Daily Archives: June 5, 2022

Hyderabad: After years of struggle, Telangana was bifurcated from Andhra Pradesh and finally came into existence as a new state of the Indian union on June 2, 2014. Though we remember the 2009 protests, led by chief minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) and Prof. Kodandaram, and the year-long 1969 statehood movement.

However, Telangana was originally meant to be an independent state, and decades of struggle could have been perhaps avoided had the then Indian government had some foresight.

The States Reorganisation Commission, formed by the Indian government headed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1955 also recommended against the merger of the Telangana and Andhra regions as a unified Telugu state based on linguistic commonality. But the merger still happened and became a reality on November 1, 1956.

A historical glance of Telanganas socio-economic background will provide for a better understanding.

All of the Telugu speaking regions of Telangana, coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema were all under the Nizams (or Asaf Jahi), who came into power in 1724. However, only Telangana after the second monarch, Nizam Ali Khan (1762-1803) signed the Treaty of Subsidiary Alliance with the British in 1798, the rulers were soon under financial duress as the state had to pay the British East India Company lakhs of rupees a year to maintain the foreign troops.

The Nizams government kept borrowing money from a bank (Palmer and Co) in the first half of the 19th century, which it could not pay back. Instead, the EIC paid-off the bank, and in return took away the Andhra and Rayalaseema regions away from the Nizams.

This was what led to Telangana and Andhra diverging in terms of culture and language, as the formers Telugu was influenced due to its close proximity to Hyderabad and Urdu language (45.4% speakers in Twin Cities of Hyderabad and Secunder, as per the States Reorganisation Commission report, 1955).

The Andhra areas were merged with the British-administered Madras Presidency, with Chennai (then Madras) as its capital. Telangana, with its state-appointed landlords or Jagirdars under the Nizams, concentrated its wealth and capital in Hyderabad city, while the districts were fairly disadvantaged, even in the 20th century under the last Nizam Osman Ali Khan (1911-48).

However it may be noted that under Khan, Hyderabad witnessed acceleration in development in the nearly four decades he was the ruler. Fast forward to 1947. When the British formally left India, it however gave princely states and their monarchs the option to join India or Pakistan, or to stay independent.

Osman Ali Khan was one of the handful of kings, like Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir, who wanted to stay independent. After all, he was a king of the largest princely state, Hyderabad, which comprised 16 districts in 1948, of which 8 were in Telangana, 5 in Maharashtra and 3 in Karnataka.

A year before 1947, extreme feudal oppression also led to the Telangana Armed Struggle (1946-51). Vetti Chakiri (bonded labour) was also commonplace in rural Telangana, wherein lower-caste folks were forced to service the higher castes and the landowning class.

Bonded labour and forced collections are believed to be the main reasons behind the uprising, which began in 1946, and officially ended in 1951, till the communists decided to contest elections. Some of the tallest CPI leaders from Telangana then were Makhdoom Mohiuddin, Ravi Narayan Reddy, Arutla Kamala Devi, Ch. Rajeshwar Rao, etc.

While that was going on, negotiations between the Nizam and the Indian government continued for a year. However, the government finally sent the Indian army to annex the Hyderabad state, which took place on September 17, 1948, in a military offensive called Operation Polo. For 18 months after that, the state had a military governor, after which it went to polls.

In the 1951-52 (first) general elections, the Congress comfortably managed to win in the Hyderabad state (which had 175 seats), while the CPI, riding on its popularity from the Telangana Armed Struggle (which was called off on October 21, 1951). Burgula Ramakrishna Rao was the states first (and last) chief minister.

The government even back then continued to implement the Mulki Rule, which essentially made a provision for locals to have access to jobs first.

The Mulki Rule was first promulgated (based on job guarantee demands by native residents of Hyderabad) in 1919 by Osman Ali Khan as Nizam, which stipulated that a person has to be a Mulki (different criteria to be met, especially for non-Hyderabadis) to be considered for any government service.

This was applicable to Telangana, and parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka that were under the Hyderabad state. The states medium of instruction was initially Persian and later Urdu (during the time of Mulki rule). In the British administered presidencies, it was English. Post annexation of Hyderabad to India in 1948, these Mulki rules continued to exist even after the military governorship of Lt. Gen. JN Chaudhuri, who lead Operation Polo.

