King's College London funds study on 'transgender women's experience on menopause,' garnering public backlash
Reports that King’s College London funded a study into “transgender women’s experience of the menopause” has garnered criticism online from women’s rights activists, who called it a waste of money.
Although the study is several years old, it made the rounds on Thursday after a blog page announcing the study surfaced on Twitter.
The co-researcher, Sophie Mohamed, claimed in the 2018 post that the research will “build knowledge” on hormone replacement therapy on the effects of menopause — or rather, expectations on what might occur or occurred as they reached “menopausal age.”
Transgender women, who are biologically male, do not have a uterus or the ability to experience periods — much less menopause.
“Researchers from King’s College London wish to explore transgender women’s beliefs, attitudes and expectations/experiences of menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). It is hoped that the study will help to build knowledge to better support transgender healthcare, well being and the transgender community as a whole,” Mohamed wrote of the exploratory study.
The study, which was published in the International Journal of Transgender-ism in 2019, found that the participants, who were aged between 29 and 79 years old. Most of whom were taking HRT “revealed strong beliefs about the necessity of HT and some concerns.”
“Positive views about HT were expressed, with themes including treatment importance, personal and mental health benefits, but concerns about long-term effects, side effects, and maintaining access to the treatment were also mentioned. Views about menopause included uncertainty and questioning of its relevance; some mentioned changes to HT dosage, but most expected to use HT indefinitely.”
Responses to the study, which made its way across social media, were largely critical.
@KingsCollegeLon You are my local hospital. I discovered you have a menopause dept on Monday. Many of us beg and get little to no help. You exist to help women. That is your sole remit. The do not have money or time to fritter away my taxes to validate psychological issues.
— That Woman (@safwitter) September 29, 2022
King's College have effectively funded this absolute nonsense.
— bad scientist not an expert 🌻 🌿🪶🥕🛼 (@barbarnana21) September 29, 2022
They don't have a menopause. It is literally when your period stops completely. They don't have periods. This is so fetishistic. It is beyond pathetic
— Lesley F (@Dinobun1) September 29, 2022
I predict their findings will be that women's menopause is no biggie but man menopause is literal hell and requires everyone to stop what they're doing and fan these men with giant palm leaves
— TIM Sims (@boggismchoggis) September 29, 2022
thanks (shocked by the findings). Apparently the university's LGBTQIA2SP society or something re-published it by mistake today
— ripx4nutmeg (@ripx4nutmeg) September 29, 2022
Ian Miles Cheong
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Ian Miles Cheong is a freelance writer, graphic designer, journalist and videographer. He’s kind of a big deal on Twitter.
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