Jen

A hand-signed black and white portrait from The Menopause Effect: An Appalachian Unmasking, Anna Mullins' ongoing series photographing women across Appalachia as they move through one of life's biggest changes. Each portrait is shown alongside the woman's own words.

When I think of menopause in Appalachia, I think of bone tiredness and persistence. I think about my grandmother, and my mom. I also think of my great aunts and just how hard women here work, literally to the bone. Even as tired as I know they were, they did it all, and oftentimes to their own detriment. I see that in myself. As a woman entering menopause these days, I'm really working hard but I think we're doing too much, and giving too much, not taking time to take better care of ourselves. You know, my granny was an amazing woman, but her health was not always the best, you know?

Menopause in Appalachia looks like women who are sacrificing themselves for the greater good. Women who are giving everything they have to make the world around them a better place.

I also see that mentality changing. I think women my age and younger are realizing that we can still give, but we can also do that from a place of taking better care of ourselves. I think we are chipping away at making change, not just for ourselves, but for the young women that are coming after us, that will be face physiological, mental, and emotional challenges that come with menopause. And I'm grateful to be a part of the conversation with other women that are also struggling with things that I'm struggling with in our own path into Cronhood.

Jen Otey

• Title: Jen
• Artist: Anna Mullins
• Series: The Menopause Effect: An Appalachian Unmasking
• Medium: Black and white photograph, hand-signed
• Print size: 11 x 14 in.
• Framed size: 16.5 x 19.5 in.
• Framing: Black wood frame under glass, acid-free black core mat, acid-free foam core backboard. Ready to hang.
• Ships from: Formato Fine Arts, Wytheville, VA (available for gallery pickup)

About the artist: Anna Mullins is a photographer documenting women in perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause across Appalachia. Her ongoing project, The Menopause Effect, is powered by Patchwork Kinfolx and is, in her words, judgment free, gender affirming, and Appalachian rooted.