As a right of passage, menopause is often described only in terms of loss—of fertility, of sexuality, of beauty. But it can be a form of liberation, too.
,” Germaine Greer’s wide-ranging account of menopause, from 1991, which Steinke cites, Greer posits that our aversion to menopausal women is “the result of our intolerance for the expression of female anger.” Menopausal rage is more than a symptom of disappointment at not being fertile or conventionally attractive or socially powerful—although it may be those things, too. It is brought on by the waning of estrogen, which in turn reduces serotonin production.
Rites of passage are gateways to inclusion in an inner circle, but the milestones of female life are chiefly represented from the point of view of outside observers. Menarche, the gateway to womanhood, is seen as proof that women are viable objects of desire for men. Pregnancy, the gateway to motherhood, is seen as proof that women are viable sources of children. That the birth process also produces a mother is a mere footnote to everyone but the mother herself.
Failing to find common ground in the human world, Steinke turns to the natural one. She takes an immediate interest in pilot whales and orcas, the only other animals known to undergo menopause. She visits Lolita, an orca who has lived at the Miami Seaquarium for nearly half a century, since she was six years old. Her pool is “less than four lengths of her body, its depth less than one length.
Steinke partakes in the current trend of cross-genre memoir—stories that are heavily decorated with quotations, part autobiography and part commonplace book. Sometimes authors get the blend right, but usually the quoted texts are unsurprising, and they stand in for the textured analysis of real life. In Steinke’s case, the standardness is perhaps the point.
,” from 1992, Gail Sheehy advocates hormone-replacement treatment, and strikes a note of empowerment: “,” a sparkle of an essay, from 2015, which gleams with honesty, if not optimism:
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Menopause and Perimenopause Symptoms, SignsWhat is menopause? What are the signs of menopause? What age does menopause start? Learn about menopause and perimenopause symptoms. Find the latest treatments for menopause.
Read more »
NXT Stand & Deliver Results: We Have Some New Champions!WWENXT StandAndDeliver is in the books, and after today's event on Peacock, we have some new Champions - including CarmeloHayes defeating BronBreakker to become the new NXT Champion! / WWE WrestleMania
Read more »
24 Absolutely Wild Differences Between The 'Pretty Little Liars' Books And TV ShowI can't believe Caleb Rivers, the best man in Rosewood, doesn't exist in the Pretty Little Liars books.
Read more »
A Complete And Hilarious Timeline Of Zack And Irina's Relationship On 'Love Is Blind'From Irina comparing her partner to a 'creepy cartoon character' to Zack singing an a cappella song about the Blarney Stone, this couple's doomed relationship was one for the books.
Read more »
George Soros: A Life in Full ^ 10538Donald Trump and his allies are blaming George Soros for his indictment. Who is he, really? In GEORGE SOROS: A Life in Full, editor Peter L.W. Osnos has assembled a collection of experts to shed new light on this misunderstood figure.
Read more »
The Best Books In Paperback This AprilFrom an Oprah Book Club pick to an incredible debut memoir — these are the books to take on your next vacation.
Read more »