Elly Barnes has devoted her career to helping schools become environments in which LGBT students and teachers can thrive without fear of discrimination. “I was out to the staff at school and if anyone ever asked me I’d tell them straight that I was a lesbian,” she tells Emily Drabble, “When I became head of year […]
I don’t know how to tell my mom that I’m engaged to be married to my same-sex partner. For most families this would be a joyous occasion that deserves celebration. For my mum, however, it will be seen as a situation, one that needs to be handled and kept out of sight. My fiance’s name […]
Society had it all worked out for me in advance. As I was growing up, the message, though implicit, was loud and clear: Because I’m female, any of my future romantic endeavors would concern the male kind. This presented difficulties when I came to realize that I like girls, not boys. I couldn’t fulfill my […]
Bad body image is not a plight reserved for heterosexual women: “I am so sick of my body. I lift weights every day; I eat protein shakes and do everything my trainer says … and I’m still too skinny!” I pause wondering how to respond. To show that I understand his angst, I want to […]
A few days ago, a reader from West Sussex wrote to me at the Telegraph. The correspondent – let’s call him Dr B – wanted to take issue with the way in which I have compared homophobia with racism. Being born black, he writes, is “genetic, involve[s] no choice whatsoever, and [has] no moral implication”. […]
If you’re traveling to Rome and are interested in taking a tour that focuses on Jewish culture and history, consider one of Micaela Pavoncello’s walking tours. For years, she has been organizing and leading tours pertaining to Italian Jewish history and customs with tourists from around the world. Before traveling to Europe, I corresponded by […]