Place : Lille Campus, D303-Geant room 
Time : 3.00 - 4.30 PM 
Speaker : Denise Barros (Rio de Janeiro State University) 

Abstract : Menopause, an inevitable phase for those who menstruate, remains widely overlooked in medical and organizational settings. This project examines how menopause is invisibilized and professionally marginalized. Using a mixed-methods approach, we conducted three studies. The first study analyzes historical representations of menopause in Brazil’s oldest women’s magazine (1961-2023). The second study, a survey of 250 professionals, found that 97% of organizations lack menopause policies, despite 73% of respondents experiencing work-related difficulties due to symptoms. The third study uncovers systemic silencing mechanisms, reframing menopause as a structural issue of gendered and age-based discrimination. The findings advocate for menopause-inclusive workplace policies, leadership training, and cultural change to challenge the conflation of "professionalism" with youth.