Let's Talk Menopause!
Menopause is a significant change that many people go through, but most of the time, education about it only mentions that menstruation will stop. It often overlooks how menopause affects the mind, body, and people's relationships with others. With the project Let's Talk Menopause, we want to invite more open conversations about menopause.
We hosted workshops about menopause with six mothers and their daughters
Our Process
During the workshops, the mothers shared their experience with menopause. This ranged from physical experiences such as hot flushes and joint pains, to mental experiences such as depression and social experiences such as the need to share about menopause with others, or avoiding social situations because of insecurities.
Together with their daughters, the mothers then crafted artefacts that could be used to make it easier to communicate about menopause. For themselves, or for others in the future.
Based on the artefacts and the conversations during the workshops, we designed the artefacts in the exhibition Let's Talk Menopause. The exhibition is meant to open up conversations about menopause. The artefacts both represent the conversations that we had with the mothers and daughters in our workshops, and invited visitors to have their own.
The Artifacts
Conversational Cups - Menopause can feel like a secret no one talks about. These cups invite you to start a conversation about it.
Hold Me - Menopause can feel like trying to contain an explosion. This object allows for tension release and self-care through squeezing.
Collecting Experiences - Menopause can feel like not knowing when something is related to menopause. This wall captures experiences; share yours.
Head into Menopause - Menopause can feel like living in a constantly changing body. Heading into this object will allow you to experience these uncontrollable changes.
Menopause Library - Menopause can feel like needing to convince others that what you are experiencing is real. This is a collection of resources curated by people experiencing menopause.
We hosted workshops about menopause with six mothers and their daughters
Our Process
During the workshops, the mothers shared their experience with menopause. This ranged from physical experiences such as hot flushes and joint pains, to mental experiences such as depression and social experiences such as the need to share about menopause with others, or avoiding social situations because of insecurities.
Together with their daughters, the mothers then crafted artefacts that could be used to make it easier to communicate about menopause. For themselves, or for others in the future.
Based on the artefacts and the conversations during the workshops, we designed the artefacts in the exhibition Let's Talk Menopause. The exhibition is meant to open up conversations about menopause. The artefacts both represent the conversations that we had with the mothers and daughters in our workshops, and invited visitors to have their own.
The Artifacts
Conversational Cups - Menopause can feel like a secret no one talks about. These cups invite you to start a conversation about it.
Hold Me - Menopause can feel like trying to contain an explosion. This object allows for tension release and self-care through squeezing.
Collecting Experiences - Menopause can feel like not knowing when something is related to menopause. This wall captures experiences; share yours.
Head into Menopause - Menopause can feel like living in a constantly changing body. Heading into this object will allow you to experience these uncontrollable changes.
Menopause Library - Menopause can feel like needing to convince others that what you are experiencing is real. This is a collection of resources curated by people experiencing menopause.
Curious about the artefacts?
Read our DDW recap on our instagram
Let's Talk Menopause was part of the Design United exhibition in Het Klokgebouw during Dutch Design Week 2025 in Eindhoven.
The exhibition was visited by over 1000 people, and we were overwhelmed with the meaningful stories of (peri)menopause that were shared.
If you are interested in hosting the exhibition at your location, or participating in a menopause related workshop, please reach out!
We are passionate about breaking taboos
As part of a 4TU collaboration between University of Twente, Delft University of Technology and Eindhoven University of Technology, we set up this collective to establish a feminist health research community, and to sow the seeds of a feminist design research agenda in The Netherlands.
Follow us!
Locations
University of Twente
Delft University of Technology
Eindhoven University of Technology
The Netherlands
Social
© 2024 by Feminist Design Research Collective.