Wessex Scene LGBT+ Magazine by Wessex Scene

THE LGBT+ IDENTITY: HOW I GOT HERE 04-05

MIKE PENCE AND THE LGBT+ COMMUNITY 14-15

DO WE NEED GENDER NEUTRAL TOILETS? 25

E DITO R Ivan Morris Poxton editor@wessexscene.ac.uk DE P UTY EDI TO R Zach Sharif deputy-editor@wessexscene.co.uk H E AD O F PRI NT D E S I G N Rac hel Winter design@wessexscene.co.uk H E AD O F I MAGERY Avila D iana Chidum e image@wessexscene.co.uk H E AD O F MARKETI N G Joe Br io dy publicity@wessexscene.co.uk FEATURES EDITO R Linnea Lagerstedt features@wessexscene.co.uk OPINI O N EDI TO R Rachel Mather opinion@wessexscene.co.uk POL I TICS EDITO R Charlotte Colombo politics@wessexscene.co.uk SC IENCE & TECH E D I TO R Lau ra Nelso n science@wessexscene.co.uk LIFESTYL E EDI TO R Me gan Ha rt lifestyle@wessexscene.co.uk IN T ERNATIO NAL E D I TO R Tabassum Rahman international@wessexscene.co.uk T RAVEL EDI TO R George Hart travel@wessexscene.co.uk SPORTS EDITO R Aarya ma n Baner ji sport@wessexscene.co.uk SUB- EDI TO R Am y Picknell SUB- EDI TO R An n abel Gadd SUB- EDI TO R Emily Fry SUB- EDI TO R Hazel Jonckers VP DCI Evie Reilly vpcomms@soton.ac.uk

WELCOME EVERYONE! Welcome to our magazine on the theme of LGBT+. This acronym first emerged in the 1990s as the “T” of transgender gained equal billing with lesbian, gay and bisexual, and other sexuality and gender identities acquired greater recognition. The “+” of this well-known acronym is now generally understood to denote Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and Ally, and finally Pansexual. Just as the acronym has evolved over time, so too have societal attitudes and laws regarding LGBT+ people. In the past 15 years in the UK, same-sex couples were granted equal adoption rights to heterosexual couples, same-sex marriage was legalised and Lord Ivor Mountbatten became the first member of the British royal family to have a same-sex wedding. Meanwhile, reflecting the need for the LGBT+ student community’s voices to be heard, our student union’s elections this March will see the election of an LGBT+ student officer. Elsewhere in the world, last year Christine Hallquist became the first transgender person to be a Governor nominee of one of the two major US parties and Germany adopted into law on 1st January 2019 the ability for citizens to identify as intersex on official documents. However, according to Equaldex, there are still more than 70 countries in the world which ban same-sex relationships, and over 100 which provide no legal protection for people against discrimination based on their LGBT+ identity. LGBT+ discrimination has also far from disappeared in the UK - a study published by the charity Stonewall last year found that 41% of trans people surveyed had experienced hate crime due to their gender identity in the previous 12 months. Food for thought. I hope you enjoy this LGBT+-themed magazine issue marking LGBT+ History Month. Your editor, IVAN MORRIS POXTON Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this magazine belong to each author alone - Wessex Scene is a neutral publication which aims to publish views from across the student body. To respond with an opposing opinion, please contact opinion@wessexscene.co.uk or join our Opinion Writers’ Group.

FRONT COVER IMAGE BY CHARLOTTE WILLCOX LGBT+

FEATURES THE LGBT+ IDENTITY: HOW I GOT 04 HERE MY HIV SCARE 06

OPINION 10 BATTLE OF THE BAKERIES 12 PRIVATE VS PERSONAL

SOCIETY SPOTLIGHT: UNIVERSITY OF 07 SOUTHAMPTON’S LGBT+ SOCIETY SCA AND SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE 08 LGBT+ COMMUNITY

POLITICS THE LEGAL RIGHTS, RECOGNITION 13 AND LIMITATIONS OF THE TRANS COMMUNITY

SCIENCE & TECH 16 SURGERY AND HORMONES FOR TRANS PEOPLE 18 THE CHEMISTRY OF LOVE AND CYSTIC FYBROSIS

MIKE PENCE AND THE LGBT+ 14 COMMUNITY

LIFESTYLE THE PROBLEM WITH “THE GAY BEST 20 FRIEND” TROPE

INTERNATIONAL 26 A CENTURY OF FIRSTS 28 HISTORY OF THE HIJRA: ANCIENT INDIA TO TODAY 29 LGBT+ CHINA: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE “PASSION OF THE SLEEVE”?

THE UNDERREPRESENTATION OF 22 ASEXUALITY REVIEW: THE EDGE 24 DO WE NEED GENDER NEUTRAL 25 TOILETS?

TRAVEL TRAVELLING WHILE TRANS 30

SPORT 33 THE STORY OF RUGBY UNION REFEREE NIGEL OWENS 34 SEXUALITY IN SPORT

W ESSEX SCENE. CO . UK @ W ES S E XS CE NE LGBT+

F B . C OM / W S C E N E @OF F IC IAL W E S S E X S C E N E 3

LGBT+

The LGBT+ Identity:

How I Got Here I’m gay. This has become a pretty solid part of my identity, especially over the last two years. That is not to say that being gay makes up all that I am, but my homosexuality does make up an integral part of my identity. Something I’ve been figuring out and am continuing to do.

A lot of LGBT+ people can relate to the idea of being confused about one’s identity, and I’m no stranger to the trials and tribulations of that. Over the years, I’ve been figuring myself out and trying to find who I am ever since I realised I was gay. 12-yearold Catholic me realised that my fictitious wife was merely a thought, and that my true desires lay with the men on those underpants packages in that aisle in Sainsbury’s. I joke, but figuring out I was gay was “hard to swallow” and that was multiplied by my religious upbringing. It took years for me to come out the other side and realise that what I am is okay. Despite hating myself, wanting to hide, and fearing the worst, I eventually came to terms with myself. But the next step was trying to find out what that meant and who I was. This journey started with the long story of my coming out. A year long, to be precise. I first came out to a group of friends. It was very emotional. They didn’t care, but for me it was a release. Over the next few months I slowly came out to more friends until mostly everyone I cared about at school knew. Word started to get around and eventually I was outed to my sister. This person decided to use my sexuality against her and I was just caught in the crossfire. After I got through that it was time for university, where I really started to realise my identity.

I started university shy and held back. I had my first fling with a boy. It taught me to express myself, it taught me to be who I want and it taught me that the pain of being hurt is worth it if it means being yourself. I started experimenting with nail varnish and started to act more naturally by being more feminine. For years I’d played the “straight” guy. When I realised the nail varnish was fun I used it less, saving it for times when I felt like it. My identity became a kind of game, I’d try things and whether they felt right or not they taught me something. Coming out to my parents was emotional, but it made me realise that being scared just holds you back and there’s no time for that. I made the decision then that I’d face everything head first. After that, I grew more confident, I made more friends, a large majority being LGBT+. I was afraid of being myself and still getting rejected. If someone didn’t like my true self, there would be nothing to hide behind. So I started playing into stereotypes, I became the typical feminine gay and acted in ways I knew people expected me to act. I slowly started falling back into a closet of sorts. I’m not saying being extremely feminine is bad, but for me it wasn’t who I was and I hid behind a character because being myself was scary again. Since realising this, I’ve tried my hardest to be open and real. My identity is complex and I know that, but by being myself I find out more about my identity each day. I may not be 100% sure of who I am yet, but I am confident that one day I will be.

