Casey wrote at the end of her response, “Thank you Nicole for this prompt, it was very cathartic to get this out!” and honestly, same. That’s the thing, isn’t it? There is so much EMOTION wrapped up in our digestive systems. Our guts can tell us something’s off, even when we aren’t consciously aware of what that might be. Scientists call the enteric nervous system in our gut the “second brain” for many reasons including the fact that our gut’s nervous system can operate independently of your…I guess we’re calling it our “first brain,” now? Especially if you’re an anxious gay (and who reading this isn’t at least a little anxious?), our feelings can so often settle in our stomachs and in our guts, making themselves known through pain and other maladies. And that’s not even getting started on what pregnancy or endometriosis or Long Covid, IBS or any number of conditions that can affect our digestive systems. Our guts have been through a lot! So, today, this anxious, stomach-gurgling queer wishes you some peace in your digestive system, as much as you can get. I hope you’ll join me in taking a deep breath, holding it, and releasing it slowly. Thank you to everyone who shared their bodily experiences for this roundtable. You’re all awesome for doing so! A+ members, if you’d like, I hope you’ll share in the comments, too.
xoxo,
Nicole
wow i love this article! i also have EDS related stomach junk that’s aggravated by mast cell activation syndrome, aka ‘sometimes i am violently allergic to this and sometimes it is a delicious treat’ disease
in a disability studies class i’m taking i’ve become the person who brings up poop/pee stigma in every discussion because objectively it’s a little wild that even within the disability community we can stand up and say ‘x symptom is normal and should be destigmatized!’and then when adult diapers, catheters, or ostomy bags come up no one can make eye contact
I LOVE that you bring these things up in your class! I’m sending solidarity and good vibes to you, my fellow EDS human!
if you haven’t heard of it (or if any other comment-perusers are interested!) i highly recommend ‘Understanding Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder’ by Claire Smith! my favorite EDS book by far- it goes through the body system by system to describe how different types of EDS can impact each bit as well as comorbid conditions! v thorough and v accessible to the armchair diagnostician
Thank you so much!
As a gay with celiac this roundtable watered my crops, cleared my skin, etc. My small intestine is queer culture babeyyy
Hello fellow queer celiac!
Aw Drew, that final sentence… 🥺
This roundtable couldn’t have come at a better time, I’m off to schedule a GP appointment for what appears to be an ongoing symptom of queerness but I can only hope the doctor has a better explanation.
Well now I need a shirt that says “IBS is queer culture.”
Gorgeous gorgeous queers have convoluted nope ropes (I’m aware there’s a meme that identifies snakes as nope ropes but I have always thought this fit intestines better). Add that to the t-shirt pile.
This roundtable brought both glee (I <3 bodily function talk) and sympathy cramps. Love to all of you who share the downstairs affliction.
I feel very seen by this whole situation. Thank you
Thanks for sharing, talking about this stuff takes… a lot of guts!
There’s a workshop scene in Happy Hour where participants are asked to listen to each other’s guts, which seemed intimate and terrifying, given the dodgy state of my guts, but now that I know my gut situation is queer culture I suppose listening to them is too.
Thank you for this!! I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis during the pandemic, yay! I will second that IBS/IBD is queer/Jewish culture and I would also like a shirt :D
My people, I gurgle with you in solidarity.
What a relatable roundtable! I had my gallbladder removed (along with half my liver) a decade ago, and consequently the first thing I eat in the morning/afternoon can have unintended consequences. Sometimes it seems to matter what it is, and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s an adventure every day! I think this is because the gallbladder stores bile, and without that stored-up bile it’s hard to digest things, especially fats (maybe??? This may be untrue). Honestly, I had to google my way to this probable answer after my doctor tested me for celiac disease, lactose intolerance etc and then was like “IBS I guess?”, presumably forgetting the major surgery that had precipitated this new problem.
Thank you much for sharing this! There is definitely *something* up with my insides but I’ve been trying to ignore it because I just… don’t need another thing? But maybe I will add it to my list of things to actually deal with.
Thank you so much for this. Glad to hear that gut problems are queer culture cause I was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia last year. Antacids make it more tolerable for sure but I still have some acid reflux at least a few days a week and have some weeks where I will just vomit a couple times a week with no clear precursor!
But extra thanks to Ro for affirming what I was already leaning towards that when my gastroenterologist has suggested losing weight he was being unhelpful. Honestly I was already annoyed at him for being so light on communication with me, so just more evidence I need a new gastroenterologist!