This is Menopause (UK) is a project that has been funded by The Arts University Bournemouth.  As a menopausal woman I have had first-hand experience of the issues that women experience at this phase in their life.  The menopause typically occurs for women during the ages of 45 – 55. All women will experience menopause at some time in their life.  Some women have early menopause which can be especially traumatic if they want to have children, others experience surgical menopause which is menopause brought on by the removal of both ovaries often as a result of cancer.  Menopausal symptoms include insomnia, anxiety, depression, vascular dysfunction which causes night sweats and hot flushes, vaginal atrophy, loss of libido, headaches, thinning hair, urinary tract infections, muscle aches and joint pain; symptoms vary from person to person.  Symptoms come at a time when a lot of women are at the peak of their careers which has caused women to step down from their positions or even worse be pushed out, it has resulted in the break-up of family relationships, poor mental health and the worst case scenarios have been women taking their own lives.  At this current time in the UK (2023) the care and support that is provided for women experiencing menopause is inconsistent.  Many women face GP’s who lack knowledge, are unable to prescribe and can be dismissive; these women end up on long waiting lists to see menopause specialists or resort to spending their savings to be seen by a private specialist.  

Despite being misdiagnosed and treated for depression for 4 years, I am now prescribed HRT and find myself motivated to support and represent other women by telling their stories.  I have tried to represent the diverse array of experiences and in doing so I hope that every menopausal woman can relate to the project.  The portraits are of women who through their experiences have become knowledgeable and informed about the menopause; we hope that these images are not only viewed by women, but also men and care givers as menopause affects everyone.  You can read their stories by visiting https://www.paulineferricksquibb.com/this-is-menopause-uk-2023