Gender isn't really a Fungal Construct.

A Week at Home. I've spent the past week back in the south of England, spending some time with my family before the University year properly kicks off. It's been a welcome break from the busy city, full of working on new ideas for my art, time spent with nature and a lot of surprise foraging.

Foraging brings me such a sense of fulfilment and I was lucky enough to find a Chicken of the Woods and some Oyster mushrooms! Dwelling in the forest, I happened across both and it was definitely the highlight of my week. I think my fascination with Fungi, in a roundabout way initially came from the fact that Gender isn't really a fungal construct. Where we as humans 'traditionally' (here in the West) have only had two recognised genders, male and female for a long part of our history; Fungi have been thriving with thousands of Sexes. Take Schizophyllum Commune and its 23,000 different sexes, for example. Now, obviously sex and gender are not the same thing but I find myself relating to these weird and wonderful largely unexplored and beautiful beings that call the forest their home, all while challenging heteronormative and binary constructs.

I think mushrooms can teach us a lot about Gender Identity. The diversity in nature is reflected in ourselves as queer people and, like Fungi, I also feel engaged in endless renewal and fluidity. Not plant, not animal, like some of us are neither male nor female. But, like fungi, we can also be both. It's beautifully complex. Its things like this that I ponder when i spend a lot of time in the outdoors. I think its quite easy to see yourself mirrored in Nature. We are a part of it after all. This is why I've always felt at home in nature, the connection is strong and it can't be ignored. The world of Mycelium aside, these Mushrooms really were delicious! We are in the middle of September now and these forest fruits are popping up wherever I look and I can feel the seasons changing so strongly. Summer is leaving us behind as the days begin to get darker and shorter again. But the countryside feels alive with smells and textures, fungal growth and also decay. The leaves have started to turn and the low sun catches everything in a slightly golden glow.

I am back to Manchester soon and I'm hoping to continue my engrossment with Fungi. I can already feel it becoming a vital part of my work in 3rd Year. It feels good to have found a passion to follow as I get into the rhythm of my last year at University. So, I'm more excited than stressed about it right now!

Now I'll end this blog post here. Wishing you all a beautiful week.

Kai