“Because I felt so alone”: trans and gender diverse people’s needs and preferences for menopausal related information and resources

Background The increased visibility of menopause offers potential opportunities to engage with trans and gender diverse people. Yet, this attention may simultaneously risk reinforcing exclusionary norms when the lay interpretations of menopause are increasingly focussed on cisgender women at midlife. As information about menopause is often gendered, trans and gender diverse people may find themselves navigating multiple and conflicting meanings associated with menopause in their attempt at making sense of what may be happening for them.Methods In this article, we present findings from community consultations with trans and gender diverse people on menopause and/or related acute hormonal fluctuations. Seventeen participants took part in three focus groups conducted in October 2024. Data is presented related to information and current and prospective resources on menopause, information seeking patterns and preferences for how information is presented.Results Trans and gender diverse people require factual and practical information to i. diagnose themselves as being peri/menopausal and thus understand what was happening to them, ii. to know what therapeutic interventions were available if needed, and/or iii. to be able to manage their own health in ways that reflected their gender identity. Yet, they continue to struggle finding language, clinical guidance, or supportive care environments that acknowledge their experiences. Mainstream menopause resources may compound disparities for trans and gender diverse people through gender-exclusive language, cisnormative imagery, and limited acknowledgement of diverse hormonal trajectories.Conclusions Findings underscore the urgent need for trans-inclusive, evidence-informed resources addressing menopause, estrogen cessation, and hormonal aging for trans and gender diverse people. In looking beyond normative and gendered associations of menopause that center on cisgender women at midlife, we distill principles that should be applied in the development of resources on menopause for trans and gender diverse people; namely, accuracy, inclusivity and diversity.