Sexual Health in Menopause:
What the Pandemic Revealed and Why Women of Colour Need a Different Conversation
During perimenopause and menopause, many women experience changes they were never fully prepared for. Lower sexual desire, vaginal dryness, difficulty with arousal and, for some, painful intercourse.
These shifts are driven primarily by declining estrogen and testosterone, but the emotional impact often runs deeper than the biology.
Hormone therapy can help, but research consistently shows its effects on sexual function are modest. Pleasure, intimacy and desire are shaped not only by hormones, but by stress, relationship dynamics, cultural expectations and emotional wellbeing. So, when the pandemic hit, those layers became even more complicated.
COVID-19 Lockdowns Disrupted Desire and Intimacy
COVID-19 lockdowns reshaped sexual life across the world. Global studies revealed a significant drop in women’s sexual function scores, declines in desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm and satisfaction.
While solo sex increased for some, partnered intimacy often decreased due to stress, proximity tensions or emotional distance.
Mental health deterioration, financial strain and isolation created a perfect storm that made sexual challenges during menopause even harder to manage.
Some couples adapted with resilience, creativity and deeper emotional communication. But many did not. The silence around sexual changes in midlife widened, leaving thousands of women struggling privately.
The Afro-Caribbean Menopause Experience
For ethnic minority women, the impact was even sharper. Cultural stigma, fear of judgement and lack of tailored menopause support meant many delayed seeking help.
Afro-Caribbean women, who often experience earlier menopause, more severe symptoms and longer transitions, faced amplified barriers. Conversations about desire, intimacy or discomfort are still taboo in many communities, leaving women without safe spaces to voice concern.
The Widening Gap in Access to Support
Pandemic isolation deepened these existing divides. Fewer appointments, less access to culturally aware practitioners, and limited community networks meant symptoms were often minimised or misunderstood.
Sexual Changes Are Not Inevitable
Sexual changes during menopause are common, but they are not inevitable and women deserve more than medical reassurance.
Hormone therapy has a role, but it is only one piece of the puzzle.
Psychosocial support, relationship counselling, pelvic floor therapy, mental health care, and open conversation are equally important.
Researchers now strongly recommend an intersectional, culturally sensitive approach, one that acknowledges the lived realities of Black, Asian, Caribbean and Latina women rather than forcing them into a one-size-fits-all model.
You are not alone, and you are not broken. Your sexual wellbeing is worthy of care, understanding and culturally intelligent support.
If this message helped you feel seen or gave you a new way of understanding what you are experiencing, take a moment to like, comment and share.
Your voice may be the very thing another woman needs to break her silence, ask for help or realise she is not alone.
Every interaction helps us build a community where women can speak openly, learn together and receive the culturally aware support they deserve.
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