It’s only been in recent years that our society has come around to the idea that older women might actually want and enjoy sex. And examples of sexually empowered women, in pop culture at least, are few and far between—think Samantha Jones from Sex and the City, or Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin’s characters from Grace and Frankie. But new data from a survey conducted by Harris Poll for Kindra reveals that 70% of women aged 50 and older report enjoying sex. (Yes, you read that right!)  

However, the realities of menopause can make it harder for women to tap into sexual pleasure. The survey—which polled over 600 U.S. women age 50 and up—also found that a whopping 41% of women age 50+ reported feeling pain during sex. Of those women, 34% avoided sex because of the pain, and 29% “pushed through” despite feeling pain. 

Considering all the benefits sex provides to our physical and mental well-being, these statistics prove that women age 50+ deserve a lot more care and support to ensure that they don’t just put up with painful or unsatisfying sex. “One of the most powerful things a woman can do is reclaim her agency over her pleasure and orgasms,” says Catherine Balsam-Schwaber, CEO and Founder of Kindra. And we at Kindra are determined to help women get there.

To help women kick-start their journey back to sexual pleasure, Kindra is hosting a Talkshoplive on October 25 at 6 p.m. EDT with Dr. Juliana Hauser, Ph.D., licensed family and marriage therapist and expert on sex and sexuality. The free virtual event will focus on navigating relationships and intimacy throughout the menopause transition. 

Kindra also offers cutting-edge products to help support women’s sex lives and target the symptoms that can interfere with pleasure. Chief among them are Kindra’s Daily Vaginal Lotion and V Relief Serum, OB/GYN-backed products that help reduce vaginal dryness, sensitivity, and discomfort without a prescription.

We’re also proud to partner with other leaders in the sexual wellness space so that our community has the best solutions available. Our Kindra: Curated collection, for example, features physician-backed lubes and vibrators from brands we trust to help women build their own sexual toolkits. We also are thrilled to connect people to amazing providers who really get it, like our partners Origin for pelvic floor physical therapy and Gennev for menopause-trained OB/GYNs. 

All of this is to say: good sex at 50 and beyond is a right, not a privilege. It might just take some adjustments to get there—and we at Kindra want to help our community feel empowered on their sexual wellness journeys. “I have found in my own private practice that ‘good’ sex does not end after a certain age, it evolves,” says Dr. Hauser. “There are practical things women can do to become their own ‘sexperts’ and reclaim their sexuality as they age to make sex more fulfilling, pleasure more abundant, and orgasms more potent – better than ever.” Hear, hear. 

Tags: menopause menopause symptoms painful sex sex sex drive sexual health