#MenoPAUSE: Climacteric Change Amidst Climate Change

Navigating Climacteric Change amidst Climate Change is a challenge for Bengaluru women due to social stigma and a lack of awareness.

Project #MenoPAUSE is a call to action: we want the citizens of Bengaluru to pause for this cause. In the rush of our fast-paced urban lives, the physical and emotional transition of menopause often goes unnoticed or ignored. This dialogue is a dedicated effort to hit the "pause button" on our daily grind to think, learn, and talk about a life stage that affects half of our population.

Specifically designed for the urban landscape of Bengaluru, it focuses on mapping the intersection between women’s hormonal health and the city’s environment. We are building a foundation of knowledge that empowers women to navigate this change with dignity and support.

50% of our population will experience menopause in their lifetime. It may be a natural transition, but it ain’t pretty. Along with a plethora of side effects including, but not limited to, brain fog, insomnia, hot flushes, night sweats, ear pain AND change of taste, one is forced to hide their discomfort in a societal landscape that fails to acknowledge the pain of women, refusing them rest and empathy in both domestic and work settings.

We were inspired to take up this issue because we noticed this glaring discrepancy in our own homes, Vishruti’s mother didn’t know she was going through perimenopause for months, precisely because its symptoms aren’t well known and recognized!

Climate change and menopause may appear to be unrelated, yet they intersect in deeply personal and structural ways. Rising global temperatures intensify heat waves, which can worsen menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. Women in the menopausal transition are physiologically more sensitive to temperature fluctuations, making climate change not just an environmental crisis but also a gendered health concern.

Initiatives like the Vizchitra help situate such broader social and environmental narratives on a larger platform to reach out to the community of today for a better future tomorrow.

Overarching Structure and Design of the Dialogue includes:

1. Past History and Present Perils (5 min)

This Section will focus on the cultural context of menopause in media and society, including: Etymological Origins, Historical Contexts, and the Current Landscapes in Women's Health.

2. Menopause: Terms and Conditions (10 min)

This Section aims to educate the participants on the entirety of the menopausal process, including their symptoms and timelines, from premenopause to postmenopause.

3. Climate Change: Myths Galore! + Bubble Bursting

We will go over the common misconceptions that one hears about this climate crisis, bursting the dangerous myths that continue to have a strong hold on our society.

4. Biological and Social Impact of Climate Change on Women's Wellness