National Study Reveals the Best-Kept Secret in Menopause Relief
Womanizer Launches "Reclaiming Menopause" Campaign
NEW YORK, Sept. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Womanizer, the global leader in women's sexual wellness, is unveiling a new nationwide survey in partnership with the Kinsey Institute, which revealed the best-kept secret for managing menopause symptoms: masturbation.
In 2014, Womanizer revolutionized the sexual wellness industry with the first ever clitoral suction toy, using Pleasure Air Technology to create an entirely new category. Now, Womanizer continues to pave the way for women's pleasure with the "Reclaiming Menopause" study.
The study was conducted by the Kinsey Institute in two phases. The first phase involved a nationally representative survey of 1,500 American adults ages 18-88, aimed at gauging public knowledge and understanding of menopause. The second phase involved a representative survey of 1,500 women ages 40-65, to better understand women's experiences with menopause.
This study is sponsored by the Pleasure Fund, Womanizer's 5-year 250k € commitment to women's health and sexual wellness research, created to lessen the Gender Health Gap.
The Effects of Masturbation and Menopause
Results show that masturbation and sex stand out as highly effective strategies for symptom relief:
- 1 in 10 menopausal women use masturbation as their primary tool for managing symptoms like hot flashes, fatigue, and night sweats.
- Sex and masturbation were both rated among the most effective methods for symptom relief, with many women reporting significant benefits from incorporating self-pleasure into their wellness routines.
"This survey shows self-pleasure offers an effective, accessible tool for menopausal symptom relief, which is important to integrate with existing care strategies," said Dr. Cynthia Graham, Senior Scientist at the Kinsey Institute.
Despite these benefits, the survey uncovered a gap in communication between doctors and patients:
- Only 44% of women have ever had a conversation with their doctor about menopause.
- A mere 5% of these women reported that their doctors discussed masturbation as a symptom management strategy.
- 46% of women said they would be willing to try masturbation as a form of relief if their doctor recommended it.
"Masturbation shouldn't remain a secret in menopause care," said Verena Singmann, Womanizer's Head of Pleasure Advocacy. "Women have the right to know all of their options for managing the challenges of menopause, and we're here to break the silence around masturbation as an empowering and effective choice."
Reducing Racial Barriers
Womanizer is also working to bridge the gap between race and menopause experiences, with survey results showing significant disparities in menopause knowledge:
- When asked six questions to gauge menopause knowledge, White women have the highest percentage of accurate answers at 55%, while Asian women have 42%, Hispanic women have 37%, and Black women have 35%.
To reach these communities directly, Womanizer is hosting free educational pop-ups in cities with higher concentrations of people of color: Nashville, TN (9/18), Ft. Worth, TX (9/28) and Los Angeles, CA (10/19) with Shamyra Howard, PhD, LSCW and AASECT-certified sex therapist. More information here.
"This is an opportunity to destigmatize menopause and masturbation for all women, particularly women of color who are disproportionately affected by the Gender Health Gap and the lack of menopause education," said Dr. Shamyra. "The more women learn about this tool, the more empowered they'll be to take control of their sexual health and overall well-being."
Educating Healthcare Providers
Womanizer is urging healthcare providers to broaden their conversations with patients about menopause and include discussions about masturbation with a new course created with Sexual Health Alliance, a continuing education organization that offers sexuality-centric courses to MDs, Clinical Psychologists, LPCs, LMFTs, LCSWs, and all sexual health professionals.
Kinsey Institute researchers Dr. Cynthia Graham and Dr. Justin Lehmiller, who led this study, will expand upon the survey's findings during a two-day workshop on January 25-26, 2025. In addition, leading medical experts, including Dr. Lauren Streicher (OB/GYN), will guide attendees through how to help menopausal women optimize their sex lives and expand upon experiences with menopause for women of color.
More information on the workshop available here.
Womanizer is also reopening applications for the Pleasure Fund to support more research into the role sexual wellness plays in menopause care. Information on how to apply here.
For more information and to access resources for managing menopause symptoms, visit https://www.womanizer.com/us/menopause
About Womanizer
About the Kinsey Institute
https://kinseyinstitute.org/about/index.php
Contact: [email protected]
SOURCE Womanizer
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