9 minute read
LGBT
from Issue 45 - My Life
by Student-Life
CO-EDITOR CELESTE SPAIN
PRIDE MONTH
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Reflection
BY CELESTE SPAIN
This pride month has been a ray of sunshine after the (metaphorical) rain of the past year. Well, for me anyway. Sadly most pride events have been online this month due to the current circumstances and times we are living in. However this does not mean that the pride celebrations have stopped, they have just taken a different form. For me, with this having been my first pride month, it has continued to be one of self discovery and starting to celebrate who I am as an LGBT individual! I’ve supported LGBT+ businesses, bought from them, shared my pride online with my close friends and discovered more about myself in the process.
As I look back at my camera roll on my phone from the beginning of June to now, I can see a lot of lovely moments with family and friends. I see photos of me at the beginning of the month with my hair cut short for the first time since childhood. I’m smiling and in one photo sitting next to my Grandma, with me wearing a pride necklace (she’s in our support bubble). I scroll forward a bit and I see the first pride month items I bought for myself and my friend for their birthday. Then I see a photo from a bookshop, where I bought a couple of LGBT books. The photos go on and each one brings me a little joy, reminding me of how much I enjoyed this month: a photo of a rainbow wristband my friend gave me, my profile pic for Student Life, a photo of a pride butterfly I keep on my desk.
You could ask any of my friends what sort of person I am and I think they’d all say that I’m very creative, so yes a lot of poetry has been written this month by me to celebrate being LGBT. Then there’s my LGBT comics I’ve been drawing. My creative spirit has really helped me voice who I am through poetry and art this month. Pride month is definitely a time for not just being proud but learning who you are, celebrating you, getting together with friends and or family and celebrating the journey you’re going on in finding out who you are.
A QUICK GUIDE TO NEOPRONOUNS
BY CELESTE SPAIN
We have all heard ‘she’ and ‘he’ used before to refer to those identifying as male and female and even ‘they’ to refer to either an individual (when used in the singular) or to refer to a group of people. So these particular pronouns are quite easy to understand as they are so widely used.
If you’re like me and identify under the umbrella term Non-binary then you may prefer using ‘they/them/their’ and in some cases people use any and all pronouns to describe themselves or a mix such as ‘she/they’. However with more and more people realising they are outside of the binary, new pronouns are emerging all the time.
There is a set of pronouns which even I’ve only recently started to look into called neopronouns. These are gender neutral pronouns and similar to any other pronoun they are used in place of a person’s name in a sentence. Such as: Ze looked up at the sky. In this sentence ‘Ze’ is a neopronoun used exactly the same as you would use he, she or they. As more and more people are looking for more gender neutral pronouns I highly recommend looking into neopronouns, as for me personally using the neopronoun ‘Xe’ has felt really comfortable. Before we get into the different neopronouns I’d like to remind you of the following things: You can use more than one set of pronouns if you wish. Use as many or as little as you want to.
You choose what pronouns fit you, not anyone else.
It takes time to find the right ones for you so do not worry if you try one out and it doesn’t feel right. Similar to identities it does take time so be patient.
Don’t worry too much over pronunciation.
It may be that none of these fit you and that’s ok.
For reference and comparison: They: They laughed – I called them – Their eyes gleam That is theirs – They like themselves
Ne (pronounced: nee/nem/neer/neers): Ne laughed – I called nem – Nir eyes gleam That is nirs – Ne likes nemself
Example sentence: I left nem a message on my phone and ne replied the next day.
Ve (pronounced: vee/veer/vis/vis): Ve laughed – I called ver – Vis eyes gleam That is vis – Ve likes verself
Example sentence: Ve laughed so hard orange juice came out of vis nose.
Ey (pronounced: ay/em/air/airs): Ey laughed – I called em – Eir eyes gleam That is eirs – Ey likes emself
Example sentence: Ey likes watching films, especially ones that make em cry.
Ze/Zie and Zir (pronounced: zee/here/here/here’s): Ze laughed – I called hir – Hir eyes gleam That is hirs – Ze likes hirself
Example sentence: Ze came out to hir parents after the football match.
Ze/Zie and Zir (pronounced: zee/zeer/zeer/zeers): Ze laughed – I called zir – Zir eyes gleam That is zirs – Ze likes zirself
Example sentence: Ze stroked zir cat.
