if menses is a 'life force' (and it sure is one strong indication that a woman can get pregnant) than a menopausal woman is one in whom that life force is gone or dead--

as for why it might be used, its not uncommon for people to take pejorative words, and use them in a way that creates new meanings.

'you be bad' in some forms of english is quite a compliment.
bad =not just good, but excellent.

its done politically too, neo conservatinves, in the US, have 'recast' liberal, and attempted to make it into a pejorative term. i can think of many other examples too, most in sensitive subjects.
pro-choice (implying anti=choice)
pro-life ( implying anti life)
family values (hah!)
ownership society (not anti social securtity)
and so on.
and it's hardly new speak its been around so long.


my other obsession