Jess Alexander is a Paediatric staff nurse and the LGBTQ+ Network Lead for Royal London Hospital, Mile End Hospital and Canary Wharf. The network exists to support the LGBTQ+ community and its allies, to provide a space for social events and networking, and to support Barts Trust in promoting genuine inclusion, diversity and equality throughout our workplace.
Contact details for the network:
Madeleine Miller - Song of Achilles
A riveting tale of love, ambition and immortal fame, this award-winning debut from the author of Circe retells the story of the Trojan War and its greatest hero from the point of view of his closest friend Patroclus.
Jess says: "I travelled to the island of Crete a lot as a child, and Miller's Athens is a superb depiction of Greek life in all it's beauty! You can hear the cicaders singing at twilight, and smell the olives ripening in the hot sun. The tenderness with which she writes is palpable, in this divinely, heart-wrenching story of two men in love, and how such a love can conquer adversity".
Bernadine Evaristo - Girl, Woman, Other
Girl, Woman, Other follows the lives and struggles of twelve very different characters. Mostly women, black and British, they tell the stories of their families, friends and lovers, across the country and through the years. Joyfully polyphonic and vibrantly contemporary, this is a gloriously new kind of history, a novel of our times: celebratory, ever-dynamic and utterly irresistible.
Jess says: "Everyone needs to read this book! I have already bought it for my "Soon to Be" Mother in Law and two of my best friends. Evaristo is electric! The way in which she intertwines the stories of twelve different characters, each with six degrees of separation, is spell binding! Emotional, raw, powerful and inspiring - Girl, Woman, Other is a book to be cherished, and re-read time and time again!".
Jamie Windust - In Their Shoes
Combining light-hearted anecdotes with their own hard-won wisdom, Jamie Windust explores everything from fashion, dating, relationships and family, through to mental health, work and future key debates. From trying on clothes in secret to iconic looks, first dates to polyamorous liaisons, passports to pronouns, Jamie shows you how to navigate the world and your evolving identity in every type of situation. Frank, funny, and brilliantly feisty, this must-read book is a call to arms for non-binary self-acceptance, self-appreciation and self-celebration.
Jess says: "The power of the spoken word is alive in Jamie's debut novel about loving yourself and ignoring the haters. Jamie speaks with gentleness as they detail their journey to self-acceptance, as a non-binary fashion icon. Move over Anna Wintour! Jamie is witty and cutting in equal measure, and is able to empower others through their inspirational words. There is no one way to be non-binary, and that's truthfully one of the best things about it. It's an identity that is yours to shape."
Sarah Winman - When God was a Rabbit
"Spanning four decades and moving between suburban Essex, the wild coast of Cornwall and the streets of New York, this is a story about childhood, eccentricity, the darker side of love and sex, the pull and power of family ties, loss and life. More than anything, it's a story about love in all its forms".
Jess says: "This book made me laugh and cry in equal measure. Winman has created characters that make you crave every page turn, eager to devour more of her gorgeously crafted story. A beautiful tale of the power of love and the importance of true friendship that will stay with you for years later; a love that can shape our world, and enrich our very being".
Still to read...
Shon Faye - The Transgender Issue
In this powerful new book, Shon Faye reclaims the idea of the 'transgender issue' to uncover the reality of what it means to be trans in a transphobic society. In doing so, she provides a compelling, wide-ranging analysis of trans lives from youth to old age, exploring work, family, housing, healthcare, the prison system and trans participation in the LGBTQ+ and feminist communities, in contemporary Britain and beyond.
Jess says: "As an out queer cisgender paediatric nurse within the NHS, I want to triumph over adversity and help support my trans and non-binary siblings as much as I can. As a Co-Site Lead for the LGBTQ+ Network at RLH, I am eager to offer training on "Sexuality and Gender 101" to departments across the hospital, and the Trust. I am excited to read Shon Faye's first book, as I look forward to learning more on how to support my trans and non-binary colleagues, and also patients for whom we care".
Luxury Item - Sunscreen.
"Because if I am stranded on a desert island, I will happily filter the sea water to drink, and use bark to make fires to grill my fish and sea vegetables. But my skin will need to have SPF and UVA/B protection! I don't think I have the skills to fashion a straw hat out of palm leaves".
Record - "L-O-V-E" by Nat King Cole
"A favourite in the Alexander Family Household, my parents would sing it to each other when my sister and I were growing up. Made famous in the 1998 remake of "The Parent Trap", now my sister and I send the lyrics to my Mama if we are apart for any length of time; it is our way of sending our Love and well wishes to her and my Dad. Gushy but true!"