Reimagining Menopause

While many areas of reproductive health have been radically transformed by social and medical progress, menopause has remained stubbornly attached to conventional scripts and social norms about gender, sexuality, and the life course.

Supported by a TASA workshop grant, UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture (Paddington campus) is hosting a series of intersecting workshop dialogues exploring how narratives and responses to menopause, and other acute hormonal fluctuations, can be made more inclusive of those whose bodies, identities or experiences are an uneasy fit with these norms, particularly compulsory heterosexuality, cisgenderism, and parenthood.

Across three sessions, this workshop will feature short provocations from invited speakers:

SESSION 1: The social reimagining of menopause across biomedicine (Celia Roberts), feminisms (Lucy Nicholas), and policy (kylie valentine).

SESSION 2: The creative reimagining of menopause through queer installation arts (Macon Reed), First Nations theatre making (Liza-Mare Syron), sex tech, fem tech and meno tech (Kath Albury), followed by an interactive activity (Katherine Moline).

SESSION 3: The clinical reimagining of menopause through dialogue across professional and lived forms of expertise (Deborah Bateson, Haryana Dhillon, Son Vivienne, Stella Topaz, and more to be confirmed).

The workshop aims to bring together people from diverse perspectives to explore these radical imaginaries, contributing to the development of a localised and inclusive sociology of menopause.

ATTENDANCE OPTIONS

This is a hybrid workshop and will be available both in person and online. In person participants will be engaged in dialogue and interactive activities, and online participants can propose topics for discussion through the hybrid presentation chat function. Light refreshments will be provided for in person participants in the two workshop breaks, with an optional sundowner at the end. RSVPs essential. Please note: Registrations close Tuesday 28 May for in person attendance and Thursday 30 May for online attendance.

12:15pm - Doors open for guest arrivals

12:30pm - 1:40pm | Session 1 + Introductions (Lecture theatre EG02 & online)

2:00pm - 3:00pm | Session 2 (NFHRI facility & online)

3:15pm - 4:30pm | Session 3 + Conclusion (Lecture theatre EG02 & online)

4:30pm - Join us after the workshop for a drink at the Captain Cook Hotel, Paddington (optional)

VENUE INFORMATION

Sessions 1 and 3 will take place in Lecture Theatre EG02, E Block and Session 2 will take place at the nearby NFHRI facility, A Block - all located at UNSW's Paddington Campus.

PARKING & PUBLIC TRANSPORT

There is limited street parking at UNSW's Paddington Campus. We recommend you consider public transport to attend this event. For more information please call the NSW Transport Infoline on 131 500 or visit transportnsw.info

ACCESS

Wheelchair Access - Lecture Theatre EG02 is located in the E Block at UNSW's Paddington campus. The closest accessible drop-off point to the Theatre is through the loading dock running off Green's Road. Vehicles can drop off patrons in this area from where they can transfer across to E Block using a lift to the upper ground floor into Lecture Theatre EG02. The NFHRI facility is located at the nearby NFHRI facility in A Block at UNSW's Paddington campus. More information on getting there can be found via our interactive accessibility map available here.

Assisted Hearing - Lecture Theatre EG02 has a hearing loop. Patrons wishing to use this need to simply switch their hearing aid to the T (Telecoil) setting to pick up on the wireless signal.

Contact - To book and discuss access services, please email Sarah Remfrey at s.remfrey@unsw.edu.au or call +61 2 9065 1569.

WORKSHOP CHAIRS

KERRYN DRYSDALE

Dr Kerryn Drysdale (she/her) is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Social Research in Health (CSRH), a specialist research centre at UNSW Sydney. Through her disciplinary background in Cultural Studies, Gender Studies, and Queer Theory, she endeavours to bring a critical cultural lens to everyday lived experiences of pervasive health inequities and social determinants of health. In particular, Kerryn works with marginalised or vulnerable populations to determine their health and wellbeing needs.

KATHERINE MOLINE

Katherine Moline (she/her) is Associate Professor at UNSW Arts, Design and Architecture. Her research focuses on the dynamics between technological and social forces in art and design. As UNSW Faculty Research Fellow Katherine led the curatorial team for the touring exhibition The Data Imaginary: Fears and Fantasies, for Griffith University Art Museum (2021), Flinders University Museum of Art (2022), and the ANU School of Art & Design Gallery (2023). She is currently writing a book on socially engaged design and the radical imaginary commissioned by Bloomsbury.

CHRISTY E. NEWMAN

Professor Christy E. Newman (they/them) is a social researcher of health, gender, and sexuality at the Centre for Social Research in Health and Deputy Dean Research in UNSW Arts, Design and Architecture. Over the last 20 years, Christy has contributed expertise on qualitative social research, critical health sociology, and gender and sexuality diversity to multidisciplinary research on the social aspects of sexual and reproductive health, foregrounding community perspectives and partnerships.

For event enquiries or to discuss your access requirements, please email Sarah Remfrey at s.remfrey@unsw.edu.au.

We are happy to receive phone calls via the National Relay Service. TTY users, phone 133 677, then ask for +61 2 9065 1569. Speak and Listen users, phone 1300 555 727 then ask for +61 2 9065 1569. Internet relay users, visit relayservice.gov.au, then ask for +61 2 9065 1569.