Deconstructing the cultural confinement of the Western menopausal women towards a spirituality of liberation

Verbum et Ecclesia

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Deconstructing the cultural confinement of the Western menopausal women towards a spirituality of liberation
 
Creator Meletiou, Crystal Meylahn, Johann-Albrecht
 
Subject Pastoral Care; Practical Theology Menopause; Narrative; Spirituality
Description Throughout the ages, menstruation and menopause have posed unique challenges in the life of women. In Biblical times, much was said about the impurity of a menstruating woman. In the past century, however, the focus gradually shifted to menopause and the effect thereof on a woman’s body, both aesthetically and physiologically. Freud went so far as to argue that menopausal women are neurotic and that an oophorectomy (the surgical removal of the female ovaries) should be a standard procedure for a menopausal woman. Unfortunately, this Freudian theory has not yet been completely demolished in our contemporary society. Hysterectomies (the surgical removal of the uterus) are still frequently performed on menopausal women, and all too often, antidepressants are included in menopausal women’ medical regimes. The question remains: Can hysterectomy, hormone replacement therapy and antidepressants ‘erase’ the challenges that Western menopausal women face?Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Western menopausal women are under tremendous social pressure to preserve their youthfulness. Many middle-aged women live with the fear that their declining sexual appeal may result in rejection, both personally and professionally. Unfortunately, the intellectual value of these women is seldom acknowledged. 
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2015-03-25
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — —
Format text/html application/octet-stream text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/ve.v36i1.1312
 
Source Verbum et Ecclesia; Vol 36, No 1 (2015); 6 pages 2074-7705 1609-9982
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/1312/2285 https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/1312/2286 https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/1312/2287 https://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/ve/article/view/1312/2276
 
Coverage — — —
Rights Copyright (c) 2015 Crystal Meletiou, Johann-Albrecht Meylahn https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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