Reclaiming Pleasure in Menopause, Speaking at The Black Women for Wellness’ Reproductive Justice Conference in Los Angeles

On August 7, 2025, I was honored to speak at Black Women for Wellness’ 26th Annual Reproductive Justice Conference, Minding Our Own Black Business, Reclaiming Rest, Resilience and Liberation, held at The California Endowment, 1000 Alameda Street, Los Angeles. The conference brings together advocates, clinicians, educators, and community leaders to advance reproductive justice for Black women and girls. Black Women for Wellness+2Black Women for Wellness+2

Doctor Shannon Chavez posing at the Black Women for Wellness event in Los Angeles, representing sexual wellness and women’s health advocacy. — Honored to have been invited to speak on reclaiming pleasure in menopause at Black Women for Wellness’ Annual Reproductive Justice Conference in Los Angeles.

Why This Stage Mattered

I first connected with the organizers at a WisePause menopause event, a community focused on education and support for perimenopause and menopause. Being invited to join a space centered on Black women’s wellness felt meaningful and necessary. Our communities share overlapping experiences around access, silence, stigma, and the need for culturally informed care. wisepause.com

My Session, Reclaiming Pleasure in Menopause

I spoke on the Grown and Sexy programming, a stream that focuses on menopause and sexual health for women over 40. My talk centered on how sexuality changes during menopause, why pleasure is health, and how to move through this stage with curiosity, compassion, and practical tools. We discussed common concerns, desire shifts, arousal changes, pelvic health, body image, and how shame often keeps women from asking for support. Black Women for Wellness

Doctor Gail Jackson (left), Doctor Shannon Chavez (center), and Wendy Ida (right) seated on stage at the Black Women for Wellness event in Los Angeles, speaking on women’s health, sexual wellness, and empowerment. — A powerful panel on women’s health, sexual wellness, and empowerment with Dr. Gail Jackson (left), Dr. Shannon Chavez (center), and Wendy Ida (right) at the Black Women for Wellness event in Los Angeles.

I encouraged participants to see menopause as an opportunity to redefine intimacy, pleasure, and self-trust. That looks like advocating for your needs, having honest conversations with partners and providers, and exploring evidence-informed options, from lubricants and vaginal moisturizers to pelvic floor therapy and nervous system regulation practices.

Why Conferences Like This Move Us Forward

Black Women for Wellness’ conference is more than a gathering, it is a culturally grounded forum that combines education, advocacy, and community care. This year’s theme centered rest, resilience, and liberation, and programming included clinical topics, policy discussions, and tracks that meet women where they are, including Grown and Sexy. The result is learning that feels approachable, relevant, and immediately useful. Black Women for Wellness+1

California Latinas for Reproductive Justice resource table at the Black Women for Wellness Annual Reproductive Justice Conference, displaying educational materials on bodily autonomy, reproductive health, and family well-being. — California Latinas for Reproductive Justice sharing resources on bodily autonomy, reproductive health, and family well-being.

URGE (Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity) resource table at the Black Women for Wellness Annual Reproductive Justice Conference, displaying materials on reproductive justice, gender equity, and youth leadership. — California Latinas for Reproductive Justice sharing resources on bodily autonomy, reproductive health, and family well-being.

Pleasure Is Not Optional

Menopause is often framed as decline. I see it as transition, a chance to reconnect with the body and rewrite old scripts. Pleasure is not a luxury, it is part of well-being. When we center safety, consent, communication, and creativity, we create conditions for desire to return and for intimacy to deepen at any age.

Organizations like Black Women for Wellness make this possible, they create space for nuanced conversation and provide culturally responsive resources that support healing and empowerment. I left feeling grateful, inspired, and proud to be in community with women who are ready to reclaim pleasure and power. Black Women for Wellness