The menopause conundrum.

Bolton, England : 2023.

1 photograph : Fujicolour photographic print, lustre ; 42 x 29.7cm.

Documented in the project zine : Whose menopause? (b33252166)

“Language is important. It – menopause - has to be treated, remedied and women need help to get through this ‘thing’. We need to offer a balanced view – it is also liberating, people can sail through this stage of life, and flourish. ‘The Burning’ is a photographic portrayal which highlights the way menopause is depicted within the media – in a simplistic manner. Menopause becomes this devastating ‘thing’ and possibly the end of a women’s world. With an overriding message that it is the women’s position to help their ‘husband’ to understand what is going on how to survive this ‘thing’. And, that sex will be an issue, with dry vaginas being an overriding symptom discussed in the magazines, because marriage can only be successful if the sexual aspects of the relationship are perfect. Our society is no longer a homogenous heterosexual culture! As a lesbian woman, can the media please acknowledge that we live in a diverse society with WOMEN - Cis, Queer, Trans who live in this world and are in same sex marriages, have queer relationships, have no relationships, and come from every religion ethnic background, and walk of life. Where are all these different types of people portrayed? Why are we not considered, discussed, portrayed? I want to shout and tell people that we need to burn this media portrayal of menopause it comes from the last century or someone’s dystopian concept of the real world. Presented alongside, ‘The Water’ represents the way the media ignores our visibility in society feels like the media is washing us away or trying to cleanse society of our existence. So the heterosexual middle class media depictions of menopause can sink away and get sucked into the depths of mud and disintegration – where they belong. P.S. no litter was left in the streams, it was collected and recycled appropriately after the photographic session.--Paula Dalziel, artist statement from the zine Whose menopause?.

This work is a visual legacy of 'Whose Menopause?' an Arts Council England funded project in partnership with Bolton at Home and supported by NHS Bolton CCG and Indigo Gender Service. It was a 12-month socially engaged programme of work during 2023, co-created with three community groups. The groups used photography and sustainable cameraless methods to challenge the typical menopause narrative, which often excludes people identifying as LGBTQ+, working class or from the global majority. They took inspiration from recipe books, botanical drawings, photographs and other ephemera in the Wellcome Collection - some of which can be seen in the project's resulting publication 'Whose menopause?'. For further information about the project see: http://www.margebradshawphotography.co.uk/whose-menopause.

Title provided by the artist.

Wellcome Collection 3338644i

Paula Dalziel. All Rights Reserved.