Early Menopause: exposing the gaps
FERDUSARA ALI
Powerful narratives, when on show in art galleries, often compel us to confront uncomfortable truths. One such truth is the battle faced by women experiencing early menopause, a condition shrouded in stigma and misunderstanding. As part of PhotoHastings 2025, an innovative exhibition coordinated by Sam Payne, Instructions Not Included, alongside Abigail Fahey’s Take Twice Daily Until Silent, tackles menopause head-on. Through black and white portraiture and first-hand testimony, the exhibition focuses on such challenges, more specifically on the condition known as Primary (or Premature) Ovarian Insufficiency (POI). This is more than an art show: it’s a communal platform to raise awareness, and to spark an important conversation around women’s health issues.
A PERSONAL NARRATIVE
At the heart of this exhibition is Fahey’s personal narrative, which intertwines with that of countless other women. Diagnosed with early menopause at the age of 34 as a result of chemotherapy (for breast cancer), Fahey faced a sudden and harrowing entry into a reality understood by too few. Women experiencing POI are often dismissed, their symptoms trivialised by a healthcare system which appears ill-prepared to cater for those who are not approaching the traditional menopause stage. They may be advised to take an antidepressant, in the hope of diminishing the effects of the ‘problem.’
Abigail Fahey: Anita
Fahey’s experience resonates with those of many women who have felt lost in a maze of misdiagnoses and medical indifference. This is partly due to insufficient research on how to best improve the condition. The isolation Fahey felt was compounded by the lack of resources or education around early onset menopause, and a lack of community support for younger women experiencing what should be recognised as a significant health issue.
A CALL FOR CHANGE
This exhibition not only serves to share stories and testimonies from women who have faced a similar experience, but also offers a critique of a healthcare system that can overlook women’s voices. Misdiagnosis: The Overlooked Crisis In Women’s Health by Clare Langford, argues that menopause, or perimenopausal symptoms, often go unrecognised. Her findings indicate that one in three women may face an initial misdiagnosis, and therefore receive neither treatment nor recognition.
Sam Payne: Lou
The problem is exacerbated by a considerable shortfall in medical research funding, but also by the still-prevailing stigma associated with menopause. As a result, many doctors, lacking proper training and knowledge, often resort to prescribing antidepressants rather than hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The deficiency in research focus and investment contributes to numerous women experiencing extended phases of personal uncertainty, coupled with an insufficiency of healthcare, for what should be a thoroughly understood aspect of their well-being.
According to a report produced by The Times, women are increasingly at risk of having various health conditions either misdiagnosed or overlooked when consulting healthcare professionals. A government paper, Women’s Health Strategy for England (2019-2022) reveals that 84 per cent of women feel their concerns are not taken seriously by doctors, and 57 per cent believe they have received incorrect diagnoses. This unfortunately recognisable pattern is often referred to as ‘medical gaslighting’ – a kind of indifference that fosters a culture of silence and a corresponding reluctance to seek help.
There needs to be a systematic change. Training for healthcare providers to recognise and manage the symptoms of early menopause is not just desirable, it is essential. As a part of this exhibition, Payne and Fahey advocate for initiatives such as Jen Gunter’s Menopause Manifesto, which aims to provide professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to support women adequately, at all stages of the menopause process.
THE WELLNESS INDUSTRY
While the healthcare industry falters, the ‘wellness industry’ has stepped into the void, often profiting from women’s vulnerabilities. Unregulated supplements purporting to ‘cure’ menopause symptoms flood the market, leaving women to sift through sometimes harmful options. Misleading marketing can make it difficult to separate the beneficial from the merely exploitative. Helen Down, a PR expert and columnist for the news source The Drum, considers that though it is encouraging to see brands finally addressing menopause (instead of merely relegating remedies like black cohosh “to the back pages, among ads for orthotic shoes and chair lifts”), this movement has its limits. When a product is not a legitimate, or FDA-approved, menopause solution, simply slapping a ‘meno’ label on it feels exploitative and counterproductive. Down compares it to the way that baby product companies capitalise on the vulnerabilities of exhausted new parents: “they knew I would try anything – and pay anything – for a moment of sleep and sanity.”
With this groundbreaking exhibition, Payne and Fahey warn against prioritising profit over genuine care: “…when commerce, rather than service, is the driving force, there’s a risk that unnecessary products – perhaps even dangerous ones – will be flogged to desperate women.”
VOICES FROM THE MARGINS
The discourse would be incomplete without acknowledging the socio-economic and political realities that compound the burden of early menopause, particularly in marginalised communities. The exhibition shows an interview with a Nigerian woman who expresses the view that due to cultural barriers, women from Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia do not discuss menopause, which is considered a cultural stigma. This normal biological transition is therefore referenced neither in education nor normal conversation. Those who come from middle- or low-income households tend to suffer the most, facing the hardships of cultural and linguistic barriers, and a systematic bias which can often jeopardise their chances of receiving the help they need.
EXHIBITION GOALS
Curating this exhibition, Payne and Fahey aim not only to increase awareness, but also to encourage meaningful action. Showcasing initiatives like Diane Danzebrink’s Menopause Matters and Gunter’s Menopause Manifesto, they seek to close knowledge gaps and cultivate supportive spaces for women. In addition, the personal stories gathered by Fahey allow the exhibition to weave together a collective narrative that affirms individual experiences. Through valuable insights and personal testimonies, they hope the exhibition helps to empower the community, to begin to equip them with the tools and connections necessary to navigate their healthcare journeys.
In Gunter’s words: “For women to navigate menopause, they need facts because empowerment requires accurate information—but they also need feminism because our bodies, our medical care, and even our thoughts have been colonized by the patriarchy.”
Sam Payne presents Instructions Not Included alongside Abigail Fahey’s Take Twice Daily Until Silent at Electro Studios Project Space, Seaside Road, St Leonards, as part of PhotoHastings 2025, from 17-19 October. A panel discussion is open to everyone on Saturday 18 October at 2pm, featuring participants who will share their own experiences.
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