Menopause, Aging and ‘Gray’ in Between: Learnings From Experiences of Domestic Workers’ Lives in West Bengal

This chapter aims to capture the experiences of menopause among domestic workers in West Bengal, focusing on how their lives change once menstruation stops and how this intersects with their notions of aging. It examines how their initial experiences with menstruation and their lifelong experiences with it influence their perceptions of this phenomenon. Recognizing that individuals do not exist in isolation, the chapter attempts to explore a multitude of factors that mold their perceptions about menopause, their own self and womanhood including but not limited to motherhood and what is construed as a ‘good body’. It also attempts to understand how this phenomenon affects their personal and family relationships, as well as their public life, in a capitalist society where only the ‘productive’ are valued. This research delves into the complex construction of self among women at the threshold of old age, their perception of womanhood, and the complexities that surround their family ties and close relations, all of which influences their perceptions about menopause. Women are pivotal characters in this research, and their perspectives have been prioritized to gain a holistic understanding of this phenomenon.