According to many old timers, especially those from the CPI who were part of the Telangana Armed Struggle, the Telugu speaking region was backward due to feudal oppression, and exploitation. Second, lack of (or much lower) education in English in the Hyderabad state meant that the government of India had to bring in officers from outside, especially from the Andhra region to work in the administration.

Locals from Hyderabad and Telangana felt outraged that jobs meant for them, under the Mulki rules, were given to non-state residents. This eventually led to the 1952 Mulki Rule agitation, wherein angry students even protested and reportedly damaged the official convoy of Burgula Ramakrishna Rao. In fact, his nephew and pro-Telangana votary from the CPI, B. Narsing Rao (passed away in January 2021), was one of the young leaders who participated in that movement.

That was in a way the first ever statehood movement, and it was over jobs. Aside from that, there were also feelings of being culturally othered among Urdu speaking people (especially Muslims) Hyderabad. For the people of Telangana, they complained that their Andhra counterparts looked down and lampooned their Telugu dialect.

On Urdu and fear of its marginalisation

This would also reflect in the States Reorganisation Commission report from 1955. This is what it said on Urdu: Three is one point which will have to be considered in consequence of a change in the present character of the State, namely, the position of the Urdu speaking people of the twin citys of Hyderabad and Secunderabad to constitute 45.4% of the population. They seem to entertain the fear that if Hyderabad became the capital of either Telangana or Visalandhra, they would stand to suffer culturally and economically. There is some justification for this fear.

It suggested measures that need to be adopted to give adequate protection to the linguistic ,cultural and other interests of the large Urdu speaking people in the twin cities.

By 1953, the Telugu speaking population from the Madras Presidency began demanding it own statehood, and on November 1, 1953, the Andhra state came into existence. However it had no built capital. Being part of the presidency, naturally its leaders wanted to share Madras with the Tamil speaking regions, but that demand was rejected.

Eventually, the idea of merging the Telugu speaking regions of Telangana and Andhra state was brought about. This was of course not going to go down well in Hyderabad, where there was already resentment against people of Andhra for taking up government jobs. In fact, what the States Reorganisation Commission said on this matter is very important to understand the imbalances that eventually came about after both the Telugu states were merged to create Andhra Pradesh on November 1, 1956.

While the Marathwada or Marathi and Kannada speaking (except Bidar) areas were to be merged with Maharashtra and Karnataka, the States Reorganisation Commission observations on Telangana are quite telling and interesting of how common languages does not work when there is socio-economic inequality.

After going through the merits and demerits of merging Andhra and Telangana, and stating that the case for Vishalandhra thus rests on arguments which are impressive, the report also noted: The considerations which have been urged in favour of a separate Telangana State, however, not such as may be lightly brushed aside.

It took of the fact that some leaders from Telangana seem to fear that the result of unification will be to exchange some settled sources of revenue, out of which development scheme may be financed, for financial uncertainty similar to that with which Andhra is now faced. Before the merger, and after 1953, Andhra, without a capital, had a lower per capita income than Telangana, which from an administrative point claimed to be progressive.

The Commission, while stating that there are benefits of bringing Telangana and Andhra regions for sharing the Krishna (over which both states are today vying for a higher share) and Godavari river basins, and suitability of Hyderabad as capital, was still not convinced about the merger. It also noted that Andhra leaders were also ready to provide adequate safeguards, like a pact for local job quotas, if both states merged.

The recommendation was against the merger and creation of AP

However, the States Reorganisation Commission noted that all the promises and pacts will however not prove workable or meet the requirements of Telangana during the period of transition. In its final conclusion, it said:

After taking all these factors into consideration, we have come to the conclusion that it will be in the interests of Andhra as well as Telangana, if for the present, the Telangana area is constituted into a separate state, which may be known as the Hyderabad state, with provision for unification with Andhra after the general elections likely to be held in or about 1961, if by a two-thirds majority the legislature of the residuary Hyderabad State expresses itself in favour of such unification.

It added that Telangana if public sentiment in Telangana crystallises against the unification, it will have to continue as a separate unit. So what does this mean? Perhaps Andhra would have built itself a new capital, and Telangana in turn would have functioned as it was with Hyderabad as its capital.

