ação para promover a saúde da mulher no climatério

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