Early adulthood

Early adulthood is a time to:

• Try new things
• Figure out your personal identity
• Become more independent.

At this stage of life, you can prepare for the future. Young adults make decisions about relationships, personal values, work and passions.

For women and gender-diverse people with disability, early adulthood can be a time to explore. There are new opportunities and new challenges.

However, they might also face:

• Social expectations that don't suit them, like expectations about how they should look or act.
• Discrimination, which is when people treat you unfairly because of who you are.
• Experiences that make them doubt themselves.
• People who don't understand them.
• Not being able to do everything they want to do.

As you enter early adulthood, remember that this is your life. Find out what works for you, not others. Look for people who understand what you're going through. Be kind to yourself and expect others to treat you kindly, too. You deserve it!

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Middle adulthood

People aged thirty to fifty years often want stability. They may want a stable:

• Romantic relationship
• Friendship group
• Place to live
• Job.

People may feel upset at this stage of life if they have not achieved goals like:

• Having a career
• Owning a home
• Meeting a partner
• Having kids.

Going without those things, for any reason, can be painful.

However, other people may celebrate the ways their life is different from social norms. Whatever your situation, it is possible to:

• Know that life has meaning
• Connect with other people
• Find things that you enjoy.

No two people experience life in the same way. Within our community, we can choose to celebrate what we share and how we are different.

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Late adulthood

At this stage of life, some people:

• Retire from work
• Adjust to changing health
• Spend time with family and community.

Later adulthood can also be a time to reflect on:

• What you have achieved
• Challenges you have faced
• Contributions you have made.

Wherever life has led you, find ways to celebrate your relationships and experiences.

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Physical and hormonal changes

Puberty is a phase of life that affects many of us. The changes can be physical, emotional, and social. Physical changes include:

• Growth spurts
• Hormonal changes
• The onset of menstrual periods
• The growth of facial hair.

People with a disability or gender-diverse identity may experience these changes differently to others. The emotional and social changes at puberty can be particularly challenging as we deal with:

• How feel about ourselves
• How we feel about our bodies
• What other people expect of us.

Menopause is a change that affects people who have had menstrual cycles, also known as periods. During menopause, menstrual periods stop and there are changes in hormones, too. It affects people in different ways. You might:

• Feel hot
• Have trouble sleeping
• Feel tired
• Gain weight
• Not want to have sex
• Feel sore or bloated
• Forget things more
• Feel more worried, sad or annoyed.

It can affect your relationships and social life. People with intellectual disabilities may have menopause earlier than others. People with Down Syndrome may have it even earlier.

When menopause begins, it can make other health conditions worse. There is not much information about how menopause affects people with intellectual disabilities. The impact of menopause might be more challenging for people who don't understand the change. Women living in residential homes with limited privacy may have more stress.

Talk to a health worker if you are worried about menopause.

We have heard that some people use menopause to justify violence against women. They might say something like, "She's so moody, you'd hit her too." Violence is never okay. If someone hurts you, it is not your fault. Please seek support.