"In the middle of menopause, but fully alive"
By Lëtzebuerger Journal Switch to German for original article
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The Lëtzebuerger Journal celebrated the launch of Menoplay together with guests and interviewees. The podcast aims to raise awareness and show that menopause is not an ending, but a new stage of life.
On 15 October, the Lëtzebuerger Journal officially launched Menoplay, a podcast about menopause, together with its guests and interviewees. In the presence of Martine Deprez (CSV), Minister of Health and Social Security, Lynn Warken, Director of the Lëtzebuerger Journal, Melody Hansen, Editor-in-Chief, and Maxime Toussaint, Head of Podcast, spoke about the motivations behind the project and how the podcast came about. The first episode has been available since Thursday on Journal.lu and on all major podcast platforms.
Across six episodes, the podcast explores the many facets of a stage of life that is still surrounded by numerous taboos and misconceptions. How can women prepare for it, and where is support still lacking?
The podcast's title is more than just a play on words. With appropriate treatment and support, women can experience menopause as something positive and liberating. It is not an ending, but a new beginning. "Play" instead of "Pause".
The topic is explored from a range of perspectives. Ten women aged between 21 and 72 were interviewed, along with ten experts from the fields of medicine, politics, employment law and nutrition.
"Menopause directly affects half the population, yet it is still surrounded by taboos, half-truths and stereotypes."
Melody Hansen, Chefredaktesch
The Minister of Health expressed her hope that the podcast would encourage more people to talk about menopause. She said that putting issues relating to women's health at the forefront of her work had been a matter of course for her. Among other initiatives, she referred to the Semaine de la Santé de la Femme, which she launched together with Yuriko Backes (DP), Minister for Gender Equality and Diversity, Defence and Mobility. She concluded her speech with the words: "In the middle of menopause, but fully alive."
Guests at the launch had the opportunity to listen to the first episode and exchange views with experts from various fields. The wider public will have the same opportunity at four events (see information box).
This matters because menopause is still too often downplayed, and not every woman experiences it in the same way. The stereotype of "hot flushes" only tells part of the story: the most common symptoms are psychological.
On the topic
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What we eat can influence how we feel during menopause. On 7 November, nutrition adviser Diana Reid will share a range of dietary tips. The workshop will be held in English.
On 21 November, Dr Danielle Choucroun will discuss intimacy and sexuality during (peri)menopause. How do hormonal changes affect relationships and intimacy between partners? And what can help? This workshop will be held in French.
"Women's Health in Transition: Menopause - Breaking the Taboo and Finding Our Place in Society" is the title of the fourth workshop, taking place on 28 November. Susanne Folschette-Tomaszewski and Diane Elsen from Lëtz Menopause will be joined by guests to discuss the changes associated with menopause, as well as taboos, stigma and shame. The workshop will be held in Luxembourgish.
The workshops take place from 10 to 11 am. Places are limited. You can register here. The workshops will be held at Wild Stuff in Luxembourg City's Upper Town (12 rue Louvigny).
The strong response to the Lëtzebuerger Journal's articles on women's health has shown just how great the need is for accessible information and awareness-raising. Across its six episodes, the podcast covers topics ranging from preparing for menopause and the difficulties of diagnosis to the various treatment options available.
However, the podcast is not aimed solely at the half of the population directly affected. It is also intended for partners, colleagues and managers. Men also share their experiences of their partners going through menopause.
The podcast also takes a broader view: what impact does menopause have on society? How can workplaces become more "menopause-friendly"? And while women in the past were largely left to navigate this stage of life on their own, how far have we really come in breaking the taboo?
Menoplay aims to find answers to these questions across six episodes. The journey has begun: the first episode, "What Happens When Things Stop Working?", is now available online. From now on, a new episode will be released every other Thursday.
Available on www.journal.lu, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.
