Chronically Fabulous · Femme

Brighton Disability Pride

Living in Brighton is wonderful for many reasons but largely because it affords my wife and I a feeling of complete security and freedom to openly live our lovely little gay life together. When we walk down the street holding hands, when we kiss, when we chat to our neighbours it never crosses our minds to hide any part of who we are to each other because no one cares. No funny looks for couple-y behaviour, no frequently asking if we’re sisters (we’re not even the same race?!) and no constant feeling of being slightly on edge…

Which was why I was so shocked to learn about a traumatic case of disability-based discrimination at Brighton Pride in 2016! How did this happen in my super accepting city?!

I’ve written separately about the marked difference in the acceleration and acceptance of gay rights in relation to disability rights but now I want to focus on the extraordinary response to this upsetting event!

Brighton Pride is the largest in the country with tens of thousands of people suddenly descending on the city to celebrate all things rainbow! But apparently this acceptance doesn’t necessarily extend to other types of ‘difference’ as 20-year-old Charlie, who has multiple special needs including global developmental delay and severe learning difficulties, found after being startled by a loud noise. Her adoptive mother, Jenny Skelton, wrote of the incident that she was most shocked and upset when the aggressive person who berated her daughter later said he wouldn’t have treated her that way had she been in a wheelchair. Skelton’s Facebook post about the event quickly went viral with others sharing their own stories of discrimination at Pride events.

Taking matters into her own hands Skelton, who also has two other children with special needs, partnered with Pride Brighton and set up the first ever Disability Pride event in the UK. “Disability discrimination is obviously an emotive subject but I was still overwhelmed when I saw how strongly this issue affected and incensed people,” she explained to B Journal, noting “the sadness of many people with special needs telling me they had suffered similar problems, I decided to do something to try to get all disabilities – visible and invisible – acknowledged and accepted.”

The event, on Sunday the 9th July 2017, was a bright and buzzing celebration with stalls advertising not just charities but fun events and great days out suitable for a range of abilities- from a wheelchair rugby team to circus skills classes for those with a visual impairment!

A main stage hosted local celebrities and bands including the Autistix, a rock band whose members have autism and other disabilities, and a large area of the Pavilion Park was given over to an Amaze Family Picnic space.

It was truly heart warming to see the great additions that made being involved in a festival so much more accessible but are just completely missed from most mainstream events! From an accessible Photo Booth to sign language interpreters as guides, a ‘chill out’ zone and even portaloos that allow wheelchairs and have adult changing tables (shout out to Mobiloo!) I had a really great day as you can see from my latest video and I’m not just saying that because I won the raffle! Ahem. Ahem.

Although it was the first in the UK the event was held at the same time and date as Disability Pride New York City as well as similar Disability Pride events in Switzerland and Italy.

Discrimination is sadly still a reality for the disabled community and although one day won’t fix everything it cheered me at least to not only feel the issue was being addressed but also to see so many people just having fun and enjoying themselves without having to worry about accessibility or ‘funny looks’. At least two of the big problems, isolation and loneliness, were definitely set aside!

It was a true celebration and I’m sure it won’t be the last!… actually, it had better not be because it was the first time I’ve ever won a raffle ~ever~ and I need to see whether my luck holds out next year!

This article originally appeared in Liability Magazine, the only magazine for disabled women written by disabled women. Follow them on Twitter, Instagram and now YouTube!

Chronically Fabulous · Honest Beauty · Jessica Loves

April Favourites 2017 // Cheap But Good Eyeshadows, GoPro Hero 5

Hi lovelies, here are my April Favourites- all the things I’ve loved the most this month:

If you want more information on the items I featured in this vlog, please follow the links:

1) Tilly’s Haircut from Canine Clip Joint: https://goo.gl/4zabHR
2) Lover Bar Warm Eyeshadow Palette: https://goo.gl/vG530m
3) Hearing Aids! … I have no link for those… The NHS website?
4) GoPro Hero 5: https://goo.gl/B82GY7
4 Part 2) GoPro Accessories: https://goo.gl/TYBd1W
5) The Easiest Gluten Free Tuna Lasagna: https://goo.gl/N2FcoV
6) Free Pen! It’s free. And so fancy.

Thank you for watching! What are your favourite things this month? Let me know in the comments down bellow!

Chronically Fabulous · Femme

How To Stop Nausea! Sickness Hacks That Work

One of the symptoms of my condition, along with being actually sick, is nausea- which I personally think is so much worse. So. Much. Worse.

