How can therapists and other healthcare practitioners best support and validate their queer menopausal clients?

Abstract

How do queer people experience menopause? And what is the queer menopausal experience of therapy and the wider healthcare system? The existing literature examines lesbian lives, but there are no studies of the wider LGBTQ + population, particularly as clients in therapy. For this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 LGBTQ + identified participants. While some participants had positive experiences, practitioners overall were frequently unable to meet their needs, both in terms of menopause knowledge and understanding queer identities. In summary, participants felt that therapists should: listen to queer menopausal clients and not make assumptions; understand that this client group is likely to have had previous negative experiences with healthcare practitioners; realise that both they and their clients are likely holding inadequate information about menopause; understand that menopause can also be a positive experience; and undertake further training around GSRD (Gender, Sex and Relationship Diverse) identities, menopause and hormones. Queer menopausal clients frequently face multiple discrimination when accessing therapy and healthcare services: acephobia (prejudice against asexuals), ageism, biphobia, homophobia, misogyny (where applicable), and transphobia. Practitioners of all kinds, and by extension training organisations, have a long way to go in creating sufficiently safe and appropriate services for this client group.