WORDS BY LUKE BOULTON IMAGE BY RACHEL WINTER LGBT+

My HIV Scare LGBT+

Most stories with happy endings do not begin with ‘I’d had one too many pink quad-vods at Sobar’. Thankfully, most unhappy endings consist of only a terrible hangover. However, my trip to Sobar sparked a months-long, anxietyinducing ordeal. That night ended with me having unprotected sex with a guy I had met at pre-drinks. As a gay man I knew the risks well, having researched out of anxiety and fear of HIV when I had first come out. After we had finished, having that research swirling through my head, I asked him about his sexual history as casually as possible. The hope was that he would say this was his only time having unprotected sex, but that was not the case. I knew that I could be in trouble and I had 72 hours to obtain Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) drugs in order to possibly prevent HIV infection. I remember ordering the Uber as I walked him out of my block with a feeling of internal dread. I told the Uber driver to take me to the nearest A&E and tears fell as I realised how foolish I had been. How could I have made such an irresponsible mistake? I waited 6 tortuous hours in A&E to see a nurse. I was alone, cold and tired, and my phone would run out of battery within the next hour. Eventually, the nurse came through the doors that I had longingly watched in the periods between disturbed sleep upon those cold, clinical chairs. She questioned me to determine whether I was at a high risk of contracting HIV. I’d had unprotected, penetrative and receptive anal sex with a gay man of unknown HIV status and sexual history, so yes, the risk was high. I was given a 5-day supply of PEP and would then obtain another 25-day

supply from the pharmacy in the coming days to complete my 30-day PEP regime. I knew these drugs were not 100% effective in preventing infection in those exposed to HIV, so I was as scared as I was relieved. Taking those pills day and night for 30 days was difficult. I would have spells of anxiety and my thoughts would oscillate from self-motivational “you’re fine” pep-talks, to panicking about telling my lovedones that I was HIV positive. After the 30 days, I would then have to wait another few months before I could have a test to confirm whether I was HIV negative. Those few months were terrifying. I had done all I could do, but I was still in an anxious state every day. I knew that HIV was a manageable and non-life-threatening disease if an individual followed the appropriate treatment, but I was acutely aware of the stigma too, and I was fearful of the repercussions that I would then have to deal with. Luckily for me, I found out I was negative when I had my test a few months later. This event served as a wake-up call to rein in my recklessness and revaluate my behaviour. However, this is not a tale to chide those who have unprotected sex. If you make the mistake I did, it is imperative that you are well-informed so you can deal with any possible consequences. While you may feel stupid, I can tell you that knowing that information was worth it. I implore you to educate yourself about HIV, especially if you are in a high-risk group, such as homosexual men, so that if you ever find yourself in a situation like mine you can take the steps necessary to ensure your wellbeing.

WORDS BY ANONYMOUS IMAGE BY SARAH WILLCOCKS LGBT+

SOCIETY SPOTLIGHT: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON’S LGBT+ SOCIETY The LGBT+ society here at the University of Southampton has a rich history, and we are committed to providing an inclusive and safe space for LGBT+ students, offering them the freedom to express and explore who they are, free from judgment.

the aforementioned events, we also go along to wider events such as Southampton Pride, Hampshire Pride and some members this summer went to London Pride in the sweltering heat.

We hope to offer a friendly, open and fun environment for students. This includes being friendly faces around campus, giving a sense of familiarity. We have our own safe space policy to ensure the society provides a safe space for all members, while we are very active in raising awareness of LGBT+ causes. For example, we regularly fundraise for local charities such as Chrysalis, a Southampton-based charity dedicated since its foundation in 2010 to ‘supporting transgender people and their significant others’. Additionally, we also support wider causes, including fundraising for Terrance Higgins, the largest voluntary sector provider of HIV and sexual health services in the UK..

The boat ball at the end of the year was a lovely time to celebrate with friends and with committee members old and new. It was a refreshing way to end the year. Another highlight has to be going to Student Pride in London which included a careers fair, where we nabbed loads of freebies (I’d recommend) and a night out in London.

THE SOCIETY IN THREE WORDS?

Community, Visibility and Inclusivity.

HOW OFTEN DO WE MEET? WHAT DO WE DO AS A SOCIETY?

We meet at least once a week and offer a plethora of events including our weekly lunches in The Bridge on alternating days of the week. We organise socials such as The Hobbit to The Edge bar crawl, movie nights and discussion groups like ‘Coming out at University’ and ‘Trans Identity and Transitioning Panel’, offering society members a chance to talk about their experiences to one another in a safe space. There is always something going on, whether it be publicly or behind the scenes within the society, and there are socials for everyone. Outside

LGBT+

TWO HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS YEAR:

GET IN TOUCH:

If you wish to join the society as an ally or as an LGBT+ student, we would love you to send us a message to our Facebook page ‘unionsouthamptonlgbt’ to be added to our secret Facebook group. Privacy is very important to us as we are aware that not everyone is out. As a 2018 study by Stonewall reported, more than two in five LGBT+ students keep their sexuality undisclosed. If you don’t have Facebook, we are present on other social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram @Soton_Lgbt. Finally, our website is kept up to date with our upcoming events. There also exists a tool on our website to enable the more shy newcomers to request an introduction with one of our committee members before attending their alongside our webpage being updated with our upcoming events. Hopefully, we’ll see you around!

WORDS BY LGBT+ SOCIETY

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SCA and Sexual Assault in the LGBT+ Community

LGBT+ people often experience sexual assault and rape in an intersectional way, meaning that their assault is usually associated with their gender identity or sexuality in a phobic way. My ex-boyfriend was a victim of child sex abuse and rape as a result of attempted conversion therapy. A family member had rejected his identity and used rape to overpower him and reinforce that he was ‘really a girl’. This had lasting, horrific effects on him mentally, and he was never believed by his family. My best friend, since coming out at university, has also been sexually assaulted because of his sexuality alongside being trans. As to his experience, he said:

“Early into my first year of uni I came out as a gay trans male (ftm) [the attacker]...over the course of the night got increasingly weird with me... Then when we tried to kick him out he would resist leaving the house by rubbing himself on me laughing and saying ‘but don’t you want me’. He also started stripping off and throwing the clothes at me. He FaceTimed me repeatedly whilst in various states of undress and various body parts showing...my friends said I’d lied and I was exaggerating... [it] has had huge effects on my mental health and the relationships with the people around me.”

Outing themselves to professionals or authorities can often be extremely dangerous, especially in countries where transgenderism and homosexuality is criminalised. Trans people may be less likely to come forward because they may feel the rape invalidates their gender identity and will give fuel to more anti-trans rhetoric. LGBT+ people often have to be careful when it comes to romantic or sexual partners too, having to carry the anxiety of “could this encounter become violent”, which is where many corrective rapes manifest. So where do we start? We inform ourselves. We self-reflect on unconscious internalised transphobia or homophobia we may carry. We help our LGBT+ peers, and learn from them. Chances are you know at least one person that is LGBT+ and chances are, some of those will have been sexually assaulted. Support Services: STOPHATE UK: https://www.stophateuk.org/ Yellow Door: Helpline (Weds 4 - 7pm): 023 8063 6313 SUSU Support: https://www.susu.org/support/

WORDS BY LAURA BARR IMAGE BY APRIL TURNER

Studies show that 47% of transgender people will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, a statistic that could be even higher, since many trans people around the world have multiple barriers to reporting sexual assault. Mike Segalov reports that 62% of UK gay men and 47% of bisexual men have been groped without consent, compared to 21% of heterosexual men. 61% of bisexual women experience rape or sexual violence, compared to 35% of heterosexual women. Outside of the UK, LGBT+ activist Eudy Simelane was found raped and murdered in 2008 in response to her being an out lesbian in South Africa. Her attackers were the first to be convicted of corrective rape despite multiple reports before Eudy’s.

Fundamentally, it’s a human rights issue. When asking a trans person on how to be a good ally, they mentioned reasons why LGBT+ people do not report.

A Brazillian trans female records her experiences in an online diary, describing her rape by 2 gangs, noting that ‘[she] was never able to report them..why? Because trans women like me are not protected in my country’. Sexual violence is only just beginning to come to the forefront of conversations, but it is still very westernised, centralised and heteronormative. So what can allies do? The first thing to do is to be informed. 48-50% of trans people think about or attempt suicide before the age of 26, and many LGBT+ people do not have basic access to support or police protection around the world, let alone for sexual abuse.

LGBT+

Battle of the WORDS BY AARON READLE IMAGE BY JUSTINE VINUYA

After two Supreme Court rulings voted in favour of bakery businesses who refused to make a custom cake for a same-sex couple due to the owners’ religious beliefs, many are stating this sets a precedent for discrimination in the future. But, does it really? Before we get to the opinion side, I think it’s best to understand the events which took place. In Northern Ireland, Ashers Baking Company was taken to court after it refused an order from a gay rights activist. The customer in question wanted a cake that featured Sesame Street puppets Bert and Ernie with the campaign group logo “Queerspace”. The bakery head office considered the order ‘at odds with our beliefs’. A complaint was made to the Northern Ireland’s Equality Commission, stating the bakery allegedly discriminated against the customer based on his sexual orientation. A three-day case took place where the bakery owners stated they weren’t aware of the sexual orientation of the customer. The court ruled in favour of the customer, finding the bakery guilty of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. In October 2016, the owners appealed against the ruling, but the Court of Appeal rejected the claim. Subsequently, the owners appealed to the UK’s Supreme Court, where the ruling fell in favour with the bakery’s appeal. After a well-publicised deliberation, the judges ultimately concluded that the owners did not refuse to fulfil the order because of the customers’ sexual orientation. A comparable case occurred in the United States in 2012 when a same-sex couple visited Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado. In a similar turn of events, 10

the owner informed the couple his businesses would not provide cakes for a same-sex wedding due to his religious beliefs. The couple complained to the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, where a lawsuit was pursued. The Colorado Office of Administrative Courts ruled in favour of the customers on the basis that the Masterpiece Cakeshop violated Colorado’s antidiscrimination laws. Masterpiece Cakeshop appealed the ruling, an application that was later rejected as the court decided the owner could not cite his religious beliefs in his refusal to provide a service to a same-sex couple. Much like Ashers bakery, this case was elevated to the US Supreme Court where it was decided in a 7-2 decision to accept the bakery’s stance. However, the ruling was classed as ‘narrow in scope’ since the court didn’t decide whether the owner could refuse service to gay individuals based on their religious beliefs, but instead ruled that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had not adequately considered the religious beliefs of the owner in the first initial case. There seems to be two areas of discussion related to these cases. The first revolves around whether there was discrimination against a person based on their sexual orientation. The second concerns whether private businesses can invoke “freedom of religion” and “freedom of expression” as acceptable excuses for denying services to a customer. I am unimpressed with the “freedom of religion” arguments that are being made, but “freedom of association” seems to be the central issue in my eyes. There also seems to be a misunderstanding of both cases. In both situations the customers weren’t denied a product because of their sexual orientation, but due to the service that they wanted provided to them. Both bakeries were still willing to provide a cake to the customer but were not willing to decorate it with a pro same-sex marriage message. An artist should have the right to refuse a certain type LGBT+

