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The London Dyke Deck
What's in a name? In Stung with Love, I examined the difference between the terms sapphic and lesbian. These look back 2500 years to the poet Sappho who lived on the island of Lesbos. In contrast, the term dyke is relatively recent. First used about 100 years ago,
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Stung with Love
Sappho: the poet and her work The Greek poet Sappho lived on the island of Lesbos from c.630BC to 570BC. She came from an aristocratic family and had independent means. She was a poet, and a teacher of songs and singing. She was the leader of a group of
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The Doll Haters
Until now, parkrun has been Mr Blue Sky. Everything is good and there’s not a cloud on the horizon. Enter the Doll Haters. This is my name for the new Reality Rules Runners UK running club. According to media reports, this organisation represents female runners who object to the
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Being trans in Manchester
Being trans is a journey. I have travelled a long way in a short time. When I started, I was nervous about what others would think of me. So I tended to appear in public only in safe places which were some distance from home. Now I am much more
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Here's looking at you, trans woman
I am confident in my trans identity and I don't mind being noticed as long as no one bothers me. But something happened on Monday that left me feeling uncomfortable. I was at a pub near the Surrey / Berkshire border, having a drink with two dear friends. During
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Protect the dolls
It feels longer, but it was only in 2025 that the Supreme Court ruled in the For Women Scotland case that the protections in the Equality Act 2010 apply only to women who were born female. Although their judgment was limited, and they stressed that trans rights should continue to
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The sin of empathy
In a world of constant bad news, it takes a lot to shock me. But I was shocked by this Guardian article from early in Trump's second term. Quite soon in the reign of the new American king (for the conservative majority on the Supreme Court has crowned
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Love and hate
If you live in a democratic society, and the governing body makes a decision that you don’t like, what can you do? There are various options: (1) You can accept it, while seeking protection for your own views. (2) You can protest the decision and seek it to change
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All Hallows, Leeds
All Hallows church in Leeds is one of the most inclusive churches I have ever attended. The congregation is gender-diverse and absolutely anyone is welcome. I turned up in female mode and felt completely at home. From its welcome leaflet: All Hallows is an inclusive Christian church in inner-
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The future is female
The future is female: the belief in full social, economic and political equality for women. I came across the work of the Patroa Studio by chance in a market stall north of Berlin Cathedral in May 2024. They produce art designs which are printed on cloth. This one says it
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Memorial for Gays and Lesbians Persecuted by the Nazis
People say that Berlin is a 24-hour city. That may be true in the centre, but it was not true in the western suburb of Moabit at 6.00am on a Saturday morning in May 2024. I saw very few people and cars at the start of a slightly
Gender
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