TDOV seems a rather fitting day for an introduction — especially as I’ve just realised that despite my best intentions, I hadn’t actually posted one yet! My apologies for that, folks…
My name is Lex and I’m your National LGBTQ+ Manager. I work closely with Debi and I have a fab team including Tara Bernadette Egan and Robert Billingham-Stacy (but we’re looking for some more volunteers!). I’m in my 30s and live near Newcastle in the north-east, with two small dogs and two notably tiny cats. (The dogs are small breeds — a chihuahua and a shih tzu — but the cats are just lovely, very small moggies.) I’m a data analyst in my day job and I also enjoy photography, writing, some gaming (I’ve fallen hard into Planet Zoo and have more World of Warcraft characters than I know what to do with), and I’m tentatively trying my hand at cycling having not been on a bike since I was about thirteen. Yikes.
In addition to being trans and queer (I use he/him or they/them pronouns), I’m a passionate mental health advocate — I was diagnosed with clinical depression at 15 and have been on medication for more than half of my life. (It’s not the right path for everyone, but it absolutely works for me and I’m more than fine with that.) I also have a touch of anxiety and a history of family abuse, and I’m grateful for a good support network and, most of the time, good mental resilience to cope with it all.
My path is Ásatrú heathenism; I’m a relative newbie, having only been practising a couple of years, and always looking for information and suggestions. I find myself especially drawn to Tyr, and although I’m a tad cautious because from what I’ve seen the community is rather split down the middle on this one, I have a suspicion that something like Loki may be hovering on the sidelines awaiting some attention.
Please feel free to get in touch any time! My PF email is lgbt@paganfederation.co.uk, and while my full-time job and other commitments can mean it takes a day or two, I’ll always do my best to get back to you ASAP.
Lex