Bakeries of service they do not wish to participate in. As stated, both businesses in this case didn’t discriminate against either customer. They merely declined to decorate the cakes with a particular message – a message that was fundamentally at odds with their beliefs. I’m thoroughly uncomfortable with the idea of any governmental body forcing a private business to do this. Due to the reasoning behind the refusal, there is no doubt that emotional harm, offence and anger can result from such cases. However, harm is also being placed on individual freedom for private businesses. I see these rulings as profoundly important for all of us, whether religious or not. Using the law to demand an individual to participate in an activity to which he or she has a moral objection sets a dangerous precedent for future generations. If the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the customers, questions would be raised about the rights given to private business owners. A vegan photographer should have the right to refuse a service promoting animal cruelty. A Jewish book publisher shouldn’t be forced to publish a book promoting pro-Nazi material. A Christian baker should be allowed to refuse to create a pro-gay marriage cake decoration. However, just because you weren’t provided the service you requested, it doesn’t mean you can’t get that service. When one vendor refuses a couple a design, there are numerous vendors lining up waiting to provide their services. Distinctions in these cases are needed. Discrimination against individuals should be prohibited, but we shouldn’t prohibit opinions.

LGBT+

Private vs Personal Pride

What do the words “coming out” mean to you? Perhaps you imagine an explosion of glitter, a dazzling display of rainbows or a vibrant parade down Oxford Street. Maybe you hear the catchy anthem of Diana Ross wanting the ‘world to know’ and telling you to ‘let it show’. But for some, coming out is a more reserved affair that involves a tremendous amount of pressure. “Coming out” is defined by Stonewall as the act of telling someone about your sexual orientation. Whilst we are in 2019 and this shouldn’t be a big deal, the fact is that declaring yourself as LGBT+ can still feel uncomfortable and nerve-wracking for many. Whether this stems from a fear of rejection, a pressure to conform to heteronormative society or a previous bad experience, there can be a multitude of reasons why people are hesitant to escape the comfort of the closet. And that is ok. I am all for celebrating equality when it comes to sexuality and gender rights. I believe that everyone has a right to date who they want, to show their love loud and proud and to live their lives as their true selves. I hope that one day society will be accepting enough that coming out doesn’t have to be a momentous occasion or indeed necessary at all. However, it must be acknowledged that in today’s world there can still be a stigma attached to sexuality. Therefore, it takes great courage to declare yourself LGBT+ and it’s not an event that should be hijacked by anybody else. Whilst everyone has a right to express their individuality, everyone also has a right to privacy. Encouraging someone to embrace their identity is one thing; actively outing them against their wishes is an entirely different matter. Just like nobody should be forced into hiding their sexuality or gender identity, nobody should be forced to declare it publicly until they are ready. Often coming out is a relief and studies show that the release from the burden of pretending to be someone you’re not makes life a lot lighter. For anybody who is considering taking this step, Stonewall offers plenty of advice on their website as to how to start the process. However, it is you who gets to decide when this happens. If you know somebody is LGBT+ yet they haven’t openly disclosed it, this does not entitle you to spread the news. Coming out is personal. For all you know they could have family reasons for keeping quiet about their sexual identity, religious reservations around revealing their lifestyle, or just be unsure of how to approach the matter. Having somebody else expose one of the most intimate aspects about you is hardly going to help the process. Whether you come out with a whisper or a shout, whether you confide in a parent or announce it on Facebook and whether you process in a pride parade or not, however, wherever and whenever you come out is fine. Every person is different. Every experience is unique. And everybody has the right to embrace their individuality in their own time.

WORDS BY RACHEL MATHER IMAGE BY AVILA DIANA CHIDUME 12

LGBT+

THE LEGAL RIGHTS, RECOGNITION AND LIMITATIONS OF THE TRANS COMMUNITY To what extent are transgender people recognised and protected under law? Although trans rights have improved in leaps and bounds since the Gender Recognition Act, I would argue that there is still a long way to go until trans people can be considered as having equal rights. Historically, trans people were allowed to informally change identity documents to reflect their true gender until a 1970 court ruling prevented this, due to the prevailing stigma that they, alongside other people in the LGBT+ community, faced from society. The notion of identifying as a gender other than what you were assigned at birth was considered so radical that it wasn’t until nearly 30 years later, in a 1999 Court of Appeal ruling, that hormone replacement therapy and gender reassignment surgery was accepted as ‘the proper treatment for a recognised illness’, rather than a cosmetic procedure. Three years later, the European Court of Human Rights ruled against the UK government’s policy of prohibiting individuals from being able to change the gender on their birth certificates, which led to parliament passing the Gender Recognition Act. Through the Gender Recognition Act, those with gender dysphoria can change their legal gender. They have to apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate, which is meant to show that a person has met the criteria to legally change their gender. This includes evidence they have suffered from gender dysphoria, have lived as their preferred gender for at least two years, and intend to do so until death. A positive about this process is that it isn’t just open to “post-op” trans people. Not everybody wants to go through an invasive operation and may deem it unnecessary, and it also serves to reflect that gender isn’t only based on biology and hormones. The Gender Recognition Certificate also involves legal protection, as

WORDS BY CHARLOTTE COLOMBO IMAGE BY HILARY IP LGBT+

the information related to gender recognition is considered protected information so nobody has the right to “out” you. However, the process has limitations. Firstly, it still doesn’t give trans people a new birth certificate, which means they are left with a birth certificate with the gender they were assigned at birth, which could worsen associated dysphoria or make them feel as if their preferred gender isn’t being truly recognised. They also have to present evidence to a Gender Recognition Panel, which considers their case and issues the certificate. The idea that you have to justify your own personal identity to a panel of strangers who then determine whether you can change your gender identity may seem, for some, to be an unnecessary boundary. Since 2002, being trans has not been considered as being a mental illness in the UK. However, in order to get a Gender Recognition Certificate, you are required to have a documented diagnosis of gender dysphoria. The continued link between mental illness and being trans may seem, again, to be reductionist in assuming that being transgender means you have something “wrong” with you. Something that is even more concerning is the fact that, under this law, if the person involved is in a legally recognised marriage, they require spousal consent for the certificate to be issued. Again, it seems irrelevant and wrong to involve other people in such a personal decision, and why does the spouse get the power to determine whether one can get their gender reassigned? Due to some of these issues and countless more, between 3rd July-22nd October 2018, the government opened a consultation into how to reform the legal recognition process to make it less ‘bureaucratic, expensive and intrusive’. Only time will tell how the Gender Recognition Act will change in light of this feedback.

LGBT+

Mike Pence and the How the man one step away from the White House is the biggest threat to the LGBT+ community.

President Donald Trump has, during his time as US commander-in-chief, managed to offend and disgust various communities, international groups and nationalities. However, where President Trump is beaten in terms of discrimination against LGBT+ people is when he is compared to his Vice-President, Mike Pence.

