EDITORS‘
FOREWORD
Welcome to our third and final issue of this academic year!
This term, in honour of pride month, we have decided to dedicate the issue to this. The theme is and forever will be a deeply important one, not just to members of the community but to society as a whole; the team and all of the article writers involved with this issue have greatly enjoyed creating it.
Run completely by students, this edition is reflective of and moulded purely by the passion, interests, and hard work of the students involved within it.
During this month, it is important to remember what the purpose of it is. It is not just simply about acknowledging members of the LGBTQ+ community in society but also the acceptance, equality, and celebration of their work; it is through the awareness and understanding of the issues that queer people have faced and continue to face today that we can strive towards a more equal future. In the ‘What Does Pride Mean To You?’ section, a collection of responses from students, you can discover the first-hand meanings of Pride Month to different members of the St Cats community.
From theatre to sport to art to academia, there are queer people in all walks of life, and this issue is a celebration of their experiences, their history, and their contribution to society.
We really hope you enjoy it!
Editor-in-chief , L6
Editor, L6 ALICE
BELLA
o
OF EDITION 3
ur article
FEATURED SECTION : Pride Month
“WhatdoesPridemeantoyou?”Interviews
TheOtherSideoftheRainbow
The Ladies of Llangollen: Queer Existence in Regency Times
Trans-Action:theChangingRoleofGenderinTheatre
David Hockney
DavidLaChapelle
Banyard Rustin: the Unsung Hero of Equality
TheDeclassificationofHomosexualityofaMentalIllnessin America
The 131: De Jure & De Facto Treatment of LGBTQ people
LondonPrideReport
SECTION 1 : SCHOOL NEWS
TheL6Musical:TheLittleMermaid
SECTION 2: GREEN CATS
EcoActivitiesRecap2023-2024
SECTION 3 : STEM EcoSnapshot
HowCanWEEEWastebeRecycledtoGenerate EnergyforLargeScaleInfrastructures
The Mysterious Electrons
Featured Section
Sin Wai Kit, ‘The Story Cycle’, 2022, Single-channel video
Sin Wai Kin is a Canadian visual artist who uses "speculative fiction within drag performance, moving image, writing and print to refigure attitudes towards gender, sexuality and historical discourses of identity."
Pride
“Feeling comfortable withWHO you are as an individual, andwith whoyou love.”
“It’s why I can be myself and not worry about my identity or appearance; why I don’t feel judged and why I can wear what I want without worrying what others think. Everyone supports and loves one another.”
“A celebration of joy and community. It is about being comfortable in yourself and not being afraid to be different.”
“Pride is an explosion of freedom after decades of oppression.”
“Pride, for me, is a celebration of love in all forms: the love shared between the LGBTQ community in friendship, coming together to march, on social media, and in person; and the love shared in queer relationships now and in the past. For me, it is a month which looks through the prism of the past to envision a brighter, happier, more inclusive future for everyone.”
“For me, pride is a place where I can be myself without fear of people’s judgment. It’s somewhere I feel comfortable and gives me so much hope for my future.”
“Prideisimportantbecauseit encouragesustoacceptusand everyonearoundusforwhoweare andbeproudofitwhilecelebrating thedevelopmenttheworldmade regardinghowwetreatthe LGBTQ+community.”
“Not being afraid to be yourself and sharing who you are with other people.”
Answers
from the voices of young people in the St Cats Community
AncientChina
According to sociologist Li Yinhe, the Shang Dynasty of China (1600-1100 BC) produced the first recordings of homosexuality. In her book “History of Chinese Homosexuality”, “Shang Dynasty Records” detailed the term “Luan Feng”, used to describe homosexual behaviour between men.
This sliver of the rainbow trickled into the Spring & Autumn, Warring Periods of Ancient China (770-221 BC). In ‘The Book of Master Han Fei”《韓⾮⼦》 , Legalist philosopher “Han Fei” recorded the story of the Shared Peach, a romance between Duke of Wei “Ling Gong” ( 衛靈公 ) and his courtier “Mizi Xia” (彌⼦瑕):
Mizi Xia stole away in Ling Gong’s carriage, in a flurry to visit his mother, reported to be deathly ill. The Duke, instead of penalising his subordinate with the punishment of a severed limb, exclaimed, “How dutiful he is to his mother! To abandon all fear of punishment for her sake ”
One day, the pair were seen ambling through the Duke’s peach garden. Mizi Xia, having bitten half a peach, handed the remaining half to Ling Gong. Delighted, he said, “You love me, so much as to forget the sweetness of fruit in your mouth, sharing this peach with me!”
Whilst the story acts as one of the many didactic tales detailing how a ruler must be wary of the diversions of love (both heterosexual and homosexual), the book itself is known to have been used as a legal blueprint for the successive emperors (since the early Qin dynasty), showing how homosexuality was neither shunned nor discriminated against in Ancient China, spoken of in neutrality. It also popularised the phrase “Peach Sharing” ( 分桃 ) during the era, referring to homosexual behaviour
ImperialChina
Our earliest literary evidence hails from “Song of the Yue Boatman'' 《越⼈歌》 . The lyrics (translated from an ancient script into Hanzi) were recorded within a miscellaneous collection of short stories “Shuo Yuan'' 《說苑》 compiled by the Western Han (202 - 9 BC) historian & astronomer Liu Xiang (劉向) It describes a Yue boatman’s pining for the son of a Chu feudal prince (State of Chu during the Zhou Dynasty):
“My mind is in a restless state, to be acquainted with the prince.
The trees of the mountain have split branches, the affection in my heart is unknown to you. ”
The collection aimed to document fables and historical happenings from early Qin to the Western Han Dynasty. Its inclusion of this “sonnet” is a further testament to the non hostile attitudes towards homosexuality then
The Han Dynasty (206-220 BC) in itself is a garden of evidence for the colourful past of China Records from “Ban Gu” ( 班固 ) , an Eastern Han historian and author of the “Han Records”《漢書》 presents the term “Nan She” (男⾊) in Volume 93 of his biographies“Flatterers” 《佞幸傳》 , relating to the admiration of a man’s visual beauty The Dynasty also had its fair share of homosexual emperors: In its first 2 Centuries, a succession of 10 monarchs were openly bisexual, some even favouring a sole male lover. Famous historian Sima Qian listed each Emperor’s “male favourite” in his “Records of the Grand Historian”. To name a few, Emperor Gaozu and his consort “Jiru”, Emperor Liu Ying alongside companion “Hong Ru”, and most notably Emperor Ai/ “Liu Xin” and “Dong Xian” in “the Passions of a Cut Sleeve” within Ban Gu’s records:
“The Emperor and “Xian” were intertwined in sweet sleep for an afternoon nap
The former awoke. Worried about startling “Xian'', he ordered a servant to slice his long sleeve (that “Xian” lay upon) and got up. ”
Thereafter, when referring to Emperor Ai, people would joke that he had “the Weakness of a Cut Sleeve” ( 斷䄂 之 癖 , “weakness” here comparable to “weak in the knees” or weakness to cravings), popularising the term “Cut Sleeve” (斷䄂) as a synonym for gayness.
