A queer feminist anthropologist exploring the realities of culture, gender, and sexuality in contemporary Asia
Old habits die hard. Or do they? Over one of the many Easter-time bank holidays, a friend of mine visited me in London for a few days. Coming from the country, she’d bought a glossy women’s magazine to occupy her during the journey. I’m not one to buy magazines – so rarely read them. Flicking [...]
I recently made a major decision that will change my life. Since then, other parts of my life have really improved. Everything around me has taken on the glisten of wonderment that I hadn’t seen there previously. So, its probably about time I told the world. Or, at least, those in it who don’t already [...]
A few days ago I came across something that further confused my already complicated relationship with make-up: this. My first reaction was amazement. I have never used nor experienced make-up being used like this before (make-up isn’t exactly my forte). Of course I’m not completely oblivious. I know it can work wonders. I realise that [...]
Burns, Baby, Burns... Last weekend I survived a bit of an ordeal. I’d been invited to an academic event hosted and attended by various people I’ve admired from afar and never met before - the kind of people I quoted in my dissertation, whose plays I studied at university, and who might be the help [...]
When it comes to hair removal, I am (to my immense irritation) unrelentingly hypocritical. It's something I've got strong views on but haven't always stuck to my beliefs in my own personal habits. On the surface, I believe it's a waste of time, money and sense. It goes right against my feminist beliefs. Knowing that [...]
A few weeks before Easter, I was struck down with a horrible, unrelenting bout of flu. I was bed-bound for the first three days, sleeping for upwards of 18 hours of the day, only waking up when the painkillers ceased working. I drank pints upon pints of squash, all the variations of tea and honey [...]
Who gives us the right to an opinion? However informed we are (there's quite a range of knowledge levels on the spectrum from no prior awareness at all to "I've got a PhD and written several books on the subject"), we are entitled to our individual opinions. One can always claim to be an authority [...]
Today is Ascension Day (40 days after Easter), which is a public holiday throughout the rest of Europe but not in the UK. I know this because work has been put on hold by many clients I work with today, who have a nice 4-5 day weekend while we continue the normal routine. Re-reading the [...]
The ephemeral world of Pilobolus: Shadowland in London In Shadowland, Pilobolus create a vast and varied imaginative landscape, through which we follow a young girl on the brink of growing up. On a rare visit to London, this American dance theatre group stunned audiences at the Peacock Theatre on their opening nights earlier this week. [...]
This Valentines Day, I had planned an evening at home with the people that I love, but my evening soon went tits-up when we realised we couldn’t find the cat. Her owner, who had just received her engagement ring in the post and was heading out to show it to her fiancé who hadn't seen [...]
Zhēn de Gender 