The former Governor of Indiana, Mr Pence, has been no stranger to controversy throughout his time in government due to his record on voting on gay rights, as well as his hesitancy to openly condemn acts of homophobia and bigotry. Since Mr Pence was selected by Donald Trump to be his running mate before the 2016 presidential election, he has faced strong criticism from the LGBT+ community and opponents for his advocacy of what is perceived as a homophobic agenda. Most notably, this has been aimed at the Vice-President’s support for gay conversion therapy during his time in Congress, an accusation that Mr Pence vehemently denies. However, the evidence in terms of what legislation that the VicePresident has voted for makes this denial seem somewhat feeble. To many, his attitude towards the LGBT+ community gay conversion therapy was made clear in his 2000 and

campaign for a US House of Representatives seat. Whilst the Pence campaign denied advocating gay conversion therapy, a campaign statement declared that, ‘Resources should be directed toward those institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual

behaviour’. Mr Pence has also been a staunch supporter of James Dobson, a man who he refers to as a mentor. Mr Dobson founded the company Focus on the Family, which has a long history of promoting gay conversion therapy as well as holding a conference to understand and de-legitimise 14

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LGBT+ Community

homosexuality. In his 2004 book ‘Marriage Under Fire’, Mr Dobson also referred to the ‘truth that homosexuality is preventable and treatable’, which is a further sign of the homophobic agenda that remains engrained in parts of US religious culture. The fact that Mike Pence has not only shared a stage with Mr Dobson, but has also stated that the founder of Focus on the Family is a mentor to him, is certainly a concern to the LGBT+ community.

In 2015, Mr Pence signed Indiana’s so-called religious objections law whilst Governor of Indiana. This allowed people in the state to exercise a legal defence that their religious beliefs had been, or are likely to be in the future, violated. However, critics deemed this bill as a way for the state to persecute against the LGBT+ community, and the backlash would cause Mr Pence to amend the bill, preventing any legal discrimination. However, in an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Mr Pence refused to answer as to whether he thought it was right that the LGBT+ community should be discriminated against. Instead of providing a straight answer, he simply stated that ‘Hoosiers don’t discriminate’, a “hoosier” being a term for someone who hails from the state of Indiana. This enabled Mr Pence to not only stay true to his beliefs but also frame it so he could not be accused of condoning discrimination against LGBT people. Mr Pence also found controversy in 2006, when he supported an amendment that would have defined marriage as the union between a man and a woman. By allowing same-sex marriage, this would have led to a ‘societal collapse’ according to the current VicePresident, then the Chairman of the Republican Study Committee. In 2007, he voted against a law preventing discrimination against LGBT+ persons in the workplace, stating that it threatened ‘religious freedom in the workplace’. His personal website has also discriminated against the LGBT+ who serve in the military, describing homosexuality as ‘incompatible with military service’. Mike Pence’s constant support for laws that dismiss the LGBT+ community from being part of a working society and the military is again, a huge concern, as it shows elements of cultural LGBT+

backwardness. The threat he presents is even more concerning when one considers that Mr Pence is only an impeachment away from the White House, something that has become more possible since the Democrats took back the House in the mid-terms in November. It’s therefore apparent from a closer study of what Mike Pence has advocated and which organisations he has supported, that the current Vice-President of the United States has not openly condemned bigotry in terms of discrimination against the LGBT+ community. His opinions of the LGBT+ community are clearly no secret to President Trump, who reportedly said of Pence being ‘the guy who wants to hang them all’ when a government meeting turned to the issue of gay rights. Mr Pence’s denial of these accusations are subsequently very hard to believe when considering that not only do his colleagues at the White House believe him to be homophobic, but he has constantly campaigned for laws that limit the role that the LGBT+ community have in American society, or against which outlaws gender and sexual discrimination. He could therefore be argued as being the biggest threat to the LGBT+ community due to his position in global politics and his lack of clarity surrounding his views on LGBT+ people.

WORDS BY HENRY SHAH IMAGE BY AVILA DIANA CHIDUME

LGBT+

Surgery and Hormones for Trans People WORDS BY LAURA NELSON IMAGE BY AVILA DIANA CHIDUME Described by the NHS as ‘gender dysphoria’, there are a number of different options available for adults, children and young people to help them live in their preferred gender. As these preferences vary significantly from person to person, the treatment plan must be tailored to each individual’s personal needs. The NHS system usually refers children and young people under the age of 18 to a specialist Gender Identity Clinic if they are thought to have gender dysphoria. NHS England currently runs 8 such clinics, of which only the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS), based in north London, treats minors. Once referred, an assessment will then be carried out to determine the best form of support for the patient. This can include: • • • • • •

Family therapy Individual therapy Parental support or counselling Group work for young people and their parents Regular reviews to monitor gender identity development Hormone therapy

Hormone therapy is available if the child has reached puberty, and they then could be treated with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues. These synthetic hormones suppress the natural hormones produced by the body. The aim of this is to prevent or reduce some of the significant bodily changes that occur during puberty that may cause the child more distress, until they are old enough for the treatment options available to adults. This includes cross-sex hormone treatment, which involves taking the hormones of your preferred gender. According to GIDS’ own figures, there has been a sharp increase in the number of children referred to their services. In 2009/10, only 97 children were referred to GIDS, which offers support to children experiencing 16

‘difficulties in the development of their gender identity’. However, by 2017/18 the corresponding figure had risen to 2,519 referrals. There is also now a significant split between genders in referrals, as over 70% (1,806) of referrals in 2017/18 were for girls. The rise in demand has led to the waiting time between referral to GIDS and appointment to also increase to 14-18 months, as of July 2018.

Hormone Therapy for Adults For trans women (male to female gender transition), hormone therapy (which involves taking oestrogen) may result in physical changes including more fat on the hips, less facial and body hair, breasts becoming slightly larger, less muscle and reduction in size of the penis and testicles. The voice will not be affected so, to make the voice higher, voice therapy is an option as well as voice modifying surgery in some rare cases. Trans men (female to male) will take testosterone. The resultant physical changes may include more muscle, more facial/body hair, periods stopping and enlargement of the clitoris. Libido may also increase, and the voice may become deeper, though often not as deep as other men’s voices. The risks associated with long term use of masculinising and feminising hormone therapy are not fully understood. Some of the potential problems include blood clots, gallstones, weight gain, acne, hair loss from the scalp and sleep apnoea. The hormones will also result in reduced fertility and will eventually result in loss of fertility. There is also no guarantee that fertility will return to normal if the hormones are stopped. Some of the other changes that take place are known to be irreversible even if the hormones are stopped. This includes deepening of the voice in trans men and breast growth in trans women. The results of hormone therapy vary from person to person. Due to the great number of changes, the potential associated risks and to check if the treatment is working, it is important to be properly monitored by healthcare professionals throughout the process. LGBT+

Surgery for Adults Prior to having genital reconstructive surgery, trans men and women must have lived in their preferred gender identity for at least a year. This is known as “social gender role transition”. This is important to ensure that it is the right option because the surgeries are not only very invasive, they are also permanent. Support is made available throughout this process. Surgeries for trans men include: • • • •

• •

A bilateral mastectomy (removal of both breasts) A hysterectomy (removal of the womb) A salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries) Phalloplasty or metoidioplasty (construction of a penis from the clitoris, which has been enlarged during hormone therapy, as well as existing vaginal tissue and skin grafts) Scrotoplasty (construction of a scrotum) and testicular implants A penile implant

LGBT+

Surgeries for trans women include: • • • • • • •

An orchidectomy (removal of the testes) A penectomy (removal of the penis) Vaginoplasty (construction of a vagina using skin from the penis as the lining and skin from the scrotum to make the labia) Vulvoplasty (construction of the vulva) Clitoroplasty (construction of a clitoris with sensation) Breast implants Surgery (surgery to make the face a more feminine shape)

Surgeries for trans men tend to involve more complicated construction techniques and as a result, are usually more expensive to seek private treatment for. According to the NHS, one review of a number of studies carried out over a 20-year period found that 96% were satisfied after genital reconstructive surgery.

LGBT+

The Chemistry of Love and Cystic Fybrosis Professor David Smith of the University of York is a figure few non-chemistry student readers may have heard of - before researching for this magazine, I had not either. However, this extraordinary chemistry professor’s work and how the health of his same-sex partner and now husband has shaped his research simply deserves to be highlighted. Professor Smith began his academic career as a lecturer at the University of York in 1999. In 2002, he first came out as gay, before expressing more widely his sexual orientation in 2005-06. According to Professor Smith in an interview with C&EN, the latter was precipitated by a student complaint made to the head of the chemistry department about comments of a homophobic nature being made against the professor. It was also in 2005 that having met his future husband Sam, Professor Smith began to focus on cystic fibrosis. Sam has cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder which affects over 10,000 people in the UK and is carried by 1 in 25. The disorder arises from a mutation in the gene responsible for the transfer of salt and water in and out of cells, leading to a build up of thick, sticky mucus in the body, most often in the lungs. After meeting Sam, Professor Smith began with his colleagues to focus on the possibilities of genetic material (gene therapy) to treat cystic fibrosis. In particular, he and his colleagues looked at the ways in which DNAbinding systems could carry DNA across cell membranes. In 2010-11, Sam’s health significantly deteriorated to the point where a lung transplant was necessary. In supporting his then-civil partner through this time, Professor Smith learnt about the drug Heparin’s importance during lung transplant surgery. Heparin helps act against the coagulation or clotting of blood vessels. The Heparin-binding agent protamine is administered after surgery to remove heparin from the bloodstream and re-enable clotting. While generally successful, some patients react adversely to protamine, leading to “heparin rebound”, where heparins de-absorbing from plasma proteins some hours later leads to bleeding. Professor Smith has since worked on and published several studies on potential new methods for heparin binding (removing heparin from the blood system after surgery) and heparin sensing (determining how much heparin is in the body). Professor Smith and his colleagues have made most progress on developing understanding of the chemical process of self-assembly. Self-assembly is where a disordered system of pre-existing components forms an organised structure or pattern based solely on local interactions between themselves. SAMul (Self-assembled multivalency) is one concept which Professor Smith developed from his