Whilst lesbianism was scarcely mentioned in historical records (ah the patriarchy), a term “Dui Chi” (對⻝) curiously emerged in the “Han Records”, referring to relationships between ladies-in-waiting/ female servants. Biographies : Volume 97 “the Empresses and Imperial Affines Part 2” ( 外 戚 傳 下 ) documents “Dui Chi” between maid “Cuo Guan”( 曹宮 ) and another female servant. “Dui Chi” itself directly translates to “Facing one another whilst dining”. Scholars suggest how this term reflects the conventional husband-wife routine of dining together, the term also used to describe spouse-like romances between male and female servants later on in the era. However, such behaviour is speculated to have been a product of loneliness and boredom, as maidservants in the empress’s quarters were barred from interaction with the opposite gender (other than the Emperor & eunuchs), resulting in casual relationships between peers.
relationships “Bian Er Chai”《弁⽽釵》 for example, was an anthology of 4 short stories featuring same-sex relationships by an unknown Ming author under the pen name “Heart-Moon Master of the Drunken West Lake” Much like how modern readers enjoy Queer Lit nowadays due to an increasingly accepting society, the same could be said about the Ming Dynasty.
A “marriage” between males was the norm as well, most popular in the Fujian & Guangdong Provinces. The ceremonial event would unite two in a relationship of roles: An older figure “Qixiong”( 契兄 ) and younger “Qidi”( 契弟 ), literal translations being “adoptive older brother” and “adoptive younger brother”. “Qi” (契) refers to a contractual agreement, implying how they are in contract, intimate relationship and adoption of one another:
By the Ming Dynasty, homosexuality had become a widespread phenomenon Whilst previous eras lacked records to prove such behaviour outside the aristocratic sphere, the rise of the Ming novel, enjoyed by a middle to lower class majority, reflected the popularity of same-sex literature amongst the masses. “Plum in the Golden Vase”, “Twelve Towers”, “Bian Er Chai”, “Long Yang Yi Shi”, “Yi Chun Xiang Zhi” e.t.c. were amongst some of the many Ming novels depicting homosexual
“They sacrifice a carp, a rooster, and a duck. They then exchange their exact times of birth, smear each other’s mouths with the blood of the victims, and swear eternal loyalty to each other. The ceremony concludes with feasting on the sacrificial victims. Afterwards they address each other as older brother (xiong 兄 ) and younger brother (di弟) ”
The Qidi would live in the Qixiong's household much like a traditional Chinese bride, relationships dissolving after 20 years so the younger may pursue a heterosexual marriage to fulfil the expected role of a son, continuing the bloodline. Despite this, married men were not expected to abstain from homosexual behaviour. Rather, the necessity of a wife stems from the Collectivist ideals in putting family wishes first: the extension of blood line and
family tree. As long as a son fulfilled this purpose, same-sex relationships were on the table. Though it must be clarified that whilst such “adoptive brother marriages” were recognised, they didn’t seem to be regarded as romantic affairs (think of it as a very official bromance).
Records of cross-cultural exchanges during this period provide us with polar-opposite depictions of modern attitudes towards same-sex activity. Paralleling Christian Europe’s Middle Ages, the Ming Dynasty’s public displays of homosexuality scandalised Jesuit missionaries such as Matteo Ricci, who painted such open behaviour as “unnatural perversions”. In 1556, Gaspar Da Cruz, horrified by the extreme prevalence of same-sex activities amongst the local elite, viewed the Shaanxi earthquake which occurred that year as a punishment for sin. The “prevalence” wasn’t an exaggeration either, as Ming writer and government official Xie Zhaozhe (1567–1624) documented during his placement in Zhejiang and Shandong, “from Jiangnan and Zhejiang to Beijing and Shanxi, there is none that does not know of this fondness."
Up to the succeeding Qing Dynasty (1636 -1912), one of the Four Great Classical Novels written in this era - “Dream of the Red Chamber” ( 紅樓夢 ), had undoubtedly queer characters:
“Wait until we are both in bed and I’ll settle accounts with you then.” (1-15-300): Romantic implications between protagonist Bao-yu and his best friend Qingzhong.
Relationship between supporting character Jiang Yuhan and his admirer, the Prince of Beijing Liu Xiang-lian, as well as the potential romantic relationship between him and Bao-yu. Jiang Yuhan himself is a Chinese Opera actor who specialises in dan roles (dan = female lead/ female role played by men of that era)
The topic of Bao-yu’s gender orientation also requires much unravelling. ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’ explores this through Bao-yu's first birthday disposition test, where he had to choose between an array of toys, ranging from “feminine” to “masculine”. The character began playing with combs, bracelets, pots of rouge instead of the “masculine” variety. Traditionally masculine characters in the story such as Jia Zheng & Xue Pan scorn him for his effeminate nature. Though even this isn’t rooted in the idea of him behaving “like a girl” but rather the over-abundance of Yin, a spiritual imbalance of the feminine (note that in Ancient Chinese philosophy, femininity has no correlation to modern biological/ social constructs of gender), which they believed would cause Bao-yu to grow up a “rake” or “lady-killer”
Wheredidit allgo?
The colourful history of Ancient - Imperial China lies just beneath the surface of our modern world It poses the question, “How did millennia of widespread acceptance transform into homophobia today?”
NewCultureMovement( - )
Leaders of the New Culture Movement believed that traditional Confucian values were responsible for the political weakness of the nation. Chinese nationalists called for a rejection of traditional values and the adoption of Western ideals of "Mr. Science" (賽先⽣) and "Mr Democracy" ( 德先⽣ ) in place of "Mr. Confucius" in order to strengthen the new nation.
This influx of the Western world introduced the view of homosexuality as pathological, feminine and weak, casting the Chinese homosexual tradition as part of a fundamental weakness of “effete” and “weak” culture. These traditions were to be swept aside and replaced if China wanted to survive and compete with the West.
TheCulturalRevolution( - )
Following the Cultural Revolution, homosexuality was stigmatised and criticised by Communism as “counter-revolutionary,” as well as capitalist bourgeois and individualist for its ties with the world of Imperial China.
During the Mao era, it was seen as a form of deviant sexuality in a world where sex was strictly for procreation, but this had more to do with Communist ideas of the family as a cell of society. Either way, homosexual individuals were charged with “hooliganism” for disturbing public order.
Whilst Western ideals do seem to headline the cause of homophobia in China, there has been an emerging current of intolerance since the Ming Dynasty’s Jiajing Era (1522–1567) Emperor Zhu Houcong introduced the first statute to specifically prohibit same-sex intercourse. Despite this, homosexuality was still commonly accepted and practised as seen from the “Imperial China” section above.
The Qing Dynasty also seemed to crackdown on same-sex relationships, putting emphasis on a more rigid heterosexual family ideal. The Qing Court established an anti-homosexual decree in 1740, prescribing the lightest punishment in their legal system of “1 month in prison & 100 blows with heavy bamboo” to voluntary same-sex intercourse between adults, though there’s no record of its effectiveness. Both statutes seem to reflect an increasing anxiety towards homosexuality, scholars often explaining this phenomenon as the result of 200 years worth of interaction with the West from the Ming Dynasty - a gradual fusion of ideas.
The factor behind this dramatic change still remains elusive, an amalgamation of Western influences and contemporary social events. Despite it all, I hope this has uncovered the other side of the rainbow (a small fragment of it at the very least).
TheLadies of Llangollen:iQueerExistence nRegency
byBella.P,L6
One of my favourite scenes from Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story comes in one of the final moments of its final episode. The camera pans away from the glow of the final ball, away from the montage of men and women dancing together that we have just seen, away from the extravagant costumes we associate Bridgerton with. We see two men, dimly lit, hidden from the view of society, dancing together, in love..
The moment contrasts so many of the ideas we have of regency romance: the men laugh as they dance - a far cry from the pressure of the marriage marts of Austen or Bridgerton, the men are servants for the royal household - a deviation from our fixation on the loves and lives of the regency nobility, and, most obviously, they are both men. The Bridgerton universe has always been critiqued for being historically inaccurate; yet the existence of queer people is true of all of history; regency England is no exception.
