Menopause - Inclusive resources
Menopause is not a single story. Experiences vary by race, gender identity, disability, class, faith, and caring roles. This page gathers inclusive resources so freelancers can find support that feels relevant to their lives, and so organisations can learn how to offer better care.
How we choose links
We prioritise NHS and professional bodies, UK charities and community groups, and clearly written explainers. We avoid paywalled content where possible. Inclusion here is not an endorsement of paid services. Tell us if a link is out of date.
Language and inclusion, in short
We say “people experiencing menopause” because trans men and non-binary people can be affected.
Everyone chooses their own terms. Use the language someone uses about themselves.
Intersectionality matters. You might find more than one section useful.
All-Gender Peri/Menopause Support - Facebook Group
facebook.com/groups/464245174194910
This is a peer-to-peer mutual aid support group for all kinds of people currently going through, or who have gone through, all kinds of perimenopause and/or menopause. This group is ONLY for people who themselves are going through or are post menopause, or who have the capacity to experience menopause in their own bodies.
Guide to Menopause for Women Living with HIV
This booklet and guide was developed through a co-production process drawing on this lived experience and the expertise of Dr Nneka Nwokolo, HIV clinician and menopause specialist, and Dr Louise Newson, GP and menopause specialist.
Queer / LGBTQIA+ Menopause
Community-built resources and inclusive language. Our mission is to promote inclusive menopause resources for those who need them, and greater education for therapists and healthcare practitioners about the needs of LGBTQIA+ people in menopause.
Black Women in Menopause
Events, resources, and research spotlighting Black experiences.
Black Health and Beyond has a specialist interest in menopause. The home of Black Women in Menopause.
We need to recognise that Black people face considerable amounts of discrimination in every area of our lives and that bleeds into and informs our experiences of healthcare.
There is a significant amount of work that needs to be done to ensure menopause is inclusive and representative and that care and education supports and reflects all those directly and indirectly affected by menopause.
Black Girls’ Guide to Surviving Menopause
A sanctuary for healing and radical conversations centering Black women, genderqueer, trans, and non-binary folk.
Black Menopause & Beyond
Within the podcast I will be discussing the Menopause, Midlife, and Beyond, looking at life from my perceptive, a black female, exploring health and lives of women.
Menopause Whilst Black
Placing the menopausal experience of primarily Black UK based women front and centre by sharing their stories.
Ask the Expert: What to Know About Menopause When You’re Trans or Nonbinary - Healthline (US focus).
Queer and Going Through Menopause? How to Advocate for Yourself - Adulted (US focus).
How do hormonal changes affect the trans and non-binary community? - Rachel Reese of Global Butterflies.
Queering Menopause on Medium - channel run by Sarah TC. Send your stories over!
Women in Menopause Are Getting Short Shrift - Rachel E Gross in The Atlantic writes about why we need joined up thinking around menopause care and gender transition.
My Queer Menopause – “Becoming knowledgeable and powerful and furious” - by Helen Juffs on Linked In. This post started a really important conversation.
‘I was grieving on a very biological level’: how three women got through menopause (Guardian) - Helen Juffs is interviewed here, as well as Anita Powell (see the Black Menopause and Beyond podcast below.
How to Find Gender-Affirming Menopause Care: What You Can Do - Healthline (US focus).
LGBTQIA+ Menopause - Room for Improvement - The Lancet.
Many freelancers manage menopause alongside disability, chronic illness, neurodivergence, or long COVID. Symptoms can overlap or interact, for example fatigue, pain, dizziness, sensory load, anxiety, or brain fog. You can ask for adjustments without sharing medical details. Say what helps you work well.
- Short, planned breaks on long days
- Water, cooling, airflow, and nearby toilets
- A quiet space to reset if symptoms spike
- Written schedules and notes after complex sessions
- Seating options and permission to step out briefly
- Flexible call times after late finishes
- Relaxed costume or layers where safe
“I have existing access needs and I am also managing menopause symptoms. Short breaks every 90 minutes, written notes after rehearsals, and a seat near airflow will help me work at my best. I do not need to share medical details. Can we agree these from day one?”
If you already have access needs
Keep your usual adjustments and add temporary ones related to menopause. If it helps, keep a short access rider you can share when you start a job.
Record keeping
Put requests in writing, save replies, and note what works. You can update your access rider as things change.
More support
See Self-advocacy and your rights for legal signposting, and Inclusive Menopause Resources for links by identity and circumstance.