research, naming it after Sam. SAMul offers strong potential in the administering of heparin binding agents, potentially allowing a patient to be treated with large quantities of an active agent as unbound material will simply degrade into non-toxic by-products. In 2012, Professor Smith was one recipient of the prestigious annual Royal Society of Chemistry award, the CordayMorgan Prize. He is also a strong advocate of video learning, with a YouTube channel boasting over 500,000 views. Now married to Sam and raising together a son, Professor Smith has expressed in past interviews his views on the importance of diversity in science, noting how a survey he conducted of University of York chemistry undergraduates and graduates underlined the importance of LGBT+ role models. He has also said how he will ‘never regret’ allowing his personal life to sharply influence his research work. Ultimately, although Professor Smith is a leading expert in nanochemistry and self-assembling nanostructures and how such knowledge can be applied to biomaterials (substances engineered to interact with biological systems for medical purposes), it is the chemistry of love which has shaped his life the most.

WORDS BY IVAN MORRIS POXTON IMAGE BY CHARLOTTE WILLCOX LGBT+

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THE PROBLEM WITH THE “GAY BEST FRIEND” TROPE The stereotypical “gay best friend” has become a trope of almost every rom-com - think Rupert Everett in My Best Friend’s Wedding or Stanford Blanch in Sex and The City. These characters very rarely stray from the sassy best friend whose sole purpose is to provide comic relief and relationship advice. Even recent shows such as Girls have failed to avoid this stereotypical trap (although Lena Dunham’s creation is problematic in a whole host of ways).

Unfortunately, this stereotypical “gay best friend” has made its way from our screens into our lives. Thanks to exposure to these one-dimensional characters from films and TV, we as a society have started to desire our very own gay best friend. Don’t be mistaken though, this desire is for the stereotype only: white, handsome, sassy, ready to help you with any fashion emergency and equipped with all manner of relationship advice, without you ever having to listen to any of their problems in return. Whilst “I wish I had a gay best friend” may seem like a harmless sentence to say, it is actually incredibly dismissive and upholds the idea that every sexuality that isn’t heterosexual is only allowed to exist as long as it “fits into” the straight world. This desire for a gay best friend could possibly stem from a woman wanting a non-threatening male figure in their life, without having to fear that they will be overpowered or abused. A male who they can trust to get drunk with and wear whatever they want with. Or possibly, it could stem from woman wanting a close male friend without the risk of romantic feelings developing. However, playing into this stereotype and continuing to portray it in

the media is very counterproductive to the LGBT+ movement. Upholding this stereotype may seem like a way of representing more gay characters in media. Instead, it is misrepresentative, and only creates a small pocket of space for gay men to exist in real life. These characters are often written by heterosexual writers, and by writing these one-dimensional characters, they are not actually representing gay men. What’s worse, we are denying gay men the right to be heard, and excluding them from plot lines that exist only for straight characters, such as falling in and out of love and having professional developments and family troubles. From the characters we’re presented with, it would seem almost inconceivable that a gay man can have interests that extend outside the realms of fashion and gossiping. Having a gay best friend isn’t something you should aspire to gain, instead you should want a best friend who is kind and enhances your life merely by being present in it. Friendships shouldn’t discriminate, and if your best friend happens to also identify as gay, then cool, but this shouldn’t be the defining feature of your friendship. Whilst many romcoms of years gone by may be nostalgic classics, moving forward, it’s important that we see a wider representation of LGBT+ characters in the media, where each character is fully fledged and exists in their own right.

WORDS BY MOLLY JOYCE LGBT+

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The Underrepresentation of Asexuality We live in a hyper-sexual culture. Sexual imagery is everywhere. It is a cornerstone of advertising, TV and film. Such is the dominance of sex, it is no wonder that asexual people are seemingly nonexistent in day-to-day conversations- let alone in popular culture. A person who doesn’t want or have sex is a nightmare for our capitalist culture. It rails against the primal impulses that lazy organisations target. Surely everyone must be motivated by sex? From yoghurts to beer to perfume, sex is used to sell everything. Its presence in TV is just as dominant. It is no surprise then, that those who live an asexual lifestyle are not represented, or even mentioned in the vast majority of our media. They challenge the simple, primal, often heterosexual, narrative that sex underpins human behaviour. In our culture at the moment, we live in a time where atavistic attitudes and philosophies are still very much dominant, despite significant progress being made to erase them. There are vast swathes of the population who are underrepresented, and institutionally discriminated against. Yet the underrepresentation of asexual people is significant not just because of its unfairness, but because of what it tells us about society. In film and television centred around everyday life, more often than not, everybody is involved in either looking for, maintaining or leaving sexual relationships, most of which are heterosexual. It’s not just the importance placed on sex as being integral to everything, but it is the sense of purpose that this instils that is worrying. Sex is presented on TV as something that you have to get, and basically can’t live without. I can distinctly remember a joke 22

in Friends, where Ross tells Joey something that he finds ridiculous about him, who responds by saying ‘And I find it ridiculous that you haven’t had sex in six months!’ An ashamed Ross sucks up the studio audience laughter. It’s a throwaway joke, but the point of it, and a point that remains a constant throughout the show, is that it’s ridiculous that you should go half a year or even more without having sex. Now, in fairness, this is a show about dating, but this is exactly the point. Not only is the idea that one could have an emotional, romantic connection without sex not considered, it’s ridiculed. This perpetuates, and is thus reflective of mainstream romantic attitudes. The only adult fictional character I can think of who could be asexual is Sherlock Holmes - a sociopath. In fact, the only time I can recall seeing nonsexual attitudes towards relationships expressed was on First Dates, a reality show that features real people on real dates. Still, the man in question was expressing his Christian views on consummation, more a temporary celibate stance than an asexual one. It is one based on choice. Yet it just goes to show just how rare it is for these beliefs to be shown on screen. With such little attention given to asexual people, information online, such as from The Asexual Visibility and Education Network (www.asexuality. org), is vital. Here, asexuality is described as not a choice but an ‘intrinsic part’ of life. This is not the refusal to engage in sexual activity, but simply the lack of any sexual attraction. This is not to be confused with sensual (cuddling, kissing or hugging), aesthetic or romantic attraction, the only LGBT+

attraction asexual people do not feel is explicitly sexual. Many asexual people may experience any of these attractions. It stresses that asexual people have just the same emotional needs as everybody else. This applies to their approach to relationships, too. Sexual or nonsexual, all relationships are made up of the fabric of interpersonal connection. Communication, closeness, fun, humour, excitement, and trust are all just as important in nonsexual relationships as in sexual ones. Asexual people who desire romantic relationships may have fewer cultural scripts to rely on, but they are still seeking an emotional connection of shared romantic love. For asexual people who desire romantic relationships, the dating pool for other asexual people is very small, as we are a very small minority of the population. In addition to that, asexuality is often invisible and has a shorter history as an identity/community than other minority sexual orientations that may have established cultural venues of courtship. Due to this, many asexual people end up in mixed relationships with sexual people. Mixed relationships face challenges that often require compromise.

Most asexual people have been asexual for their entire lives, although perhaps have not been aware of the term or the community for as long. Just as people will rarely unexpectedly go from being straight to gay, asexual people will rarely unexpectedly become sexual, or vice versa. Another minority of people in the asexual community may only think of themselves as asexual for a brief period of time while exploring and questioning their own sexuality, typically in younger years, when exploring their gender identity, or surrounding major shifts in interpersonal relationships. It is unfortunate that, like countless other minority groups, asexual people are barely mentioned in popular culture. If they were, it would benefit not only those who are asexual, but our hyper-sexualised society as a whole. It is important to give a message to young men and women that sexuality is just a part of life (or not), and that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not an aim or goal to strive for, as it is so often portrayed.

