Frequently Asked
Questions
What is the Menopause Project?
Menopause Project is a long term photography project focusing on menopause, a time period that is understudied and under-treated.
What is menopause?
How can I participate?
To participate, please share your own menopause experience by filling out this Google Form. It will take 15-20 minutes to complete.
What is the purpose?
The purpose of the Menopause Project is to shed light on the experiences of women and their partners going through menopause. In a crowdsourcing effort, I have made a list of questions. Ultimately I hope to put voices and faces to the symptoms and process.
How many participants are there?
As many as are willing to participate. The questionnaire is a starting point with the hope of collecting a variety of photographs and texts.
What is the eligibility criteria for Menopause Project?
The only criteria is that you are a person going through or have been through menopause.
How can I contact you?
Please reach out via email to kate@menopause-project.com
Where will these answers go?
I will read all of the submitted information. It will take time to review, schedule photo shoots, and for the project to take on its own form. For the time being I’m focused on getting responses to the questionnaire.
Have you done anything like this before?
I’ve been working as a professional photographer for nearly 20 years. While I have a variety of experience, I haven’t done a project quite like this before. I enjoy expressing experience and reaction through photography, asking questions of identity and social integration. The most recent example of this is a project on postpartum depression. To see my work, feel free to visit kateizor.com
Do I have to share my name?
No. If you only want to share your experiences via the questionnaire, that’s OK and much appreciated. You are welcome to, but it is completely up to you if you would rather remain anonymous. I have included a required email section in the event that I have any further questions and / or to schedule a photo shoot.
Who is participating in this project?
Hopefully everyone, ideally all backgrounds and stages of menopause.
How does the photography part work?
The final format of this project has yet to be determined, and the inclusion of names is optional. Photo sessions will take approximately 1.5 hours and I will travel to participants. I live in New York City, therefore it begins here, but I aim to travel to continue this work. Scheduling begins in November.
Do I have to be photographed?
No. If you only want to share your experiences via the questionnaire, that’s OK and much appreciated. It takes a lot of trust to allow someone to photograph you. I am hopeful that people will be willing, as I think there are many ways we can show what menopause is, and how it feels. It is meant to be a collaboration based on a common goal – to help make menopause more mentionable and therefore manageable.
Why are you doing this project?
I’m in my early 40s. I found out that I was in late stage perimenopause while trying to get pregnant. I was not prepared. I am curious and concerned about the personal, social, professional, and societal aspects of menopause. They physical questions of Why in the world is my body doing this? and, How come no one told me that this was going to be more than hot flashes!? have been accompanied by questions of How can something that half of the population is destined to go through be so scarce in support and information? Six thousand women reach menopause every day in the US, why aren’t medical schools teaching more than a few hours on menopause? Where’s the research, information and investment in our health for the second half of life? What message does this send?
Will you share my information
NO. Absolutely not. This questionnaire is purely for my own processing – to hear trials, tribulations, and triumphs; and to inform visual ideas for this project.