HCI and Menopause: Designing With and Around the Aging Body

With growing concern for the intimate dimensions of technology development, HCI scholars have begun to grapple with who wields power in design around the body. However, beyond menstruation, few studies have sought to examine the role of technology design in the later stages of life for menstruating people. This paper considers menopause as a central, but overlooked life phase informing the design of future intimate technologies. We review empirical analysis of menopausal experiences and design provocations that emerged from our work. We end with a reflection on the opportunities and pitfalls around menopause design.