WORDS BY ZACH SHARIF IMAGE BY HILARY IP

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Review: THE EDGE The Edge is the only award-winning LGBT+ nightclub in Southampton and has been at the heart of the gay community in Southampton since 1995. The club itself has won awards, as have the bar staff, security and the DJs. It embraces diversity and works hard to create an accepting environment. I first went to The Edge as a fresher and it’s still my favourite club in Southampton now. Here are my top 5 reasons to go: Student Friendly Money can be tight for students, especially towards the end of term, but The Edge has got you covered with some of the best student deals in town. Entry is only £4 on a Wednesday if you show your student card and you can get a vodka slushy - yes, they’re as good as they sound - for just £2! Whether you want to drink alcohol or not, The Edge is a good night and it’s incredibly affordable. Karaoke Also on a Wednesday night, The Edge turns the upstairs dancefloor into a karaoke room! Not only can you sing along to your go-to crowd pleaser, but you can also dance with your friends to everyone else’s karaoke classics. They seem to have literally every song, which means there’s always a banger to enjoy that you’d completely forgotten about. Rosie’s Diner You know when you’re out, you’ve had a few too many vodka lemonades, you’ve been dancing for about four hours and you suddenly realise that you’re ravenous? At The Edge, you don’t even need to leave the club to get food because they have Rosie’s Diner right there for you in the smoking area! It sells burgers and chips (as well as vegan and veggie options) and it’s pretty reasonably priced. I really enjoyed the food, but I must admit that this was at 4am, so it’s possible that my taste buds weren’t completely unbiased. The perk of this burger spot is that you can have your drunk food, sober up a little bit and then go back into the club for even more dancing. A win-win situation. The Playlist Now it might not be to everyone’s taste and the DJs do take requests but the downstairs dancefloor is normally chart hits and pop/disco classics. When I say you’ll be dancing the night away, it’s because you genuinely will not want to stop dancing - every song is a classic. Gender Neutral Toilets The Edge actively works hard to create an atmosphere of inclusion and a safe environment for everybody and anybody to go out dancing and singing with their friends. Not only does this make for an even better night out for everyone as there is a spirit of love and openness, but it is especially important in the current political climate. In The Edge all the toilets are gender neutral, which creates a welcoming environment for everyone to enjoy the club and be themselves. The Edge also has a strict no violence policy and the bouncers are constantly walking around to make sure that everyone is safe and happy.

WORDS BY MOLLY JOYCE IMAGE BY APRIL TURNER 24

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DO WE NEED GENDER NEUTRAL TOILETS? The necessity of gender neutral toilets is a hotly debated topic. Some don’t see the need for them, others can’t see what difference they make. Of course, this issue is not really about toilets - for some, gender neutral toilets signify acceptance, and the debate surrounding them is merely a vehicle for people’s confusion surrounding wider LGBT+ issues. Academics such as Judith Butler put it most eloquently: “Gender is not something that one is, it is something one does, an act... a ‘doing’ rather than a ‘being’”. At the University of Southampton we recently had an LGBT+ awareness week, in which pronoun badges were distributed in order to support people’s choice in how they present their identity to the world. It seems that the UK is starting to accept the idea that gender is fluid and a social construct, and the introduction of gender neutral toilets across the UK is one way in which we are starting to demonstrate these altered views. However, there is still a lot of debate surrounding the idea, showing we still have some way to go towards acceptance of the LGBT+ community. Many universities across the UK have introduced “gender neutral toilets” as a show of support for the LGBT+ community, saying that all genders may use individual disabled toilets. Yet arguably, this is not a step forward. These toilets always have been gender neutral, but publicly declaring them “gender neutral” is seen as a sign of progression, without any potentially controversial action being taken. To me, this is not a case of privacy. Cubicles provide privacy and are present regardless of gender. Wouldn’t it just be easier to open up more toilets and increase the availability of them for both genders? Urinals can still be kept private simply by putting a cubicle-style division between them and the rest of the bathroom, and this would not only create a more accepting environment for all genders, but it would also serve to break down the barriers between them. The way we view men peeing in public versus women just goes to show that this is necessary. It would also demystify periods and female excretion, and allow for more comfortable and open relations between men and women that are based on mutually respecting boundaries. There is an argument that gender neutral toilets would increase sexual relations and harassment, which again just shows that mutual respect is a deeper societal issue that needs to be tackled head on - rather than just avoided. Of course, it goes without saying that introducing gender neutral toilets would hugely benefit those who identify as non-binary. Having gender neutral toilets in public places would signify that everyone is welcome, and they would eradicate uncomfortable definitions or confrontations with where people are “meant” to be. The University of Bristol has already taken the plunge, and spent £3.4 million on upgrading and building new toilets following the NUS campaign that supports this movement of inclusivity. Of course, there are still gendered toilets available too, and therefore surely there is only benefit to be seen in providing facilities for all. Universities are the best place to begin this movement. A place of free thinking, acceptance and new ideas, this could then have an impact on the rest of the country and help dissolve the gender stereotypes and break down barriers. Though some will not even notice the introduction of gender neutral toilets, what it represents for others and for society deserves everyones attention and acceptance.

WORDS BY KATE BRIGGS-PRICE IMAGE BY RACHEL WINTER LGBT+

A Century of Firsts Whilst many monumental events have occurred in the LGBT+ movement prior to the 21st century, such as France becoming the first Western European country to decriminalise homosexual acts and the first gay pride march in US history happening in 1970, the movement has vastly progressed in the current era. Beginning strongly, the UK finally equalised the age of consent regardless of sexual orientation in 2001 and in that same year in The Netherlands, Helene Faasen and AnneMarie Thus become the first two women to get legally married. In 2004, Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon become the first same-sex couple to be legally married in the US. Simultaneously in the US, Julie Anne Peters became the first author to publish a young adult book, ‘Luna’ with a strong transgender character. Another monumental event of the 2000s occurred in Turkey in 2003, where the first ever gay pride in a Muslimmajority country occurred in Istanbul. Then in 2009 a Michigan based transgender activist Rachel Crandall, reacting to the lack of LGBT+ representation in federal holidays, declared that the 31st of March would be the “International Transgender Day of Visibility”. Governmental bodies were also proved to be progressive, as can be seen by the election of the first openly gay head of state, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, who was elected as the Icelandic Prime Minister in 2009. This was quite a monumental occasion and since then only four other world leaders have been gay: Elio Di Rupo, Prime Minister of Belgium in 2011; Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg in 2013; Leo Varadkar, Prime Minister of Ireland in 2017; Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia in 2017. Nonetheless, the 2010s also proved to be a great decade for the LGBT+ movement, commencing with Russia’s first ever legal gay pride parade in St. Petersburg in 2010. Moreover, 2011 proved to be widely successful politically when Fred Karger, despite being unsuccessful in becoming the Republican nominee for the presidential elections in 2012, achieved the honour of becoming the first openly gay Republican presidential candidate. Across the globe, South Africa submitted in 2011 a resolution requesting a study on discrimination and LGBT+

sexual orientation to the UN Human Rights Council. This resolution triumphantly passed 23 to 19, marking the first time that any United Nations body approved such a resolution affirming the rights of LGBT+ people. This success was then carried off into 2012, with Barack Obama becoming the first US president to publicly announce support for same-sex marriage. Moreover, some great strides were made culturally, particularly in Europe where Krista Siegfrids who sang “Marry Me” in Eurovision 2013 ended her semi-final performance by kissing one of her female dancers; a first for the European singing competition. This spirit of embracing LGBT+ values was carried over to the UK where in 2013, Rehana Kausar and Sobia Kamar, both from Pakistan, became the first Muslim lesbian couple to enter a civil partnership in the UK. The 2010s’ then faced leaping developments in 2014, when Mauricio Ruiz became the first serving member of the Chilean army to announce he was gay, while Zakhele Mbhele became the first gay black Member of Parliament in any African nation, and the world’s first lesbian cemetery was established in Berlin. The decade then reached its peak in 2015 when Malta became the first country to outlaw sterilisation and invasive surgery on intersex people, and the Supreme Court legalised same-sex marriage, spurring world-wide celebrations for many weeks. ‘An inspiration to young #LGBT youth in South Africa. Bravo #ZakheleMbhele may your political star shine brightly’ — Shaun Mellors (@ShaunMellors) May 23, 2014 While the LGBT+ community may be plagued by much discrimination, the world is now moving onto a more progressive and embracing era. While there are many battles still left to be won, undoubtedly the community have achieved many great accomplishments and surely there are many more to come over the following decades.

