We never think about menopause until we face it. No one explains to a 20- or 30-year-old woman what to expect: what low estrogen levels can cause, or how to handle hot flashes in public transport. From a medical point of view, menopause is a natural process that usually begins between the ages of 45 and 55.
authors
Sofi Mdivnishvili
Sofi Mdivnishvili, analogue photographer from Tbilisi (Georgia). Started photography 4 years ago. Freelance photographer at Chai Khana and OC media, gallerist at Untitled Gallery Tbilisi. Film photography helped her to start thinking a lot about surrounding, shooting each scene once encouraged her to think more and more. Mostly works on the topics related to women. Started writing about the issues happening in Georgia. Writing was one of her passion so decided to combine photography with it. Main topics she is interested in are social, gender and sexuality. Recent project she is working ,,Qualia" connects different women with different topics: body exploration, femininity, orientation everything about women power. Recent pandemic situation encouraged her to observe her photography in a different point of view to find new details in old photos that has never been found before and also to shoot all the new photos in the perspective of her inner sound in the period of lockdown.
Author's stories
The women are alright: Life after menopause
Breast cancer is the most common, and the most deadly, form of cancer in Georgia. While early detection can save lives – Mari Bobokhia's cancer is in remission – women are still dying, sometimes for no other reason than they lack the money to pay for treatment, notes Ana Mazanishvili, the president of Europa Donna Georgia and a co-founder of Pink Space.
Women behind the pink ribbon
When I was a child and I felt sad, I used to lock myself in my room, open the window, lay on the floor and wait for God to come and talk to me. We aren't friends anymore but I’ve kept the habit of talking to myself. Too many conspiracy theories are running inside my head to be able to differentiate what really matters anymore. So I silently accept the push of my subconscious, melancholy, anxiety and all the miserable thoughts.
How far can u run?
Throughout my life, my sense of social obligations have always been in conflict with my identity, so I have never felt like I have the freedom to choose the life I wanted. In the community where I grew up, gang violence, drinking, gambling, women’s oppression and severe domestic violence were common—and were largely viewed as “manly behavior.”
The bitter life of an "other"
For many LGBTQI youth in the South Caucasus, home is not a haven. Their parents, their families—the ring of relations that is supposed to provide comfort and safety in the traditional societies of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia—are often unable or unwilling to support them. These are their stories, moments lived in the private spaces where they can find peace and feel at home.