However, against this, the Indian government decided to go ahead with the merger in 1956 (many say due to political compulsions and compunctions), and the issues with regard to jobs and cultural oppression in Telangana continued, leading to the 1969 statehood movement first. Led by Marri Chenna Reddy, it would be compromised as he joined the Congress eventually.

However, it was revived once again by incumbent chief minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao in 2009, a after former CM of the joint Andhra Pradesh state YS Rajasekhara Reddy died in a helicopter crash the same year

Read more:

Why Telangana and Andhra were never meant to be merged in 1956 - The Siasat Daily

I am writing this in COVID exile in Jaffa, Israel, on the edge of Tel Aviv, while waiting for a negative test in order to be allowed to fly back to the U.S. I am sure that below the surface of the everyday life I see here, the Israelis are dominating and discriminating against the Israeli Palestinian population here. But on a moment-to-moment basis, this wonderfully multicultural city is among the most inviting and enjoyable Ive ever spent any time in. It is filled with art galleries, museums, ethnic restaurants, funky flea and food markets, antique shops, furniture stores (vintage and designer), gelato on every block, and even a world-famous experimental theater; all of it ensconced inside a city bounded by a beautiful beachfront on the warm Mediterranean, and boasting centuries of history as a key trading port for many countries and civilizations. As with Tel Aviv, ultrareligious Jews who seek to shut down secular life in Jerusalem and elsewhere in the country are here, somewhere, but almost invisible.

There are only two downsides I can discern as a visitor; the first is the price of real estate. As with Tel Aviv, Jaffa is at least as expensive as Manhattan and worse than hipster Brooklyn. The second is the invisible one: There is a brutal, dehumanizing occupation going on not far from here, being carried out by a country thatfor the most parteither pretends not to notice, or believes it is literally its God-given right to carry out.

Every day, the news from that occupationas well as of the treatment of the more than 20 percent of Israelis who are not Jews (and are often ignored in the American discourse)seems, somehow, to get worse. Just in the past few days, Ive come across stories describing:

While in Tel Aviv, I met with members of the American embassy and consular staffs (at their invitation), as well as many people from the Israeli peace movement. And while my admiration for the courage and tenacity of the latter group is boundless, I didnt hear anything while I was here that would lead me to question my overall pessimism that this situation can only get worse. Israels tenuously balanced government has less than no interest in any sort of concessions that could lead to serious peace negotiations, and the hard-line Islamicist Hamas is growing more and more popular among Palestinians, especially its young future leaders. Joe Biden is not about to invest any political capital in forcing Israel to change its ways, and its far from clear to me that it would help even if he did. The Israelis have always been able to outlast the Americans whenever a president has disapproved of anything their government has done.

The BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) movement, which dominates discussion on the American left on this topic, only makes matters worse. It is complete failure in every respect save for its (entirely) rhetorical victories. Yes, it helps perhaps in making the Palestinians feel they have not been entirely forgotten by the rest of the world, but beyond that, it amounts to little more than virtue signaling. As I keep saying, in the 18 years of its campaign, no major labor union, no government body, no major global corporation, not even any significant local government has endorsed BDS. Using a boycott against Jews was always a stupid idea, given the association that so many have of the tactic when it was used by the Nazis.

Read more Altercation

But there are costs as well. BDS has provided a ready-made excuse for the many conservative pro-Israel politicians and organizations who would like to shut down free speech about Israel to pass laws that do so. It has also made it even more difficult to discuss the issue on college campuses (to say nothing of social media). This is, of course, in addition to the problems it raises for those of us who believe in the importance of the free exchange of ideas, regardless of their origin. Yes, Ive said all that before, but this week, an important piece of new evidence arose: a brand-new Pew Research study that finds 5 percent of Americans say they support the BDS movement against Israel, and just 2 percent say they support it strongly, while 84 percent have no opinion or have never heard of it. The support figure is actually kind of high compared to its support in Congress by the way, where, according to my count, it has three supporters among 535 senators and representatives. People who support the right of Palestinians to live in peace and dignity, with the same rights as you or me (or Israeli Jews), need to face up to the undeniable failure of this strategy and think anew. The support of The Harvard Crimson, the Middle East Studies Association, and this or that student government does not a successful movement make.