Eleanor Charlotte Butler was born in 1739 in Ireland to a noble family Sixteen years her younger, Sarah Ponsonby, an orphan, lived fifteen miles away from each other. They met when Sarah was at school; they remained close friends after Sarah turned eighteen and returned home from her schooling, confiding in each other in the pressure they faced to marry.
Sarah, twenty-three, and Eleanor, thirty-nine, the women secretly fled together from their family homes, disguised as men and armed with a pistol Yet, the plan did not work - their families discovered them near the dock; it is said that the barking of Sarah’s dog, Frisk, gave them away. However, their families relented; the couple were allowed to leave Ireland for Wales, where they later set up home, in North Wales, in Llangollen. It would be in Llangollen that Eleanor and Sarah would exchange their wealthy backgrounds for a life of relative financial simplicity, a quiet, secluded life, togetherand from what we can tell, a happy life
So many of the stories that we have of queer people exist in the sphere of tragedy. Whilst this is understandable - so many lives have been marred by restrictions, punishment and homophobia, it can often oversimplify the people who lived them and create an expectation that a queer person ’ s life must be filled with acute sorrow - an expectation not applied to their straight counterparts. This is perpetuated in our media, where the ‘bury your gays ’ trope is commonly used; the trope treats LGBTQ characters (there often being only two in a book or tv show) as expendable, killing them off to further the storyline or sometimes just pointlessly. This trope is alive and well in George R.R
Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire books, for example It is often used to undermine queer relationships, to kill one half of a queer couple off just after their first kiss, removing any chance of their happy ending.
y in Queen Charlotte very r the trope, it is still worth dy - the camera fades away p in the memory of his lost en seems so d (New House) and, whilst ogs named Sappho, keeping n elaborate and gothic style ction of mediaeval oak carvings.
‘Cold Wett day. Staid in our library the Entire day. Reading - writing, and sharing a delicious day’
The couple did curate a celebrity status in their lifetime (partly due to the design of their house and partly due to their living arrangements). As members of the aristocracy, the women did not need to work, and instead relied upon gifts from their noble families, and the money from entertaining rich guests, and from their fame It was only when Queen Charlotte wanted to see Plas Neydd and convinced King George III to grant them a pension, that they were given true financial stability.
The house, which can be visited today, was visited in their lifetime by many distinguished visitors, visitors like the Duke of Wellington, Lord Byron, and a young Charles Dickens. The ladies appeared to be
well-liked and respected by their guests; William Wordsworth, the trademark Romantic poet, famously wrote a poem dedicated to the couple
ToLadyEleanorButler andtheHonourableMissPonsonby, ComposedinthegroundsofPlasNewydd,Llangollen
AstreamtominglewithyourfavoriteDee AlongtheValeofMeditationflows; SostyledbythosefierceBritons,pleasedtosee InNature’sfacetheexpressionofrepose, Or,haplytheresomepiousHermitchose Toliveanddie—thepeaceofHeavenhisaim, Towhomethewildsequesteredregionowes Atthislateday,itssanctifyingname.
GlynCafaillgaroch,intheCambriantongue,
InourstheValeofFriendship,letthisspot Benam’d,wherefaithfultoalowroof’dCot OnDeva’sbanks,yehaveabodesolong, Sistersinlove,aloveallowedtoclimb Ev’nonthisearth,abovethereachoftime.
The phrase ‘sisters in love’ raises a really interesting question, a question which follows many queer, particularly queer female figures in history: could they not have just been close friends?
Close female friendships were indeed common in the 18th-century; women frequently wrote to each other using passionate, romantic language - some of these relationships would have been sexual, but at the same time, some of them were just platonic and reflective of the conventions of friendship at the time. There is no conclusive answer to the nature of Sarah and Eleanor’s relationship - only that their relationship was certainly a loving one. Personally, I would argue that the evidence points to a romantic relationship between the women.
Anne Lister was an English landowner who visited the ladies at Llangollen and when asked in a letter if the ladies’ relationship was platonic, answered, ‘I cannot help think that surely it was not platonic. Heaven forgive me, but I look within myself and doubt. I feel the infirmity of our nature and hesitate to pronounce such attachments uncemented by something more tender still than friendship.’
On Thursday 22nd September 1785, Eleanor wrote: ‘My Beloved drawing Pembroke Castle – from one to three read to her – after dinner Went hastily around the gardens. Rain'd without interruption the entire day – from Four 'till Ten reading to my Sally – She drawing – from ten 'till Eleven Sat over the Fire Conversing with My beloved. A Silent, happy Day'
Two chocolate cups belonging to the women are displayed at the British Museum - one displays their home and on one their heraldic emblems are displayed together; a sign of unity between the women, not dissimilar to one we would expect from a married couple There is always a possibility the women were just friends, but I would gently question whether the conclusion that they were solely platonic is a result of the historical evidence, or from a societal tendency to downplay queer relationships and affirm a heteronormative British history of the time before the late 20th century.
Regardless of the answer, the women ’ s story has provided a source of inspiration for straight and queer women alike. Eleanor passed in 1829 and Sarah in 1831 and their house and story have demonstrated that two women can build a stable and happy home together and can find happiness whilst diverting the status quo.
I do not wish to give an overly simplistic or overly positive depiction of queer experience in regency times: whilst lesbian relationships were not criminalised, gay relationships were illegal and still carried the possibility of a death penalty; whilst there was a low chance of arrest from homosexuality, there was an emphasis on traditional Christian family values in the home. How intolerant the everyday attitudes were to queer people is debated by historians, yet the existence of queer people cannot be debated away.
For example, outside the nobility, the existence of ‘molly houses’, establishments where men could meet other men for sex, a place where cross-dressing was commonplace, a place which stood as a hub of community for gay men, is evidence enough that, throughout the social classes, queer people lived in regency society, as they have done in all societies
I am reminded of a quote from the latest season of Bridgerton here: ‘there is so much in society that is unnatural. But a feeling between two people, whatever their sex, is the most natural thing in the world’ The Bridgerton universe is founded on an idea of bringing out from the shadows the people whom regency society cast out. This can be seen in their famously colour-blind casting in Season 1 and now in Season 3, where characters with disabilities are accepted and placed in the forefront of regency society.
In such an escapist universe, the reasons why queer couples in Bridgerton are relegated to the shadows of selective historic l t i i E h f of the show, I think it is worth far (not including any spin-off character development.
When researching the stories o nature of their relationship really I would really welcome and look of multidimensional queer love st of Bridgerton, and more in the m now these stories can afford its c ending, in the image of Eleanor who found theirs within a societ
In a time period caught often in consciousness in the fog of Aust dancing, declarations of love, flo more recently, Bridgerton, queer often be pushed aside or assumed Despite sometimes not appearing people have always existed and w to exist; the story of the Ladies proves this.
In recent years, the number of trans characters in tv shows and movies has indisputably increased. GLAAD (a non-profit organisation focused on LGBTQ advocacy and cultural change) recently published a study called the Where We Are on TV Report, which found that of the 775 regular characters scheduled to appear on scripted primetime programming in the 2021–2022 season, 42 were regular and recurring transgender characters, up from 29 the year before. Of those 42, 20 were trans women, 14 were trans men, and eight were nonbinary trans characters. These characters appeared in 25 dramas and 11 comedies. Although these numbers are small, they should be taken as a positive start in increasing trans visibility in media.
