Kitchen Corridors

Kole Fulmine

doi:10.5334/rt.74

Creative Work

Kitchen Corridors

Author:

Kole Fulmine

Roehampton university, GB

About Kole

Kole Fulmine (they/them) is a queer – specifically non-binary – writer. They are a researcher at the University of Roehampton, just at the very beginning of a PhD journey, which will take them (hopefully) further towards understanding the queer body in the wellness industry – or towards a broader understanding of the neutral landscape that feels so elusive in such a binary environment. Kole is also a full-time personal trainer and works in a gym in Hackney Downs, where they try to provide a queer and inclusive service for clients and friends. Their research is currently focused on The Neutral, a lecture series delivered by Roland Barthes in 1977. Kole is attempting to re-write some of these lectures using a less binary, more creative, and autofictional approach to several of the themes Barthes discussed.

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Abstract

The naturalistic focus when discussing the body has long been questioned by academics, researchers, and experts alike. But what does natural mean for the trans-masc identifying individual on the cusp of a decision that feels as though it might collide with deeply engrained physiological understanding? 'Kitchen Corridors' follows the journey of a narrator who is struggling with the choice to take testosterone, a transitioning leap that will impact the course of the rest of their life. The discussion surrounds the emotional effect of taking hormones and how that influences their relationship with their body and others' bodies, guided by the writings of Chris Shilling and Lisa Blackman and stylistically influenced by Adrian Bridget.