One of the great strengths of the Zionist movement of the 1940s that led to the creation of the state of Israel was its ability to withstandeven encourageintense internal debate. There are good reasons why Palestinians feel they do not have this luxury. But notwithstanding those reasons, when Palestinians and their supporters demand fealty to a failed strategy, it does nothing for the people living under oppression.

One can sympathize with the fact that for the past hundred years, the Palestinians have only been offered unfair deals and asked to help solve a problemthat of approximately 250,000 Jewish refugees of Hitlers Holocaustthat they did nothing to cause. The 1947 U.N. Partition Plan that the Zionists (reluctantly) accepted, and the Palestinians refused even to discuss, choosing war instead, was markedly unfair to them, as has every offer been since that one. (The earlier ones were not so hot, either.) In 1947, the U.N. Special Committee on Palestine calculated its Jewish population to be 608,000, or slightly less than a third of its population. Under the U.N.s plan, however, the Jews were to be accorded 55 percent of the land, including the crucial seaport of Jaffa (where your loyal correspondent is writing this), with its Arab population of 70,000 as against just 10,000 Jews. Forty percent of Palestine was given to its Arabs, with the remaining 5 percent, which included Jerusalem and parts of the Negev desert, to remain under U.N. sovereignty until such time as everyone could agree on how it might be divided. (All this remained academic, however, once Israel declared itself a state on May 14, 1948, and five Arab armies immediately invaded.) Things have only gotten worse for the Palestinians over time, both in terms of the lives theyve been forced to live and the offers theyve received, leading up to the ridiculous Jared Kushner peace plan, which no one took seriously even as a propaganda exercise. In classic Trumpian style, the entire thrust of Kushners Middle East policy appears to have been to further line his own pockets with corrupt deals with his Saudi and Israeli co-conspirators.

To the question of What is to be done? I have no answer save a rethinking of the problem from the bottom up. My good optimistic friend Jill Jacobs, who heads up my favorite organization, Truah, thinks that the two-state solution lives on because the only problem is politics. Another optimistic friend, the scholar/activist Hillel Schenker, co-editor of the excellent Palestine-Israel Journal, reminds me of how close Israeli and Palestinian negotiators got to outlining a final peace agreement under the prime ministership of Ehud Olmert in 2008, before Olmert decided he preferred to go to war in Lebanon. (Olmert later ended up in jail, convicted for corruption.) But political problems are real problems and can be more difficult to solve than scientific or even existential ones. And with great regret to the people who consistently put themselves on the line trying to do so, as the liberal realist I have no idea how to solve this one. That said, I found this JPost editorial full of good sense and maybe even (the slightest) cause for optimism.

Sorry, both for this pessimistic report and for the lack of music this week. You can, if youve not had enough, however, listen to my Tel Aviv University talk, with comments from the estimable scholar and activist Yael Sternhell. It can be found here. (We begin at 6:30.) And the (really long) book that I am basing all of this on may be pre-ordered from Amazon here and lots of places, here.

Originally posted here:

Altercation: Israel and Palestine and the Absence of a Solution - The American Prospect

Oxford's LGBTQ+ changemakers are leading the way for the community. L-R Debbie Brixey, Hannah Massie, Chrissie Chevasutt and Alana Stewart. Picture: Ed Nix

AsPride Month is well underway, the Oxford Mail is showcasing the LGBTQ+ people leading the way in Oxford.

Pride Month is an annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as an opportunity to raise awareness of the issues the community faces and tackle prejudice.

June marks Pride Month due to the fact the Stonewall Riots, a turning point in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality, occurred at the end of June in 1969.

READ MORE:The inside of Oxfords newest nightclub has been revealed

In Oxford, several people are working tirelessly to fight for LGBTQ+ rights, make the city a safer and a more inclusive place.

Oxford Mail: Chrissie Chevasutt. Picture: Ed Nix

Chrissie Chevasutt. Picture: Ed Nix

Chrissie, 63, is writer, advocate and outreach worker at St Columbas United Reformed Church on Alfred Street. She works with the transgender, intersex and non-binary communities in Oxford. It is believed this church is the first in the UK to appoint such a role.

What Pride Month means to Chrissie

Until LGBTQIA+ people enjoy equal rights throughout society with straight cis-gender folks then we need Pride Month as a reminder to society that inequality and oppression of LGBTQIA+ people is still a daily part of our all lives in the UK.

