Menopause: Milestone or Misery? A Look at Media Messages to Our Mothers and Grandmothers

Abstract

Assumptions circulated in the mass media have played a role in forming attitudes about many social issues, including ideas about women. To find out what messages about menopause and middle age emerged during earlier generations, the researcher examined articles in three popular women's magazines and one newspaper. The magazines— Good Housekeeping, Ladies Home Journal and McCall's—dated from the early twentieth century. Washington Post stories began during the same period and spanned nearly six decades. The aim was to assess messages about menopause and middle age delivered to previous generations to gain a clearer understanding of attitudes that influenced public response to the 2002 Women's Health Initiative. A critical reading showed trends that differed between the two mediums. Overall, messages were mixed. Women's magazines rarely mentioned menopause until the 1960s, when hormone use became popular. At the same time, the magazines celebrated middle age, and glorified accomplished midlife women. The Post confined menopause to advice columns, advertisements, and an occasional news story. Initially, Post references to menopause were negative, but later, stories began to portray menopause as medically treatable. The two mediums operated differently, but both were culturally influential and important sources of women's health information.