This increased representation is partnered with new and difficult questions, and complicated but necessary discussions. I don’t have the answers to these questions, and I don’t know where these discussions will lead, but this will hopefully act as a brief introduction to the role of trans people in theatre and explore briefly how we can accommodate trans actors and creatives as the industry becomes more inclusive
There’s a tradition in drama that any part should be open to any actor, as part of being an actor is portraying characters that have different experiences from your own Although this approach is generally applicable, when creating diverse characters their unique experiences as a part of their community should be taken into consideration when casting. Hunter Schafer, a trans actress, explains this point: “A cisgender actor might be able to conceptualise and get it down to a T but won’t have the experiences in their back pocket that they can bring forward to use for that character. Trans people deserve to see themselves represented on their own TV screens, not being inhabited by people who might not completely understand them.”
With so few trans characters in the media, it’s essential that the representation we get is accurate and respectful, and this is ensured by having trans actors play trans roles Why is this? Because giving trans actors these roles gives them control over the representation they are creating and allows them to ensure it best encapsulates the experience of being trans. A cisgender actor can do hours of research to try and understand a trans character, but although this is appreciated and helps their understanding of the community, it does not mean that they will be able to encapsulate the trans experience in the same way a trans actor can. The representation of this strange, complicated experience can only be best represented by an actor who has lived that experience in some way, shape or form, and therefore it is most often the case that trans characters should be played by trans actors
This does raise the question of where to draw the line. If an actor who has had a similar experience could always represent a character better than an actor who has not, then can actors only play characters who they relate to in some way? This conclusion significantly limits actors and is decidedly untrue: all characters who play music would have to be played by actor musicians, all characters in a medical field would have to be played by actors with experience in medicine etc. Why is it different for characters from minority groups? Generally, groups that have gone underrepresented in theatre and tv have also been historically misrepresented in theatre and tv.
The same goes for trans people: Since 2002, GLAAD catalogued 102 episodes and non-recurring storylines of scripted television that contained transgender characters and found that 54% of those were categorised as containing negative representations at the time of their airing. So, if the mishandling of a minority’s experience is a common trend in Hollywood history, then the characters belonging to that minority should today be entrusted to actors who share that experience. This is because by giving a trans actor a trans role you are giving the community control over how they are represented: something that has been taken away from them historically. Therefore, giving trans roles to trans characters helps to repair the damage done by previous misrepresentation, and for this reason it is an essential step in working towards welcoming trans people into theatre. As an extension of this, it also helps to change attitudes towards trans people in society to be more positive, as visibility on screen and stage is irrevocably linked to how people are treated in real life. Frankly, this conclusion lacks the nuance necessary for such a complex topic, but it opens the discussion, and that’s a start.
If trans characters should only be played by trans actors, should it logically follow that trans actors should only play trans characters? In other words, should you only play characters that share the same gender as you? The answer to this is no, not least shown by St Cats: if girls could only play girls, we would never have any men in our plays. If trans actors could only play trans characters, it would become disproportionately difficult to find work as a trans actor, thanks to the small number of trans characters currently on stage and screen. What character a trans actor plays depends on what the actor is comfortable with, and therefore it depends entirely on the individual. For example, Elliot Page was known for playing Vanya Hargreaves (The Umbrella Academy) before he transitioned. After he came out as trans masculine, the character did the same, and is now known as Victor Hargreaves Equally, Quintessa Swindell and Bella Ramsey are two non-binary actors most wellknown for female roles. Put simply, theatre wasn’t built with genderqueer people in mind, so where they fit into the industry is not set. This means that the matter is up to the individual, and trying to create a set precedent for the issue would likely cause more problems than it would solve.
Theatre was built first around men, when women were not allowed on stage, and then around the gender binary, as women were invited to contribute to drama and their work needed to be recognised. The result of this was gendered categories for actors’ awards such as the Oscars, the BAFTAs, and the Emmy’s. As more trans actors fill our screens we run into the issue of how to recognise their work without disrespecting them.
The initial solution to this issue was to scrap gendered categories and have one gender-neutral ‘Actor’ category. This is problematic, as it risks the erasure of women ’ s work, as seen with the gender-neutral ‘Director’ category, where in the century long history of the Academy Awards, only eight women have been nominated for Best Director and only three have won. An alternative solution often proposed is to have a third category, however this is an awkward, albeit wellmeaning, attempt at inclusion that misrepresents non-binary identities as a third gender, trying to fit them into the gender binary when that is exactly what they are trying to avoid
Bella Ramsey is a non-binary actor nominated for numerous awards including the Emmy Award for Best Actress, and British Academy Television Award and Golden Globe Award for the same category. They gave their view on the topic; “I feel weird about there being a whole new category. I think it’s more about language... I would love the award categories to be “Actress/Non-Binary Performer” and “Actor/NonBinary Performer” then the performer can be submitted into their preferred category It’s not a perfect solution, but that’s my take on it I think it’s more about making us feel seen and included rather than being categorised.” This seems like a sensible approach to the issue that would ensure trans actors and creatives are included and respected, but when this structure could be implemented, it at all, remains to be seen.
The role of trans people in theatre is growing, and with it the number of questions it raises. I have attempted to discuss a couple of them here and they have hopefully provided a brief insight into the discussions that need to be had regarding trans people in performing arts. Hopefully, one day all of these questions will be answered, and we will find it funny that we even had to ask them.
‘ t h e s p l a s h ’
david hockney david hockney
by amber. L, l6 by amber. L, l6
David Hockney, now 86, has had a highly successful career, experimenting with many mediums from painting and printmaking to photography and stage design. He studied at the Royal College of Art where his rebellious spirit and stubbornness led to change. Hockney disagreed with the RCA’s diploma regulations which required a certain number of life drawings to be submitted. In protest he painted a ‘Life Painting for a Diploma’; a bold and groundbreaking piece. He even drew his own certificate titled ’The Diploma’.
The RCA relented, changing their regulations so that Hockney still earned his diploma.
Hockney’s artwork is accessible and understandable with his use of bold colours and intimate family portraits. His work has a distinctive quality, with a bold colour palette and dynamic strokes. His use of contrast, such as between warm and cool colours, creates striking and engaging pieces. His compositions often contain movement or a sense of flow For example, one of his most well-known pieces, ’A Bigger Splash’, captures the frozen moment of a splash in a pool, set against the angular house behind.
Much of Hockney’s work is associated with the early British Pop art movement Aged 23, as a student at the RCA, Hockney came out as gay, even though homosexual acts were still illegal. Some of his work explores homosexual relationships, which are initially hinted at within his work. However, when he moved to California homosexuality became the focus of many of his pieces as he became comfortable in exploring and declaring his identity. This boldness was particularly daring, showing Hockney’s brave and defiant attitude to society’s discrimination and his unashamed personality which makes him so valuable in queer culture and history. By sharing the gay experience through his work Hockney gave a voice to others in the queer community to inspire them to be proud of their identity.
DAVID
DavidLaChapelle(b 1963)isabisexualLithuanianAmericanartist,andprimarilyaphotographer He enrolledasapaintertotheNorthCarolinaSchoolofTheArtsbutbegantoexperimentandmoveovertoa photographicalmedium.Oncecalledthe‘Felliniofphotography’,LaChapelle’screativestylehasbeen describedas“hyper-real”,andas“kitschpopsurrealism” Overthepastdecade,however,hehasmoved toafineartphotographystyle
Asayoungboy,LaChapellewasbulliedforhissexualitywhichledhimtorunawayfromhomeatfifteen, toNewYorkCitytobecomeabusboy Atseventeen,hemetartistAndyWarholwhoimmediatelyhired himasaphotographerforInterviewMagazine Reportedly,WarholtoldLaChapelleto:"Dowhateveryou want Justmakesureeverybodylooksgood" LaChapellecertainlytookthisinhisstrideandwentonto winnumerousawardsandlandseveralexhibitions,internationally,overthepastdecade.