Not least, in the church which claims to represent Gods love but a large part of which still heaps shame, judgement and exclusion upon LGBTQIA+ people.

As a trans person, having watched the attempts of a small minority to cut us out of Pride and the LGBTQIA+ community, I love Pride because it demonstrates that we as trans are an integral part of the LGBTQIA+ community. That our gay, bi and lesbian friends stand shoulder to shoulder with us.

The trans community especially has been under a lot of hate and oppression, not least from this Tory government, so for me Pride is a chance to party and celebrate in the face of all this discrimination.

But, I would rather Pride threatened the patriarchy like the civil rights movement did, maybe we are not marching enough?

Story continues

Who are Chrissies heroes and heroines?

I have to put pioneers like April Ashley and Jan Morris at the top of my list, but my all-time heroine is Kristen Beck, former US Navy Seal who served in Afghanistan with distinction and is an incredible advocate for the trans community.

Oxford Mail:

How is Chrissie involved in the community in Oxford?

My main involvement in the LGBTQIA+ community is through my role as outreach and development worker with transgender, intersex and non-binary people for St Columbas URC. I work pastorally within the trans community, but also work in advocacy on a local and national level.

One of my roles is to represent the community within the church and speak in churches to raise awareness, educate and help transform some of the deep prejudices that exist in so many churches.

Chrissies proudest achievement since working with the community in Oxford

Im proud be a very small part of the process which enabled Oxford County Council to become a trans affirming and friendly council, helping to make the city and county a safer space for trans people, and we have just launched a National Transgender, Intersex and non-binary Theology Conference to be hosted in Oxford in September.

For me healthy theology is vital to the flourishing of the LGBTQIA+ community, so the conference is a major milestone for us.

Im proud to represent St Columbas URC as a fully affirming and inclusive church.

Oxford Mail: Debbie Brixey. Picture: Ed Nix

Debbie Brixey. Picture: Ed Nix

57-year old Debbie is specialist IT Trainer working with people with disabilities with a charity background including fundraising and social media. She is the chair of Oxford Pride and works with Pride groups across Oxfordshire to help put on events.

What Pride Month means to Debbie

Personally I feel that we should celebrate Pride all year around, not as events but in the things that we do and work together to be more inclusive and celebrate the diversity of people.

I do have to say that I love to see Pride on the streets and to see people getting together.

For me the driving factor in Pride is that there is always someone for whom it is their first Pride (and that can be any age!). It is really important people know that they are not alone and that there are people like them in all walks of life.

Who are Debbies heroes and heroines?

I would say Sue Sanders for her work with Schools Out, Marsha Levine for her work setting up InterPride, Lady Phyll for setting up UK Black Pride, Lisa Power for Stonewall.

There's a theme here I think ... women within the LGBT+ community who have got their voices heard - oh and I am lucky enough to know them all.

Oxford Mail:

How is Debbie involved in the community in Oxford?

I am the chair of Oxford Pride. I was chair in 2019 when the last in-person Pride was held before the pandemic.

I sat on the committee before that but first came to Oxford Pride in 2014 which is where I met my wife, also a former chair of Oxford Pride.

Debbies proudest achievement since working with the community in Oxford

I think watching the Pride Parade/March coming through Oxford and seeing everyone together and so many people all in one place.

I love the fact that we can use this visibility to illustrate that there are still many inequalities in this country and the World but also to celebrate what has been achieved so far.Standing together as a community is one of the most important things and I am proud of being even a tiny part of that.

Oxford Mail: Alana Stewart. Picture: Ed Nix

Alana Stewart. Picture: Ed Nix

Alana is a 22-year graduate student at Oxford University. They joined Oxford Pride in September 2021 as the communications officer and also co-founded Oxford Against Conversion Therapy. Alongside studying for a masters degree in Gender, Sexuality, and Culture they also work at the Jolly Farmers.

What Pride Month means to Alana

Pride has its roots in something deeply political. Pride Month is in June because it marks the anniversary of the Stonewall riots where queer activists fought back against the police.

Pride is still, or should still be, a protest against systems that oppress us. Sometimes Pride Month feels quite removed from that because it feels like an excuse for corporations to stick a rainbow up and take money from queer people. But, we unequivocally still need pride - and we will need it until there is liberation for all queers.