WORDS BY STEFANIA ZENIOU IMAGE BY JUSTINE VINUYA

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History of the Hijra: Ancient India to Today

WORDS BY PAIGE MICHEL IMAGE BY PAIGE MICHEL

Hijra is a Hindustani term, which can be considered as derogatory. Hijra has been traditionally translated into English as eunuchs, intersex, hermaphrodite and transgender - where the irregularity of the male genitalia is central to the definition. Many Hijras are born male, only a few having been born with intersex variations. Hijras are also known as Aravani, Jagappa, or Chhakka in the Indian Subcontinent. In India, most members of the transgender community prefer to call themselves Kinnaras referring to mythological beings that are symbols of beauty, paradigmatic lovers and play musical instruments. Many Hijras perform at ceremonies (toli), beg (dheengna), or are sex workers (‘raarha’) for survival. ‘Am I both man and a woman? am I neither man nor woman? I am a hijra so I can access both states of being’ - Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Hijras have had a recorded history in the Indian subcontinent culture for thousands of years. Eunuchs are celebrated in sacred Hindu texts such as the Mahabharata and the Kama Sutra. They also enjoyed influential positions in the Mughal courts. In Ancient India, the depiction of Hijras or Kinnaras was often a common theme in art. Examples of ancient art sculptures are Sanchi, Amaravati, Nagarjunakonda, and the paintings of Ajanta. Hijras belong to a special caste. They are usually devotees of the mother goddess Bahuchara Mata, Lord Shiva, or both. Koovagam is a village in Tamil Nadu, India - famous for its annual festival of Hijras, transgender and transvestite individuals. They perform ritualistic dances, hold beauty pageants and hold seminars to discuss the basic rights of transgender people. Many Hijras have lived in organised all-Hijra communities for generations. Some Hijras undergo an initiation rite into the Hijra community called nirwaan, which refers to the removal of the penis, scrotum and testicles. The Hijra community developed a secret language for protection. It is known as Hijra Farsi, loosely linked to the Hindustani language. It is a unique language made up of about one thousand words. The most significant relationship in the Hijra community is that of the guru (master or teacher) and chela (disciple or student). The Guru usually supports Hijras emotionally and financially. It 28

appears Hijras join these communities in youth because they want to fully express their feminine gender identity, under the pressure of poverty, ill-treatment, after a period of homosexual prostitution, or for a combination of these reasons. When the British came to power in India, many were disgusted with Hijras. Authorities attempted to eradicate Hijras. British colonialists decided to pass a law in 1897 classing all eunuchs as ‘criminals’ and ‘a breach of public decency’. Violence against Hijras, especially Hijra sex workers, was often brutal in public places, police custody, prisons and even in their homes. As with transgender people in most of the world, they face extreme discrimination and ignorance in health, housing, education, employment, immigration and law. More recently, Hijras have been seen as propitious and are often asked to bless celebrations such as marriages and births. Since the late twentieth century, some Hijra activists and non-government organizations (NGOs) have lobbied for official recognition of the Hijra as a ‘third gender’, as neither man nor woman. In April 2014, The Supreme Court in India recognised Hijras as a ‘Third Gender’ in law. However, not all transgender people feel comfortable being referred to as the ‘third gender’. On 6 September 2018, the Supreme Court of India decriminalised homosexuality by declaring Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code unconstitutional, which was a big step forward for Hijras. LGBT+

LGBT+ CHINA:

WORDS BY TABASSUM RAHMAN

What happened to the “Passion Of The Sleeve”? When Chinese sociologist and sexologist Li Yinhe pushed for the legalisation of same-sex marriage to China’s top political advisory body in 2005, she was told in response: ‘China is not ready’. However, it might be a surprise to many of us, who have only seen China’s government policy on homosexuality as ‘don’t support, don’t ban, don’t promote’, that China has a 5,000-year history of accepting homosexuality in various forms. For over 5,000 years, homosexuality has been recorded in Chinese history, starting with the earliest record of luang fuen being used to describe homosexuality in texts from the Shang Dynasty era. It has been found that throughout Ancient Chinese history, Emperors such as Duke Ling of Wei and Mi Zixia had male sex partners alongside female partners. As exemplified, Chinese historian Sima Qian states: ‘It is not women alone who can use their looks to attract the eyes of the ruler; courtiers and eunuchs can play at that game as well. Many were the men of ancient times who gained favour this way’. One of the most iconic examples of this, is Emperor Ai of the Han Dynasty and his male lover Don Xian. They spurred the idiomatic term for homosexuality duanxiu zhi pi (meaning

the “passion of the cut sleeve”). This derived from the tale where the emperor carefully cut off his sleeve so as not to awake Don Xian, who had fallen asleep on top of it. Over time, Western and Central Asia developed a growing influence on sexuality in China. This started during the rise of the Tang Dynasty (618-907AD), whereby female companions to imperial courts gained political powers while imperial courts held declining power to scholarly-bureaucrats. Thus, the first negative term for homosexuality “jijian”, connoting illicit sexuality, appeared.

The Song Dynasty (960-1279AD) was the last dynasty to have official records of male companions. During this era there were further Central Asian influences, such as Indian Buddhism which condemned sexuality, increasing urbanisation that monetised all forms of sexuality, and the implementation of the first law against male prostitutes. During the Self-Strengthening Movement of c.18611895, Western influences of homophobia catalysed the condemnation of homosexual traditions. This was because Western homophobia was imported to China along with Western science and philosophy as a part of institutional reforms by the late Qing Dynasty after the military disasters of the Opium Wars. Following the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, although it was unclear whether LGBT+ people were specifically targeted for oppression due to their sexuality, it has been reported that Chairman Mao Zedong believed in the sexual castration of “sexual deviants”. Furthermore, under the Cultural Revolution, many aspects of Chinese tradition (including sexuality) were renounced for modernity, exacerbated by westernisation such as the rhetoric of tongxinglianbing or “homosexuality illness” from Western psychiatry. “Like heterosexuals, China’s gays and lesbians have benefited from the retreat of the communist state from the puritanism that Mao forced on everyone except himself, and the official attitude that homosexuality was a ‘mouldering lifestyle of capitalism’”. - Australian journalist and author Hamish McDonald. In 1997, homosexuality was decriminalised in China, and according to The Guardian it’s estimated that 5% (or 70 million) of China’s population is LGBT+. However, with China’s high value of Confucius’ Doctrine of the Mean (Zhong Yong), a culture of “don’t ask, don’t tell” has developed. Yet public silence towards the LGBT+ community doesn’t mean tolerance, as exemplified by same-sex marriage remaining illegal, the disownment of homosexuals by their families, and the need for some lesbians and gays to participate in fake marriages (Xinghun) to fulfill filial duties.

LGBT+

TRAVELLING

WHILE TRANS

I want to go on vacation with my best friend. Sounds simple enough, right? We both love to travel, our school holidays line up perfectly… So, why aren’t we already on a tropical beach with Piña Coladas? Because there’s just one problem with all those plans: Amy is transgender. And because of that, she—and countless other trans people— will face difficulties in travel that make holiday plans sound a lot less exciting.

Travel Prep One of those things is travel prep, which—for most people—involves little more than booking your flight and packing up. But what if your dream destination was more likely to offer physical assault than a nice tan?

PHYSICAL SAFETY For transgender people, this is often the case with many international destinations. While homosexuality is legal in most countries, there are still nearly 80 countries where it is illegal to be gay. Further if that type of discrimination is actively directed toward gay people, it’s a pretty safe bet that gender performativity is heavily policed in some areas as well. In fact, Sean Williams, a travel intelligence expert, notes that, ‘In some countries, they expect men to have a certain appearance; if you are not dressed for your gender, they can arrest you’. ‘In other countries, homosexuality may be legal but not culturally accepted, so if you end up in the wrong neighborhood, it can get you in trouble.’ Travel journalist Daniel Bonnells also points out that even though no European countries are officially on the list, discrimination is still present and aggressive in countries such as Russia, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Moldova, many of which also have gender sterilisation initiatives in place for people attempting to transition.

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Of course, the difficulties don’t end there. Because what else do you need for international travel? Your passport. And in my best friend’s case, this can actually involve applying for a new passport altogether. Because according to the UK Government’s guide to passports, a trans person in the UK must submit one of the following to obtain a passport that reflects their correct gender (which the site annoyingly refers to as your “acquired gender”): • • •

A birth or adoption certificate in your acquired gender A Gender Recognition Certificate A letter from your doctor or medical consultant confirming that your change of gender is likely to be permanent, and evidence of your change of name such as a deed poll

And if you’re someone who suffers from anxiety or severe dysphoria, then you—like my best friend—may well be inclined to conclude that the entire process is too unnecessarily stressful and embarrassing to bother with.

AIRPORT SECURITY But let’s say you forge ahead anyway. You go through all the stress of passport applications and travel planning and make it to the airport only to be hit with one last hurdle. No one likes going through security at airports, but for the most part, it’s an innocuous procedure. For trans people, however, this process can quickly escalate into a threatening ordeal. Just look at the 2015 case of Shadi Petosky, a transgender writer and producer who was flying to Minneapolis on American Airlines when a routine automated body scan flagged an anomaly: her penis.