In his personal life, LaChapelle struggles with BPD(bipolardisorder) Helosthisboyfriendto AIDSbackinthe1980swhichpromptedamove to London where the artist was shocked by the “creativity and insanity” of the city He said, (aboutLondoners)“theywereonawholeother planet”
laChapelle is also a Catholic Christian, so he frequently uses religious symbolism in his work.In2006,heevendepictedtherapper
KanyeWestasJesus,drawinguponmedievalreligiouspaintingsasinspiration
LaChapellehasbeeninfluencedbyBaroquepainterssuchasCaravaggioandAndreaPozzo Aswellasthis, healsospeakshighlyofthosesuchasSalvadorDali,JeffKoons,Michelangelo,CindySherman,andAndy Warhol LaChapelle’s work has influenced several artists and budding artists as well (Some of the PhotographyA-Levelstudentshavestudiedhim!)
AreallywonderfulthingaboutDavidLaChapelleishowheiseverywhere,andyoudon’tevenrealiseit. He’sshotnumerousmusiciansandactorsovertheyears,suchasDuaLipa,LanaDelRay,ParisHilton& groupssuchastheBeastieBoys.Ontopofthis,healsodoesstilllife,worksonpaperandglass,andhe’s evencreatedmanybooksofhisworkforthepublictobuy
LaChapelle is a hugely successful man, as one of the most published photographers in the world and despite a rocky childhood and struggle with mental disorder, he has overcome everything and made somethinghugeofhimself Heisahugeinspirationwithinthephotographyindustryandcertainlyone ofmyfavouritephotographers!
rustin: Banyard
Bayard Rustin, the overlooked figure who represented an unwavering commitment to justice, was a crucial advocate for racial and LGBTQ + rights.
Born on March 17, 1912, in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Rustin was raised by his religious grandmother, Julia Rustin. She was an active member of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People. She instilled in him the importance of nonviolence; these principles would then later guide Rustin to the path of social activism.
In the 1940s, he became an organiser for two civil rights organisations (The Fellowship of Reconciliation and the Congress of Racial Equality). He took inspiration from Gandhi, and he adapted his teachings of Pacifism for the American struggle for civil rights
In 1941, Rustin worked with A. Philip Randolph on the March on Washington Movement to call for an end of racial discrimination in the military. During the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955-1956, Rustin met with Dr. Martin Luther King. King recognised his knowledge and organisational abilities and invited him to be his adviser. Rustin took up many roles in this position such as a proofreader, teacher and strategist. They worked together to form the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957 which focused on desegregating individual cities such as Georgia. He shared his nonviolent philosophies and ensured that these were at the core of the movement.
Rustin was the main organiser of the March on Washington in 1963 where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic: “I have a dream speech.” Over 250,000 people were present and united together against injustice. The success of this historical event underscores Rustin’s strong beliefs on the power of nonviolence - after Kennedy agreed to initiate a federal civil rights bill in Congress.
Despite these contributions, Rustin was often overlooked and worked behind the scenes. This was due to the social prejudices of his time. He was an openly gay man in an era of harsh homophobia. However, he didn’t want his sexuality to hurt the movement facing discrimination even from within the civil rights movement. This discouragement did not stop him from his mission and instead, he began to fight for both racial and LGBTQ+ equality.
In the 1980s he became part of the LGBTQ+ movement and AIDS education. He had strong principles and would not stand for injustice. Bayard Rustin’s quote is fitting here: ‘Gay people are the new barometer for social change.’
His influence was global as he advocated for social justice worldwide. He promoted democracy, workers' rights and supported anti-apartheid movements in South Africa. His efforts earned him praise but unfortunately were not enough as his legacy has remained overshadowed until recent years.
Bayard Rustin passed away on August 24, 1987. His life’s work shows the power of resilience, the importance of inclusivity, and the enduring path to justice. Rustin's life is proof of the impact one individual can have in the fight for a more equal world.
The Declassification of Homosexuality as a Mental Illness in America ByImmieL,L6
Terms like ‘deviant’, ‘diseased’, ‘in need of a cure ’ were among those used by psychiatrists to describe LGBTQ people up to the 1970s. Homosexuality was classified as a mental illness by the American Psychiatric Association – every gay person, then, was labelled as suffering from a mental disorder, as ‘sick’. With this, there was a systemic lack of respect for the lives of the LGBTQ in psychology, with the normalisation of aversion therapy (the use of electric shocks or nausea-inducing drugs to alter sexuality) and conversion therapy itself.
Dr John Ercel Fryer and Charles Silverstein were two figures, amongst the integral work and sacrifice of many others, who contributed to the declassification of homosexuality as a mental illness Their contributions in ensuring increased respect for LGBTQ people should not be forgotten.
DrJohnErcelFryer
Dr John Ercel Fryer, M.D, was a prominent American psychiatrist and advocate for gay rights, being a gay man himself. He was born 7th November 1937 and died aged 65 on 21st February 2003.
He is most known for his speech at the American Psychiatric Association’s 1972 national convention in Dallas; he wore a mask, a wig, tuxedo three sizes too big and used the pseudonym - “Dr. Henry Anonymous”, speaking through a microphone that distorted his voice. He did this in order to say the following words: “I am a homosexual. I am a psychiatrist ”
His declaration changed the world, especially as homosexuality was not as tolerated as it is now in the present. It was classified as a mental illness in 1952, and was only declassified in 1973, a change which was majorly helped by Dr Fryer’s speech and willpower
Dr Fryer risked his career to try and declassify homosexuality as a mental illness; at the time of his speech, electric-shock aversion therapy was still prescribed for gay men and lesbians, and if their sexuality was discovered it often meant job loss. For Fryer, it meant he could have lost his medical licence; Dr Fryer had previously lost his job at the University of Pennsylvania as he faced discrimination due to sexual orientation.
In Fryer’s speech, he suggested ways in which gay psychiatrists could subtly and creatively challenge prejudice in their profession without disclosing their sexuality, and how they could help gay patients adjust to a society that considered their sexual orientation a mental illness. Reportedly, there were more than 100 gay psychiatrists at the convention.
Barbara Gittings, a lesbian activist, known to protest about aversion therapy, was one of the people behind getting Dr Fryer to speak at the convention. She stated that “His [Dr Fryer’s] speech shook up psychiatry. He was the right person at the right time”. Fryer himself later wrote in a 1985 newsletter of the Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists that his speech was ‘something that had to be done’, calling it ‘the central event’ in his career Reflecting on his career, Fryer said ‘I am now tenured, and tenured by a chairman who knows I’m gay. That’s how things have changed.”
For the reasons of patient confidentiality, later in his career, Dr Fryer began treating gay men with AIDS who were dying, seeing them in his home office rather than in his practice at Temple (the university he worked at) This was significant; many people at the time of the AIDS epidemic thought that you should not touch AIDS patients, believing that it would be transmitted to them if they simply even touched the patient's hand.
During his life, Dr Fryer received a “Distinguished Alumnus” award from Vanderbilt University in 2002 – which recognised alumni who have made significant achievements in their careers and service to the university In that same year, he was awarded a Distinguished Service Award from the Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists. History has recognised Dr Fryer as a catalyst in the movement to declassify homosexuality as a mental illness. In recognition of his contribution to this significant act, the American Psychiatric Association established the “John E. Fryer, M.D. Award” in his honour after his death
CharlesSilverstein
Charles Silverstein was an American writer, therapist, and LGBTQ righ well as being a gay man. Charles Silverstein was born April 23rd, 1935, and died Jan 30th, 2023, aged 87. He is best known for his presentation as a graduate student b the American Psychiatric Association in 1973 that led to the removal of homosexuali a mental illness from the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statis Manual He was also the founding editor in chief of the Journal of Homosexuality
He joined the Gay Activists Alliance in 1972 and later remarked that it was ‘ an organisation that many people will tell you it saved their lives, and I think it did for me ’ . In 1973, as a member of the Gay Activists Alliance, he provided a key testimony to the American Psychological Association opposing the classification of homosexuality as a mental illness.
