NOTE – this is the second entry on the new theme I’m exploring around mental well-being and neurodivergence…. which I’m now thinking of calling “Life Off Script” A neurodivergent friend of mine asked me how I was coping with my new ADHD diagnosis. They said if I needed someone to talk with, they’d be there […]
Author: Jenny Wilson
The Unmasking
TSelf love, self acceptance, masking, hiding and connecting. (Note – this will be the first of a new series of blogs that reflect on neurodivergence, usually in the context of love and relationships) I’m 50 years old, just over 6’ tall, queer, and recently diagnosed as ADHD. I was a tall as a child too. […]
No please
Content Warning: mentions of abusive behaviour, trauma, consent transgressions and gaslighting No is sometimes a very difficult word to say. I believe that human beings are wired for connection, so rejecting someone’s wants or requests can feel wrong, as it can feel like jeopardising a human connection. It can be especially difficult if the person […]
Intimacy is a conversation
Guest blog: by Chris Makepeace As I am writing this, I am feeling a little lonely. Loneliness has been a familiar part of my life, as has been a feeling of connection to people. These two feelings are a contrast that defines much of who I am. It is a common need that we want […]
Intimacy in a pandemic
June 2020. It is now illegal under UK lockdown laws for couples living apart to have sex indoors – so English newspaper headlines this week have highlighted. It’s also illegal to have your Gran round for dinner (unless it’s a barbecue in the garden), or the vicar for a cup of tea in your front […]
Unassuming
These writings have all started from the premise that the core escalator script about love is a social construct, and there are other ways to love. My own journey started with a rejection of that core script – the standard idea of ‘one true love’ – and an embracing instead of the idea of abundant […]
Polyamory in a pandemic
March 2020 – I started writing this on 24th March, the day after the UK Government finally stepped up and put the country in a 3 week lock down. It’s taken me a few days to reflect and say what I want to, for now… Here I am, living a life filled with abundant love, […]
Consent in a pandemic – 2
It’s been a week since I first wrote on this and the world has been changing fast… UK supermarkets are now empty of pasta, bread, cereal, eggs, flour, potatoes, rice, loo roll, hand santizer and other essentials. And today, the schools close, not for Easter, but for… we’re not sure how long. All my work […]
Consent in a pandemic
Isolation is hard. Human beings are social animals – we need contact and connection for our physical and mental well-being… and loneliness is a killer, albeit less obvious than a virus. My good friend (let’s call her Vera, the cactus) was pleased by advice to stop close physical contact like hugging, kissing and shaking hands […]
The Jealousy Lesson
There’s a popular myth that people in polyamorous relationships don’t get jealous. Or if they do, they’re ‘bad at poly’. I often hear people berate themselves (and occasionally others) for feelings of jealousy. It’s a feeling people want to be rid of, to stop feeling, to get past, quickly. But the thing about feelings, especially […]