Xe (pronounced: zee/zem/zeer/zeers): Xe laughed – I called xem – Xyr eyes gleam That is xyrs – Xe likes xemself
Example sentence: Xe wore a rainbow flag to the march, xe was proud of xemself. It might seem difficult at first to get your head around these new sets of pronouns but with a little practice, such as saying them out-loud to yourself, they will become easier to remember. You should be able to see from the above that they follow the exact same pattern as other pronouns. Here’s an example of two people texting each other about neopronouns:
“Hi Fred I was just wondering what pronouns you use? As I recently started looking into different pronouns because she/ her doesn’t feel like it fits me or who I am.”
“Hiya, since I came out as Non-binary last year I have been using Ne/ Nem/Nir. Have you heard of them? Also It’s ok to feel unsure and it may take a while to find pronouns that fit.”
“No I haven’t heard of them - what type of pronouns are those? Thank you, I know it might take a while. Btw did you hear that Max is using Xe/ Xyr/Xem this week to try it out?”
“They are a type of neopronoun, actually I feel really comfortable using them tbh. Good for you, it’s great to research and look for something that fits you! Did they? That’s great for them!”
“I’ll look into those, thanks Fred.”
POEM BY CELESTE SPAIN
Xe looked up at the moon It hung limp over the many fields. Cows grazed nearby xyr house. It seemed quiet there. Xe was so used to the bustling city The flashing lights, Screeches of sirens, Car engines rumbling by In the waking hours of day And the not-so-silent nights. Xe was always awake to hear the many sounds. A 3.am waker and The city was xyr dream maker.
Felix was xyr name. Xe secretly missed the city. Above all else: the marches. Pride marches, A kaleidoscope of colours, Everyone’s faces shining in the sunlight. Xe had never seen a prettier sight. Flags waved proudly in the blissful light. The hugging, crying and feelings of joy, The kissing of girls, in-betweens and boys. The emotion of the pride scene brought yet More tears of joy. After pride Felix felt a bit low With little to do and not many places to go But xe realised that in xemself is a rainbow One which sparkles all year long and never goes. So once pride month was done and gone Xe knew just how to move on. Xyr heart sang with love and strength. When xe turns around each corner in life And climbs over every obstacle And every fence. Above all xe is proud.
Love is love And maybe that’s just enough To know how to let the loneliness go Because in this community there’s no rejection. Everyone is loved for who they love And in itself that’s just perfection.
NOTE TO READERS: The phrase I’m sure so many of you have heard used within the LGBT+ community, and one of my favourite phrases is: love is love. A phrase which I feel sums up this poem perfectly, you love who you love no matter what gender they are, whether because of their gender, despite gender, we each love who we love. What’s wonderful about being LGBT+ is that we are loved for who we love. So this pride month I wanted to write a poem to remind us all of this. With this year and last year being so difficult, pride month has been much needed to remind us of this wonderful time of pride, celebration and that we are in a beautiful community who accept us.
Long COVID
How to spot the signs and keep yourself and others safe
What is long COVID?
For some people, coronavirus (COVID-19) can cause symptoms that last weeks or months after the infection has gone. This is sometimes called post-COVID19 syndrome or "long COVID".
How long it takes to recover from COVID-19 is different for everybody.
Many people feel better in a few days or weeks and most will make a full recovery within 12 weeks. But for some people, symptoms can last longer.
The chances of having long-term symptoms do not seem to be linked to how ill you are when you first get COVID-19.
People who had mild symptoms at first can still have long-term problems.
This is why it is vital that we continue to take precautions to keep each other safe. The best way to avoid long COVID is to reduce transmission of the virus. You can do this by getting vaccinated, wearing a face covering in an enclosed or crowded space such as public transport, washing your hands regularly and avoiding close contact with others.
Symptoms of long COVID are varied and can include: breathlessness, fatigue, chest pain or tightness, problems with memory and concentration (also called brain fog), difficulty sleeping, heart palpitations, dizziness, pins and needles, joint pain, depression and anxiety, tinnitus, skin rash, earaches, headaches, feeling sick, diarrhoea, stomach aches, loss of appetite, a high temperature, cough, sore throat, changes to sense of smell or taste.
Where can I get help?
Contact a GP if you're worried about symptoms 4 weeks or more after having COVID-19.
For support with recovering from COVID-19, visit www.yourcovidrecovery.nhs.uk
22/09/ 2021