In a 2003 interview, Silverstein said, “I threw back at them their diagnoses over the decades and how funny it all sounds now and pointed out that their fun had hurt a lot of people.” He wrote a satire of all the organisation’s absurd past diagnoses, like ‘Syphilophobia,” or an irrational fear of syphilis.
Silverstein went on to be the founding director of the Institute of Human Identity, which provides LGBTQ affirming psychotherapy, and the Identity House in New York City, which is a LGBTQ peer counselling organisation. He was also a member of Division 44 of the American Psychological Association – also known as the Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender issues
He advocated against conversion therapy, particularly aversion therapy. In 1995, Silverstein discussed the prospect of a cure for homosexuality to The New York Times, saying that “at most, it allows a person to develop some kind of relationship with a woman that most of the time will end badly Even if it doesn’t, the gay man invariably feels like a failure.”
In 2012, he told The Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide that the “amount of damage that has been done by the psychological and psychiatry professions to help people change - I see it every day at my Practice…I think aversion therapy is a form of torture. I think that psychiatrists of that period enjoyed setting up a sado-masochist relationship between them and their patients.”
As a gay man who grew up wanting to be ‘cured’, Silverstein dedicated his life’s work to helping LGBTQ people live without shame, from his psychotherapy practice to his writing and beyond. He published guides to help parents support their LGBTQ children, and he wrote a clinical guide for psychotherapists treating LGBTQ patients.
One of the awards he earned was the Gold Medal Award for Life Achievement in the practice of Psychology in 2011 from the American Psychological Association He won this for ‘his 40-year-old career challenging the criteria of social morality as the basis for diagnosing sexual disorders’, ‘his presentation before the American Psychiatric Association to eliminate homosexuality as a mental disorder’, ‘his founding two counselling centres for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in order to deliver unbiased treatment’, and ‘his founding of the Journal of Homosexuality’ In 2017, he received an Achievement award from GLMA’s Achievement Award in 2017 and the Lifetime Achievement Social Justice Award in 2022 for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies.
He was also featured in Cured, a brilliant documentary detailing the history, and the David-versus-Goliath struggle that LGBTQ activists faced, in the movement to declassify homosexuality as a mental illness in 1973.
Both Fryer and Silverstein contributed heavily to the de-stigmatisation of homosexuality and risked their own careers in the pursuit of equality in the field of psychology. These pivotal men should therefore be remembered for the part they played in history, and improving the view and treatment of LGBTQ people, both in America and in the entire world, today.
CharlesSilverstein
London Pride is an annual Pride festival and march which takes place every year in June. It is a day where members and allies of the LGBTQ community come together. The march ran through Hyde Park Corner, through Piccadilly Circus, through Trafalgar Square, and culminating at Whitehall Place. It was created to showcase the diversity of the community, at the same time giving a voice to both celebrate the progress that has been made, and call to action the work that still has to be done. At its heart, it is a happy event - one of colour, one of pride, and one which serves as a perfect closer to our celebration of Pride month.
A group of L6 newspaper representatives went to London Pride on June 29th and it is safe to say we had the most fabulous time! We did feel some trepidation before going; only one of us had gone before and we were unsure of how homophobia might play out. But, right from the start, we felt comfortable; the police were only 10 metres away at any one time. We spent the entire day without receiving any abuse, being given lots of compliments about our clothes and accessories - which was a lovely change, as well as being gifted loads of free stuff (which was particularly exciting).
Although most associate London Pride with the Pride march, the festival also offered educational stalls, like one on sexual health and one on how to best support queer people in challenging situations, like those in unsafe homes. It felt necessary to include this - a recognition of the everyday realities for queer people and challenges which some face.
After lunch, we headed to Leicester Square, the location of the Women’s and Non-Binary ‘Diva’ stage. Even on our way, we found ourselves in a music culture art gallery which held pieces of artists like Freddie Mercury and George Michael. Celebrating the legacies of hugely influential queer artists, whilst listening to smaller queer musical artists onstage at Leicester Square later in the day, felt particularly fitting to the joyful atmosphere of the day.
Splitting ways, some off home, some off to lie in a grassy square before going home, I think we all look back on the day really fondly. I found it to have such a loving and supportive atmosphere; I wish general life could be likewise. I found seeing people feeling truly comfortable in their own skins such a lovely thing to witness and I am glad I had the opportunity to do so.
PhotosbyStephy,L6
SCHOOL
Zanele Muholi
Zanele Muholi (born 19 July 1972) is a South African artist and visual activist working in photography, video, and installation. Muholi's work focuses on race, gender and sexuality with a body of work that dates back to the early 2000s, documenting and celebrating the lives of South Africa's Black lesbian, gay, transgender, and intersex communities. Muholi is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, explaining that "I'm just human".
NEWS
She’s in love
Rachel (Sea Creature)
C
She’s in love
Emilie (Gull)
Positoovity
Hattie (Scuttle)
Favourite Song?
She’sinLove
Emmanuella (LagoonAnimal)
Sebastian Tejini (Mersister)
TheFinale
Libby (Grimsby)
Sebastian Cecilia (Tech)
Ursula (CarysPrincess)
Sebastian Summer ( k
Flounder
Andreea (Sea Creature)
Favourite Character?
‘Excitedbut
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nervous
‘Soexcited’ St h (Pil t)
‘BitstressedbutI thinkthegullslook fabulous’ AliceK(Gull)
‘The costumes’ Olivia M (Ursula), Ellie T (Flotsam)
‘The handsome chefs in La Poissons’ (Reprise)
Nneka, Charlotte.H and Jess M (Chefs)
‘Thestormwiththe lightsandsound’ BellaP(Director)
Performing togetherinfront withthebandand infrontofthe audience
JessE(Sailor)
‘Grand finale’ Sam (Sea Creature), Sibella (Sea Creature)
Most excited for?
Backstage excitement before the show
Helena (Maid)
Thewholeyear groupworking together AmberL(Lagoon Animal)
‘Thefeelingof achievementafter doingtheshows’ Hazel(Maid)
Performing andseeing everything cometogether Paris (Princess)
bAtmosphereackstagewith everyonehavingfun andtakingphotos witheachother Immie(Windward)
MThejellyfishillieC(Leeward)
FathomsBelow& Positoovity
Ugo(Sebastian),Nnek (Chef)andOnyinye (KingTriton)
AllofitDirector)
‘She’sinlo MillieC-G BellaT(An dAti ‘UndertheSea’ Kat Leila(Sea ‘Hypingeachother
‘ThePrin Scene JasmineF-W Clara(Prin
Everyonecoming together EmilyMoulton (Gull)
Green cats
David Hockney
“The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011”
Try the Summer Carbon Footprint reduce goal:
Travel via public transport or by foot or bike to reduce car and plane emissions Use fans instead of air conditioning. Bring reusable bags or tote bags for shopping and grocery.
IN THE NEWS…
By Olivia W, L6
POSITIVE NEWS…
Decomposition of plastics: A University of Leicester-led project discovers that the colour of plastics with the same composition has an effect on the time taken for plastic to degrade. Brightly coloured plastics degrade into microplastics faster than colours like black, white or silver. Plastics would be more easily recycled if they are not colourfully pigmented.