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Faced with this scenario, Shadi did the sensible thing. She politely explained about her transition and acknowledged that this might cause confusion with an automated scanner. That should have been the end of it. But instead of being treated with the dignity she deserved and sent on to her flight, Shadi was detained for forty minutes and treated as a genuine risk to the airport. During these forty minutes, she also recalls being verbally harassed with such comments as one officer’s instruction to, ‘Get back in the machine as a man or this is going to be a problem’. If you’ve reached the end of this article and feel sick, I don’t blame you (feel free to pause for a minute to gag or write nasty letters to the US Transportation Security Administration). Because cases like Shadi’s are all too common, even in 2018, and will continue to be so without consistent and aggressive efforts at reform. Fortunately, however, there are some things you can do to help and make travel easier in the meantime. If you’re a trans person, the best thing you can do to protect yourself is be aware. Research your travel destination and identify potential risks you might face. Be aware of possible issues at the airport, whether you’re traveling at

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home or abroad, and be prepared with documentation supporting your gender. It’s also important that you know your rights. Standing up for yourself when you’re already anxious isn’t easy, but once you’ve complied with body scans and passport checks, be prepared to assert that subjecting you to any additional gender-related searches is discrimination. And if you’re traveling with a trans friend, the best thing you can do is be supportive. Take note of places and situations that may be uncomfortable for your friend and offer to go with them if they don’t feel comfortable going alone. Ask your friend how you can support them in cases of misgendering or transphobia and be prepared to help. These steps may not solve every type of stress or discrimination you’ll experience in traveling while trans, but being safe and supportive can go a long way to ensure that trans people have a more positive vacation experience.

WORDS BY ALYSSA-CAROLINE BURNETTE IMAGE BY APRIL TURNER

The Story of Rugby Union Referee

Nigel Owens Often in sport, the person in the middle, whether referee, umpire or arbiter, does not get the plaudits they deserve for their contribution to a sport. There are legitimate reasons for this - football fans, for example, do not tend to turn up to Manchester City home games to catch a glimpse of Andre Marriner refereeing proceedings and most spectators of any sport will have a side they cheer on. However, sometimes it’s important to appreciate the quality of the individual in the middle and few are more deserving of such appreciation than rugby referee Nigel Owens. Owens began refereeing rugby union when 16-years-old in school after a teacher suggested he take up refereeing rather than be a player following missing a match-winning conversion in one game. It would be fair to say the Welshman who grew up in the village of Mynyddcerrig, Camarthenshire, has never looked back since. He has refereed at the highest levels of European rugby since 2001 and is now the most experienced international test rugby referee ever. In the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England, Nigel Owens was bestowed the honour of refereeing the final. Further capping this year, he was named as World Rugby’s referee of the year. Owens brings to the field his own unique personality when schooling miscreant rugby players, or managing confusing instructions from assistant officials, with a whole host of memorable quips and incidents. In fact, no referee compares to Owens on the number of compilation videos of his best and funniest moments on YouTube, while he even has his own catchphrase, ‘This is not soccer’. My personal favourite moments of Owens as a referee are when he jokingly yellow carded a ballboy for accidentally hitting him in the back with a ball and in another game responding to a particularly wonky line-out throw, quipping: ‘I’m straighter than that one’. LGBT+

WORDS BY IVAN MORRIS POXTON IMAGE BY CHARLOTTE WILLCOX Nigel Owens became the first high-profile rugby figure to be openly gay in 2007. In a comment piece for The Independent in 2015 Owens said that he received ‘a lot of support’ and having disclosed his sexuality ‘it felt like being born again’. He has admitted that when coming to terms with his sexuality he consulted a doctor about chemical castration and also revealed that the pressure of both keeping secret and coming to terms with his sexuality led to a near-fatal suicide attempt in 1996. Owens has even said that the pressure of refereeing the 2015 Rugby World Cup final ‘was nothing compared to the challenge of accepting who I was’. Not only has Owens spoken frankly about his experiences as a gay man, but he has also more recently promoted awareness of eating disorders. Owens has spoken of his experiences with bulimia and subsequent steroid addiction when attempting to overcome the disorder. When Nigel Owens retires from refereeing international matches in 2019, world rugby will owe him a tremendous debt, not only for his services as a match official but also as a gay figurehead in the sport.

Homophobia still exists in rugby (I will leave the reader to research past remarks made by current Australian international Israel Folau), as it does in society. Yet the wonderful coordinated response following the horrific homophobic-incited physical attack in Cardiff on former Welsh international Gareth Thomas shows how far things have changed since Owens with trepidation became openly gay in 2007. Match officials and players across the rugby world wore rainbow laces in the final Autumn International test matches of 2018 to stand in solidarity with Thomas. It showcased rugby union and sport in general at its best. 33

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SEXUALITY

I started playing football when I was 5 years old. Back then, I was constantly running around in football kits. Until the age of 11 my gender had little to no influence on my life. I behaved no differently knowing that I was a girl, and all my best friends happened to be boys. I was captain of most of the sports teams, and was the only girl and captain of my school’s football team. Yet, once I turned 11, I was constantly questioned by kids and adults alike: “do you want to be a boy?” and “why do you act like a boy?”. I couldn’t understand why playing football rather than choosing gymnastics or dance, was at odds with this transition to “womanhood”. Sport was the terms in which I thought about myself. It gave me a position amongst my peers for the early part of my life, especially football. When I was no longer allowed to continue with my local “boys” team, I played casually with a group of other girls as there were no established girls’ leagues in my area. At 13, I contacted Lincoln Ladies football club and they invited me to try out. Before long, I was playing football for two different teams with girls 3 or 4 years older than me. I felt a sense of purpose and drive which is exactly what I needed at that age. Unfortunately, playing football 5-6 times a week seriously hampered my social life - especially since it was a 40-minute drive there and back. Also, playing football didn’t seem to fit in with a “successful” social life of a young girl. There was no option

of playing casually in my area, so it was 5 times a week or nothing - and I gave up playing. I named this article sexuality in sport rather than “gender and sport” because it’s much deeper than just the conflict of how sport interacts with the performance of gender. Sport is most crucially disregarded in the part of a girl’s life when she enters puberty, as if competitive sport isn’t cohesive with womanhood. Dividing girls and boys at 10 years old seems counterproductive for the development of equality between the sexes, especially in aiding respectful interactions between genders - something which sport is crucial in reinforcing. In 2016, the FA announced that under 10’s and under 12’s girls teams would now play their male equivalents in leagues. This means that girls teams in rural areas can now utilise the leagues already in existence, which in turn will encourage an increased number of female participants as the supporting infrastructure is available. A key factor behind lack of female involvement in sport compared to males is arguably due to the attitude to women’s sport in school. Sport England’s biannual Active People Survey showed in October 2016 that 41.4% of boys aged 14+ participated in sport (intense exercise) once a week, compared to 32.5% of girls - a participation gap of 1,663,300. Considering that the governmentrecommended level of exercise for 5-18 year olds is a

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IN SPORT

minimum of 60 minutes a day of moderate exercise, and three days a week of intense exercise, clearly the level of activity in schools hasn’t been adequate and girls are mostly suffering from this. This raises the issue of the attitude towards physical education in schools, and along with this the lack of education about nutrition and other health skills that can greatly improve lives. However, the most troubling decrease comes around 13-14 years old when a girl is most pressured to conform to this idea of “womanhood”.

Regular exercise has been proven to improve educational qualifications, professional progression and economic development. The lack of representation of women’s sports in the media - it only made up 7% of all sports media coverage in the UK according to an assessment in 2014 shows the lack of longevity in the collective consciousness that women’s sport has in society. There isn’t the same propagation of female sports role models as there are male, which impacts how we think of sport. This has changed more recently, with male athletes such as Andy Murray calling out the media misrepresentations of sports making male-centric statements, and contributing to bringing female athletes to greater attention. The Lionesses’ excellent performance in 2015 in getting to the World Cup semi-finals in Canada has been called a “turning point” in the media representation of women’s sports. Viewing figures on the BBC peaked at 2.6 million, and since then

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recognition of the international performances of the Lionesses has helped raise the profile for women’s sport in the UK. Fitness “influencers” are also impacting the social consciousness of what it means to be a woman. The new appreciation of muscular physiques is a great start for changing this idea of the “capability” of women. These informal forms of media are also being supported by organisations such as Women in Football. They highlight the successes of players and the increasing inclusion of women in footballing institutions over multimedia platforms, in collaboration with organisations that had previously only focussed on men’s football. Time will tell how well the media cover England’s hosting of the European Championships in 2021, and whether this trend of increased representation continues. I can only hope that this further publication of women’s success in sport over the upcoming years will combat the pressure put on young girls to choose “womanhood” over sport causing a change across all sectors of women’s lives.

WORDS BY KATE BRIGGS-PRICE IMAGE BY RACHEL WINTER

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