Oxbridge Finals - A true test of ability?

Most Oxford exam periods are more about mental endurance than academic ability. For the majority of undergraduates three years of studying is examined in one week of intensive exams. This leaves many students exhausted and stressed after two or there days, which has a negative effect on the remainder of their exams. Students who happen to be fortunate enough to cope under pressure experience a significant advantage over other less stable but similarly talented students.

The other disciplines could learn a lot from the Department of Psychology who recently modernised their course. Unlike most BA courses, Experimental Psychology exams are spread out across two years and there is a hefty coursework component which includes a research project and optional dissertation worth 15% each.

Fortunately the government is recognising the special needs of people with mental health problems. A disability needs assessment revealed that due to my bipolar disorder my exams needed to be well spaced out and include regular breaks, which my college happily honoured but what about healthy people? It's not only people with ongoing health problems who can't cope with the mental exhaustion caused by six hours of intensive testing per day, for many days in succession.

I would like to see students get a little more perspective on things and realise that their degree is not the be-all and end-all but surely it's the university's responsibility to allow students the opportunity to display their full potential when assessed. Degree results should reflect what Oxford aims to breed, the ability to learn, think and reason not mental stamina. People seeking a psychiatric assessment don't turn up at the exam schools in sub fusc, they go to their doctor.

My Lovely Paradox

Why is it that two women belting out the lyrics to "My Lovely Horse" for ninety minutes, gathers less attention than when the same women discreetly kiss for a few seconds?

I'm not a big fan of public displays of affection, at least not the ones that make others want to shout "Get a room!" but sometimes needs must and you steal a cheeky goodbye snog tucked against a wall or doorway. When this happens people whistle, attempt to take photographs of us and ask for encores.

Last night, after one too many Ribenas, K and myself decided to try and make a spectacle of ourselves by pretending to be atrocious buskers on St Giles, a street where we've previously been heckled for holding hands. We performed the intentionally dreadful "My Lovely Horse" (original melody) from the TV comedy "Father Ted" with K on guitar and vocals and me on general yelling. We were there for well over an hour and despite singing at the top of our lungs to almost 100 passers by, only two people paid us more than an awkward glance.

We did make a quid though - that's 37p more than we get for kissing.

Charlize Theron waits for gay marriage

After being blown away by Charlize Theron's portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in "Monster" and charmed by her part as Rita in "Arrested Development" I read a few articles about her online I was delighted to discover that Theron and partner Stuart Townsend have publicly stated that they will not wed until gay marriage is legal across the US.

Whether or not this is linked to her previously reported lack of interest in marriage is not clear but even if she is just exploiting an existing reluctance to wed, she's still promoting gay marriage, so good for her.

Theron received a GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Media Award in April 2006 for increasing "visibility and understanding."

Coming out (from the bathroom)

Yesterday I got trapped in my bathroom with my girlfriend. Granted, the company and location could have been a lot worse, but given that we'd just let the last of the bath water run down the drain and dried ourselves, we really just wanted to get back to my room and so having to wait in silence for an opportune moment to sneak out, was not ideal.

For some reason I've been hiding my sexuality from my landlady. I don't know quite why, I just had a gut feeling that she wouldn't like it and whilst nobody can evict me for being a lesbian, a landlady who spends more time in our kitchen than I do, could make my life rather difficult.

Added to which, a housemate had spilt wax all over the carpet outside my door. My landlady has very strong feelings about mess and they're not favourable. I was eager for an opportunity to deny defacing the carpet.

Furthermore, having a 50 year old woman catch you and your partner coming out of the bath carrying baby oil and candles, is just plain embarrassing.

For these reasons, when I realised that my landlady was outside the bathroom attempting to separate wax and carpet, I rapidly reversed back into the bathroom, hiding a large candle as I did so. Determined not to be found out, I mouthed "Wait," to K, assuming that the Women's Institute's answer to Mary Poppins would soon tire of housework. Boy did I underestimate her dedication to clean carpets.

Ten minutes later I could still hear the slightly scratchy swish of the dustpan and brush. Things were getting dire, I needed the toilet and whilst my girlfriend and I share a toothbrush, we're not really at that pooing in front of each other stage.

A further five minutes and I heard a shout, "Are you nearly finished in there? I want to come in and change the bathmat." Christ! She was actually waiting outside the door for me to come out! This was very bad. There was no way to disguise a dozen candles, let alone an extra body; I felt sure that even a glimpse of a tea light would see me blamed for the carpet damage and who knows where an eyeful of lesbianism might lead.

I froze. It was a stand off between me and Poppins Sr, a battle of wills. Who would cave first? Would she get bored and walk off or would she starve me out?

Ashamed of football's homophobic chanting

As a Spurs fan, I am ashamed of some of the homophobic chants that are often heard at the stadium, particularly one "accusing" Sol Campbell of being gay. Personally I couldn't care less which football players are gay and I hate the way that it's used as an insult. Campbell committed the ultimate crime of leaving the club that nurtured him through his early career, for arch rivals Arsenal. This obviously angered fans and whilst I have every desire to hear the word "Judas" yelled at him for the rest of his career "He's big, he's black, he likes it up the crack" should not be sung with discontent. I'm not entirely sure that I want to hear it sung with pride either, I mean "crack" isn't exactly the most imaginative rhyme for "black."

I propose

"He's big-boned, he's a racial minority,
say 'Yay' for gay equality."

Now that has poetic worth!

Unrecognised risks: STD transmission among lesbians

Two years ago a friend of mine was refused STD tests because she is a lesbian. Since this display of ignorance, there have been many reported cases of female to female sexual disease transmission yet awareness is about as close to non-existant as people mistakenly believe the risks to be.

Anyone who thinks STDs cannot be transmitted between women lacks imagination.

Oral sex, sharing toys and digital penetration are among the many lesbian sex acts that can lead to passing on STDs.

According to some websites STDs such as herpes, genital warts and bacterial vaginosis are transmitted fairy easily between women whilst HIV, hepatitis B, gonorrhoea, and chlamydia are much less likely to be transmitted. However, case studies detailing lesbian transmission of some of the latter infections, suggest otherwise. As soon as you start to look beyond the shallow news articles, it becomes apparent that there has been very little research into the sexual health of lesbians and bisexual women.

The risks of male to female transmission are well documented and although it's sometimes a taboo in gay circles, an estimated 80-92% of lesbians have slept with at least one man during their lifetime (LGBt Health Channel). This means that many lesbians could be putting themselves and their partners at great risk.

Not only are the risks badly publicised but many women, including yours truly, are unclear exactly what they're supposed to do to decrease the risks. Clearly mutual STD testing is a must, but dental dams? Are we really supposed to get anything from a mouth full of latex?

Below are some suggestions from the LGBt Health Channel

"It is important for partners to discuss their sexual and STD history before having sex. The best means for avoiding STDs is a barrier. Latex gloves and condoms can be used for genital and anal stimulation with the fingers or with sex toys (dildos, vibrators, etc.). Whether or not a glove or condom is used, it is best to start with the vagina and move to the anus, instead of anus to vagina. If anal sex occurs first, it is best to change gloves or condoms or to wash the hands before stimulating the vagina. This will keep the bacteria of the lower intestine away from the vagina. A dental dam (flat, latex barrier), nonmicrowavable plastic wrap, or a condom cut lengthwise and placed over the vagina is advisable for oral-genital sex."

On being open

Today my girlfriend mentioned someone else she fancies; yesterday I mentioned my ex. I love being in a relationship where we don't entertain the delusion that we're both virgins with blinkers moulded to the sides of our faces.