Love Nature Festival 2024: The Love Nature Festival 2024 will be held at the St Ouen’s Bay in Jersey National Park. A variety of activities ranging from nature walks to educated talks will be held in the festival week This allows Jersey National Park to showcase their wild orchids collection and their many bird species, attracting young environmentalists and families from all over the world.
Swimming Pools: The New Somerset Council has received £270,000 for two public swimming pools to switch their current power systems into electric solar PV systems, which converts light energy into electrical energy. It is estimated to save over 28 tonnes of carbon per year for each pool to align with carbon neutral goals
1 Celebrities including Harry Styles, James Corden, Stella McCartney and Kate Hudson have been increasing the popularity of E-bikes. With a 53% increase in sales of e-bikes from Auto Trader and an average of 2.7m Google searches of “e-bikes” per month.
2 The Clean Planet Peninsula project invites 25 members to participate in a 3-year expedition to learn more about the Arctic and Antarctica to have a better understanding on microplastics, climate change, and polar conservation.
What can YOU do?
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Help pick up litter at the beach when you visit. Bring your own water bottle whilst travelling. Switch to natural gas over charcoal for Summer BBQs.
What are the Green Cats up to?
-Green flag renewal September 2024 ECO week!
If you’re interested in joining Green Cats, please email Mrs Willis at caroline.willis@stcatherines.info
The New Recycling Method for WEEE Waste by
Olivia W, L6
What is WEEE waste?
WEEE stands for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. This includes any electrical components or devices ranging from kettles to toys and gaming technologies. On a larger scale, WEEE waste also refers to electric cars and solar panels. WEEE waste are items which contain compartments that are harmful and toxic to the environment when broken down.
The Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs states that ‘both landfill and combustion of untreated mixed waste will result in the release of carbon into the atmosphere’ and that landfill produces CO2 and CH4 whereas e-waste produces CO2 only. Both carbon dioxide and methane are contributors to global warming but since large amounts of the gases are released into the atmosphere, many companies have started to assist in recycling used electronic products. Moreover, over the years, research teams from all over the world have identified areas of the industry where e-waste components will be able to be reused and recycled.
Recently, researchers from the University of Nottingham’s School of Chemistry and Faculty of Engineering found a method to produce electrocatalysts from the metal waste. The electrocatalyst will be able to catalyse the water splitting process: where water is electrolysed by water and electricity to form hydrogen and oxygen. As platinum is normally the catalyst required for the water splitting process, this electrocatalyst provides an alternative way for the process to take place and also reduces cost.
The electrolysis of water with the electrocatalyst allows a more sustainable industrial production of hydrogen. Since hydrogen is often in high demand due to its clean fuel property, less fossil fuels are burned for heating, for vehicles and for transportation.
The University of Nottingham reports that ‘it is remarkable to be able to produce hydrogen from water using only a tenth of the amount of platinum’ to combine with the e-waste metal swarf This solves two major challenges: it enables green production of hydrogen whilst using the least amount of precious metal and it reuses metal waste in one single process.
STEM Berenice
Light through a Prism (c. 1958)
Whereas the laws of classical physics considered matter to be composed of particles and that energy travelled on waves, the theories of quantum mechanics that emerged at the beginning of the twentieth century argued that matter and energy existed as both particles and waves. Abbott’s photograph explains this theory of wave-particle duality as the graininess of the beam of light outside the prism shows it to be made of discrete bundles of light that look as if they could break apart at any point. The brightening of the beams at the points at which they cross shows the pattern of reinforcement and interference.
The GOLDEN RATIO
THE DIVINE BEAUTY OF MATHEMATICS
By Lily, L6
Layout by Anna Song
The golden ratio, otherwise known as the golden number or the golden proportion, is the ratio between two numbers that equals approximately 1.618 (1+root 5) written as the Greek letter phi. To understand the golden ratio, it can be explained with the golden rectangle, a large rectangle with a square in it where the sides of the square are the same length as the rectangle's shortest side. To calculate the ratio you do (a+b)/a = a/b and both the numbers are equal to 1.618…
This setup creates the basis for the golden spiral, which is a spiral shown in nature, like in shells and in fern.
It was first mentioned in 300 BCE in Euclid's elements about mathematics and geometry. Euclid and other mathematicians like Pythagoras recognised the proportion. In 1509, the Italian mathematician Luca Pacioli published the book ‘De Divina Proportions’ with illustrations by Leonardo da Vinci which praised the ratio as divinely inspired simplicity and orderliness. It resultantly became famed amongst mathematicians and artists alike for its aesthetically pleasing properties.
It is argued that it is aesthetically pleasing since it is common in the natural world. The proportion of nautilus shells and human bodies are examples of golden ratio as well as it being seen in other aspects of nature such as tree leaves, pinecones, and even roses.
A few artists have designed their work based on the golden ratio. Even Le Corbusier, a famous mid-century modern architect, based a good deal of his architectural system on this. Some artists believe the golden ratio makes the most pleasing shape and the rectangle made using the golden ratio looks like a typical frame for a painting. Many buildings and artworks have the golden ratio in them such as the Parthenon in Greece, but it isn't known if it was designed that way. It can also be quite clearly spotted in the painting, ‘The Great Wave off Kanagawa’.
The golden ratio is also used in photography composition, instead of creating a golden spiral the ratio splits the image into six blocks using the intersection to compose the shot. The goal being for the subject or main part of the photo on one of the intersecting lines not centred and some blocks should be left empty. This is used to create a more interesting portrait than that of a centred model.
The golden ratio also has links to other aspects of mathematics such as the Fibonacci sequence. The Fibonacci sequence is simple to understand (0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,24), the next number in the sequence is the sum of the two before. It can be shown to be linked to the golden ratio through if squares of the same length as the Fibonacci sequence are spiralled outwards and a curve is drawn to connect the vertices it forms a spiral like the golden spiral as shown.
The Mysteriou Electrons
By Zoe.X, L6
Do you know what is the elementary particle (particle that is not made up of any other smaller particles)? Do you know why you cannot locate an electron with any equipment? Do you know why different positive ions give out those different beautiful flame colours when a flame test is carried out? Hint: they are all related to electrons. In this article, you will find answers to all those questions and hopefully, you’ll find them interesting. Now let’s explore together!
Electrons, the tiny subatomic particles inside atoms, are fundamental to the structure of all matter and the functioning of the universe. We all know that an electron carries one unit of negative charge (1.602 x 10^-19 coulomb) and has a mass of just about 1/1836th of a proton, so we will not be focusing on the basic and boring stuff, instead, we will delve into the more profound things about them. Electrons were discovered by English physicist Joseph John Thomson in 1897, while he was conducting experiments with cathode-ray tubes. Thomson connected a power source across two metals, cathode rays were then ‘shot’ from the metal that is connected to the negative electrode to the metal that is connected to the positive one and they accelerated so fast that they reached the end of the tube to create a luminous spot.
He then went on thinking about what were the rays made up of, so he put two parallel aluminium plates so that the rays were positioned in between the plates. When the top aluminium plate was made negative, the rays moved down; when the top
plate was made positive, the rays moved up. This has led him to conclude that these cathode rays must be made up of negatively charged elementary particles, which we now call electrons.
Now let’s go on to solve the second question mentioned at the beginning of this article. Electrons are unique and beautiful in the way they ‘hide’ their truths from us since it is impossible to locate them and very difficult to capture them. This is primarily due to the unpredictable nature of electrons, which is described in Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle. It was proposed by Werner Heisenberg in 1927, which states that it is impossible to know both the exact position and momentum of an electron at the same time. In other words, the more precise we know about the position of the electron, the less we can know about their momentum, hence we will not be able to know the velocities of the electron, and vice versa.