At least when I’m sick it just comes out of me and it’s done. I vomit on average once a day and I’ll be nauseous for three or four hours but sometimes 24. So if you’ve come to this video looking for some tips from an expert- believe me, you’ve found one!

Now, not all of these tips are ‘healthy’ but when you’re being murdered by nausea who gives a flying you-know-what? I’ve tried every anti-nausea drug going and nothing has ever worked. These are the things that work for me and I’ve found through many long years of sickness. You can also read everything in my latest blog post, you’ll find the link for that in the description.

1. Ginger

I’m starting you off easy with one most people know about: ginger. Don’t bother with the pre-packaged tea, it doesn’t really have enough of the good stuff in. The best way I’ve found is to chop up some ginger and pour boiling water over it. Add a sweetener tab and we’re good to go. It’s not really known why ginger works on nausea, it just does. This is a very low-level cure however. Ginger tea will only work on starter level nausea, if you’re already on the floor and unable to move your head it won’t touch it. It is however very fragrant. And apparently excellent with pregnancy and morning sickness. This cure is on a par with our next one…

2. Peppermint

This is the go-to for when you’re out and about, it’s the easiest cure to get hold of. It will help level 1 nausea but is really effective for motion sickness or if there are any smells around adding to the sense of ‘I might vom at any moment’. Don’t bother with gum, chewing is just going to work up your stomach juices and that helps nobody. Suck a mint instead. It will also help if you really need to eat but have been feeling too nauseous to do so. Peppermint tea also works but I’ve found only fresh leaves work, not the bags. It’s also great for freshening your breath when just the idea of a toothbrush makes you want to chuck up your lunch.

3. Gaviscon and Werthers

In the same vein as a mint, the heartburn and indigestion relief Gaviscon works tremendously well but, I find, only on mass! They taste very chalky, which might activate your gag reflex, so I’ve found the best way to have them is with sugar free Werthers originals! Four Gaviscon, two Werthers, chew them up together until there’s nothing left in your mouth. Boom. Five minutes later I can actually function. I have no idea why the Werthers activate the Gaviscon and make them more powerful.

4. Diet Coke

I’ve spoken about this before but it works so well I can’t not put it in here… When I first became ill my doctor and I tried every antiemetic pill going- the massive ones you crumble into drinks, the tiny one you put under your tongue. The one that makes your lips numb. The one that makes them blue (just me?). I have so many issues with the Coca Cola company but golly this thing works! Apparently, the high levels of artificial sweetener in the diet and zero versions would make the drink register as sickly sweet but to counteract this they include an antiemetic… And it’s the best one I’ve ever encountered. It works. It just… works. It’s great to have a few sips after a meal, when you’re starting to feel a little queezy, it’s great to have a little glass in the morning to keep the nausea at bay and it’s excellent to have a whole pint glass when you can feel the nauseous doom coming for you. Drink through a straw though, obviously. I’d be a very bad dentist’s wife if I didn’t say that.

5. Diet Lemonade with Apple Cider Vinegar

Another drink but possibly not something you were expecting. This is the bomb when you feel like hurling is imminent. It’s a very old cure for all sorts of things and I understand why, it really does work. Although it might make your pee smell funny. 1 cup of liquid to 1 tablespoon of vinegar. If your stomach can’t handle the fizz of lemonade then put it in sweetened water- I particularly like it with Ribena. Although this is excellent for starting digestion, and particularly great just after a meal, do be aware that if you feel the problem is too much acidity it’s obviously not going to help. Also try to avoid having too much as the side effect of that is certainly… nausea. Also. Do not kiss my wife after drinking vinegar. She won’t like it. Although that might relate just to me.

Your wife probably won’t like it either though.

6. Protein Powder and Sweetener

nauseaThis one I’m actually a bit embarrassed to share. It’s my dirty secret. This is the top of the range, all time best, class A of anti-nausea cures. Try not to freak out about it though… Take a cup of sweetener, add a spoonful of protein powder (preferably vanilla flavoured), mix, eat. Yep. Just like that. Just as it is. It makes me feel so guilty and wrong but it just works. It works perfectly. The protein powder will swell up in your stomach and counteracts the acid because its so alkaline. If you’re feeling sick in a very watery way then this is for you. It will cure even level three sickness.

So there you go, there are my top anti-nausea tips. Let me know in the comments if you have any others or if you have tried any of these.