40 OVER 40 Karen Arthur
#21
Karen Arthur
Midlife Broadcaster, Author and Artist
Karen Arthurby Jenny Smith
Karen Arthur is a broadcaster, author and artist who I first became aware of on the utterly brilliant Channel 4 menopause documentary with Davina McCall produced and directed by fellow 40 OVER 40 participant Kate Muir.
Karen's instagram accounts @menopausewhilstblack and @thekarenarthur are full of life affirming advice for women in midlife and beyond, and chock full of vital information especially for Black women navigating menopause. Her podcast, Menopause Whilst Black has been referenced twice in parliament as well as at No.10 and credited in the British Medical Journal.
Her zest for life is infectious and her style of dressing makes me want to chuck everything in my wardrobe away and start again! But it hasn't all been plain sailing for Karen. In 2015 she was diagnosed with depression forcing her to give up a 28 year career in teaching and stripping her of her passion for sewing and fashion. During this time her aunt Monica passed away and over the next few years she started wearing some of her aunt's clothing which rejuvenated her relationship with fashion and prompted her to launch Wear Your Happy®, a philosophy of wearing clothing to boost your mood.
She's an out and out legend and I could not be more grateful for her taking part in my 40 OVER 40 project.
Karen Arthurby Jenny Smith
Tell us about your philosophy Wear Your Happy® and what women should wear.
I'm a big believer in re-wearing your clothes whenever you want to and not saving them for special occasions because every day you draw breath is to be celebrated so dress accordingly.
I love how choosing what to wear brings me, and often those around me, joy. I love that it feels effortless and celebratory to get dressed on a daily basis. And I love how I’ve learned not to care what I look like to others as long as I’m comfortable and happy. When you show up as your true real self you give others the courage to do the same. It’s infectious. Wearing your happy doesn’t have to be a full-on look from head to toe. It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else but you. It can be something no one notices. It can be covered up by the rest of your clothing. It can be your private secret or your public announcement.
Wear Your Happy® is yours.
Karen Arthurby Jenny Smith
What prompted you to start your podcast, Menopause Whilst Black which now has over 70 episodes and seven seasons?
I was already speaking about menopause online and in my circles and was aware that menopause information wasn't diverse at all. Then George Floyd's world shattering murder launched my rage at the sheer injustice of racism into action (I caught a glimpse of ‘that video’ online and was forever changed). I created the @Menopausewhilstblack instagram account one month later after noticing a complete lack of menopause awareness for women like me. The menopause space is thankfully opening up. More people experiencing this transition are hearing more diverse stories which means many feel less alone. But it's nowhere near enough and we're not even close to done.
Equity for all is only possible when we all take part. Anti racism is a verb.
Karen Arthurby Jenny Smith
What key differences are there for Black women and their experience of the menopause?
Black people who experience menopause in the global north start up to 2 years earlier than our white counterparts and suffer from symptoms like hot flushes with more severity and for longer. But, of course, it’s deeper than that. Racial weathering, medical racism lead to even starker health outcomes for this demographic. Menopause research is ramping up but is still relatively new and nuanced research is teensy.
Black people who experience menopause are often gaslit, they're less likely to receive Menopausal Hormonal Therapy (MHT) if we want it, get given old stock/less safe meds. Accurate knowledge about MHT is hampered by a healthy and understandable mistrust of the medical profession. As a result, of those who are eligible, Black women are half as likely to take meds for menopause.
We have a long way to go.
Karen Arthurby Jenny Smith
What advice would you give to your teenage self?
No one really knows what they’re doing so just try.
Never let anyone dim your shine.
Always, ALWAYS go with your gut.
Karen Arthurby Jenny Smith
Tell us about your book Grandma's Locs and your motivation for writing it.
I wrote Grandmas Locs out of love for my grandson, Keiko, a few months after he was born in late 2019 to celebrate our Bajan heritage and to make him proud of his dual heritage and never feel different or out of place in a society that will try its hardest to other him.
The book's message is to help celebrate our hair, from the African diaspora, in all its beautiful iterations. As a former teacher I have also seen first-hand how negative images of Black hair can affect the recipient and perpetuate bias. This should not be. It is important that we all address the bias that can lead to Black children and adults being discriminated against, treated differently or ‘othered’ simply for the way their hair grows naturally.
But I wrote this book for so many others, including my mum, Joyce who was taught that straight hair was the only acceptable choice. From hot combs to decades of damaging relaxers, my octogenarian mum finally reclaimed her hair texture in her seventies and now loves her beautiful silver crown.
Karen Arthurby Jenny Smith
Karen Arthurby Jenny Smith
Here Karen gives us some top tips on how to Wear Your Happy!
How does the item in your hands make you FEEL?
Choose garments and accessories…
That cheer you up.
That lend you hope.
That nudge you onwards.
That soothe you.
That make you smile or straight up giggle.
That pull you down memory lane or settle you in a happy(er) place.
But YOU get to choose (cont..)
Karen Arthur
by Jenny Smith
Something soft?
Something colourful?
Something your bestie gave you?
Something that smells good?
Something that reminds you of your holiday?
Karen Arthurby Jenny Smith
Will it be vintage?
Will it be old?
Will it be pre-loved?
Will it make a swishy noise?
Does it make you smile?
Does it make a stranger nod?
Does it take you to a happier place?
Does it bring you joy?
Karen Arthurby Jenny Smith
Final thoughts?
Yes. Don’t let anyone put you in. a box. You can do more than one thing and excel at it. That adage ‘jack of all trades, master of none…’ is old was shortened to suit a patriarchal, capitalist agenda. Ignore.
You’re not too old and it’s never too late.
Karen Arthurby Jenny Smith
Thank you Karen for being part of the 40 OVER 40 project.
I think it's fair to say our hormones have affected us all at some time or another. If you fancy a bit of a laugh, check out my podcast, Dear Hormones where women share their hormonal stories, the good the bad and the ugly - listen here.