You can imagine this in the macroscopic scale as humans having indefinite positions and velocities, which is rather weird since we all observe each other as having exact positions and velocities, and we can obtain both information simultaneously. This principle is not related to the instruments and equipment that we use to observe them, but it is deeply associated with the property of the electrons themselves. Therefore, the Uncertainty Principle challenges scientists in the way that they can only find half information about the electrons, which also indicates that the microscopic and subatomic world obeys different rules compared to the macroscopic world which is the universe that we all live in.
ough electrons are unpredictable and mysterious, we are still able to know their ns to a certain extent, which is that their movements are confined within atomic s This is a region of space inside atoms where there is a high probability of two electrons with opposite spins. The shapes and directions in space of the orbitals are found by calculating the probability of finding an electron at any n an atom. These calculations are based on a theoretical model described by the Schrödinger wave equation, spherical polar coordinates (this is a system of curvilinear coordinates that are natural for describing positions on a sphere) are then used to plot the points according to the equation, which form specific shapes for different orbitals. This is very similar to plotting three-dimensional Cartesian coordinates that we usually use for describing points in a region of space.
Finally, let’s solve the last question. During a flame test, when the ions of an element are heated in a blue roaring flame, a specific amount of energy is absorbed by the electrons in the ions of the element, this promotes electrons to higher energy levels inside the ions. The excited electrons are unstable in their higher energy levels and eventually return to their original level. When they return, they lose this amount energy which we called ‘de-excitation’, and they emit radiation that has the same amount of energy as they absorbed, which we will observe as coloured light if it has a wavelength that is within the range of the visible light of the electromagnetic spectrum.
For example, potassium ion emits lilac flame when being heated because the radiation that the ions emit has a wavelength that falls onto the lilac colour of the spectrum; whereas magnesium ion does not emit any coloured light because the wavelength is outside the range of visible light, so the radiation is invisible to human eyes Additionally, only radiations with energy exactly equal to the difference between the different energy levels are absorbed by the electrons, meaning that only specific wavelengths are absorbed and emitted. This energy corresponding to the wavelength being emitted/absorbed can be calculated using the equation: Energy=Planck’s constant*speed of light in vacuum/wavelength
Electrons are vitally important to understanding the theories that dictate the universe. The basic structure of the building blocks of all matter which are invisible to human eyes, the bonds that create the molecules and eventually assemble into a masterpiece called ‘human’, the reactions inside our system that keep us thriving, and the flow of electric current that powers our technology for our development, all could not happen without the existence of these tiny mysterious helpers called electrons.
Tau vs. Pi
By Lily, L6
June 28th marks Tau Day, a day which celebrates the circle constant �� – supporters of day, including physicist Michael Hartl, argue that �� is wrong. It is a fierce debate (in some circles…) and has led to MIT changing the time of day when it announces its admissions decisions, for example. But what is the answer: is tau a better constant than pi?
A circle constant is the ratio that relates the circumference of a circle to its linear dimension. This is where there is disparity between �� and �� (tau). �� is the ratio between the diameter and the circumference of a circle, whereas �� is representative of the ratio between a circle's radius and its circumference. Hence �� is double �� (6.283185307…, 3.14159…) and is an alternative circle constant: �� =C/D and �� =C/R
Pi began when the ancient Babylonians calculated the area of the circle by taking 3 times the square of its radius which gave the value of pi to be 3 and there has also been evidence of a Babylonian tablet finding a value for pi to be 3.125. The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus (ca 1650 BC) shows that the Egyptians calculated the area of a circle using a value for pi around 3.1605. The first calculation of pi was done by Archimedes of Syracuse, and he approximated the area of the circle using the Pythagorean theorem. He found the area of two regular polygons since the actual area of the circle lies between the area of the inscribed and circumscribed polygons, the areas of the polygons gave upper and lower bounds for the area of the circle and from this he found that pi is between 3.143 and 4.43. Later a Chinese mathematician Zu Chongzhi calculated the value to be 355/113 (3.14159292035 correct to 7 digits.) Mathematicians began using the Greek letter �� in the 1700s after it was introduced by William Jones in 1706, and later popularised by Leonhard Euler who adopted it in 1737.
The disparity in the mathematical world in regards to pi vs tau has only recently become well known in the early 2000’s from pieces by mathematicians such as Bob Palais and his piece (Pi Is Wrong) and Michael Hartl with The Tau Manifesto.
Pi is not incorrect however it is an unnatural choice for a circle constant. A radius is defined by a fixed distance between the centre of a circle to its circumference. However, there are many other shapes with a consistent diameter and only one shape with a constant radius, being a circle.
The angle unit radians use 2�� to represent a full turn i.e. 360º and so half of a circle is actually pi which while it makes sense it seems unnecessary. As well as this tau can be equivalent to one turn of a circle so there is nothing to memorise.
Using tau of course creates its own problems: for example, if you had a formula like ‘2��’ and were to switch it to tau, then the switch would be quite simple (to 1��) however in if we were to switch more complicated formulas which use just pi (like 7��r^2 for example) integrating tau would be more difficult as it would result in a fraction, as pi is half of tau.
It’s important to note that Tau also visually resembles pi and since pi has been used for centuries the association to pi is unavoidable. The second reason for its symbol is that τ corresponds to one turn of a circle, and “τ” and “turn” both start with a “t” sound. This was in fact the original motivation for the choice of τ.
Ultimately, due to pi’s use for several hundreds of years, it's unlikely that we would ever completely change to tau and the rivalry between tau v. pi is certainly still up for debate. However, there have been several mathematical textbooks written using tau instead of pi and there will likely continue to be more written in tau’s favour.
GAMES
Catherine Opie A n g e l a S c h e i r l, 1 9 9 2
LGBTQ+ CELEBRITIES
Layout by Anna S Made by Stephy
Guess the Celebrity Guess the Celebrity
Layout by Sherry. Z
Made by Stephy
FUn facts
by stephy L6
The entire species of the Dwarf Chimpanzee are bisexual. In fact, homosexuality has been observed within 1,500 animal species globally.
Transgender actress Laverne Cox inspired the first transgender barbie doll!
Illinois became the first state to decriminalise homosexuality by repealing anti-gay laws in 1961.
The word ‘lesbian’ derives from the Greek island Lesbos which was home of Greek poet Sappho who proclaimed her love for girls within her poetry.
The Native American peoples of North, Central, and South America recognized a third gender, known in the present day as a TwoSpirit, both male and female (though this is a modern term, the original having been lost).
EDITORS’
GOODBYE!
We hope you enjoyed our final issue of the year! and that you have learnt something valuable from this pride month. Queer people and stories exist all around us - in science, in politics, in our history. We hope this edition can be a useful springboard into delving into queer history and experience in more detail!
Just before the end we wanted to express our gratitude to any and all who have been involved in this newspaper since its inception. For this edition, a special thanks must go to Stephy for all her work and contributions. Though it has not always been easy, it has been such an amazing experience for us to start up our very own newspaper, something that we never thought would be possibleso a huge thank you to our L6 team.
Alice,Bella &theL6Team
Credits:
Special Thanks:
Toeveryonewhohaswrittenanarticle
To
our design & layout team
HeadofDesign:Erin,L6
Sherry,L6
Anna.S,L6
Fatima,L6
Fiona.C,L4
And to the rest of our 6th Form leadership team
SchoolNews:Immie
Association:Olivia.W
ECO:Olivia.W
Humanities:Helena
Arts:Flo
WorldNews:Cecilia
CreativeArts:Stephy
Culture: Aneira
STEM:Lily
Games:Tejini&Lily
Amber.L
Anna.H Buan
Carys.R Hazel
Isobel.S -
Olivia.R Rachel
Rosie.R Ruby Sara Zoe