Homophobic hate crimes are on the rise in the UK, our Government is deeply transphobic and refuses to protect trans people against conversion therapies that are killing them, and recently the Home Office admitted that their abhorrent plan to send refugees to Rwanda will lead LGBTQ+ refugees to persecution.

So, pride month to me is about an ongoing fight.

Who are Alanas heroes and heroines?

I dont know about heroes, but theres a lot of queer people who have been incredibly influential to my life and my politics: Eileen Myles whos a poet, feminist, and non-binary lesbian; Jose Esteban Munoz who wrote an incredible book full of so much hope called Cruising Utopia; the absolute legend and musical pioneer who was SOPHIE, and, obviously, Tracy Chapman for writing Fast Car.

Oxford Mail:

How is Alana involved in the community in Oxford?

I studied at the University of Oxford and graduated in 2021. When I was doing my undergraduate degree prior to the pandemic I wasnt really involved in LGBT student groups. I co-founded Oxford Feminist Society and we were really big supporters of the protestsagainst Womens Place UK (amid allegations of transphobia which have previously been denied).Other than that, I didnt even really have the confidence to go to LGBT student drinks, and I never went to Pride.

Now Im actually on the pride committee as their communications officer, I work in the gay pub, and Im doing my MA in queer studies and gender studies.

I started working at the Jolly Farmers last spring and I met so many new people and I absolutely love it there. Its so good to feel part of a community and to feel accepted. Recently, I co-founded Oxford Against Conversion Therapy to address the governments lack of a full conversion therapy ban.

I wouldve been shocked if you told me that three years ago!

Alanas proudest achievement since working with the community in Oxford

Im proud of the work I did in setting up the protest and co-founding OxACT. Though, I cant really claim it as my work because I had an amazing team behind me who pulled so many strings to make it happen in the space of about ten days.

We had around 300 people turn up to Bonn Square, and we had so much incredible feedback from people who were taken aback to see Oxford unite for trans rights like that.

Oxford Mail: Hannah Massie. Picture: Ed Nix

Hannah Massie. Picture: Ed Nix

62-year old Hannah helps run TransOxford, a leading independent dedicated support group for transgender and gender non-conforming people in Oxfordshire.

What Pride Month means to Hannah

Diversity is the engine of evolution and without diversity we wouldnt exist. Every single one of us is unique, our own living example of diversity. Pride month is when we recognise and celebrate diversity in all its wonderful forms.

Although it has its roots in the LGBT+ communities Pride Month is for all. For me personally it is an opportunity reflect on how nature made me and the huge challenges that arose from this and to celebrate all I have achieved in dealing with this.

Who are Hannahs heroes and heroines?

Im not sure I have specific heroes as so many have gone before me who have stood up for who they were and played their part in the fight for understanding and acceptance.

However if I was to single anyone out it would probably be Julia Grant, who was the subject of the BBC documentary A Change of Sex broadcast in 1979.

I was 19 at the time and I was captivated. But I was also truly horrified at the appalling way she was treated. She had extraordinary courage and strength.

Oxford Mail:

How is Hannah involved in the community in Oxford?

I help run TransOxford, the Oxfordshire transgender support group. We provide advice and support to those who are transgender, especially those going through their journey of discovery, acceptance and dealing with it.

We support folks across the whole gender spectrum, with all degrees of dysphoria and the many different ways they deal with this. Everyone and their path is unique.

The group also forms a focus for the local trans community to connect and interact with other organisations and much of its work is involved in educating, working with and supporting other local groups and organisations.

Hannahs proudest achievement since working with the community in Oxford

Im not sure I have a proudest achievement. It was great to see four local Oxfordshire councils passing trans inclusion motions recently and to be able to support those involved in these.

I was proud to see our local politicians stand up to the sustained anti-trans hate campaign being orchestrated in this country by a small group of folks with extreme ideologies.

But what makes me happiest is to see those that come to us at the start of their journeys struggling both emotionally and in their lives and to see them gradually find and become true to themselves, as nature made them, and to move to being at peace within themselves and living, as my brother put it, as the person you were always supposed to be.

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This story was written by Sophie Perry. She joined the team in 2021 as a digital reporter.

You can get in touch with her by emailing: sophie.perry@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @itssophieperry

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More here:

The LGBTQ+ changemakers leading the way in Oxford - Yahoo News UK