COVID-19 and How It Impacts My Life: Uganda Queer Short Stories - Desert Island Series

COVID-19 and How It Impacts My Life: Uganda Queer Short Stories - Desert Island Series

Andrew:

The Desert Island Series are about COVID-19 and daily activities of life among the LGBTIQQ of Uganda. These are radical compositions countering deficit narratives used to justify othering, marginalization, externalisation and peripheralisation. This is an art of crafting, claiming and consolidating space for Queer persons to talk about, demand and recognise how they can promote self-determination and quality life. In the stories we celebrate innovations, executions and translations that culminate into lived realities and destinies.

Moderator and Interviewer: Tom Muyunga-Mukasa

Featuring: Any person willing to tell a story

Synopsis:

Meet Andrew, an adult Bisexual male Ugandan. The father is a lecturer at Kyambogo University and a director at a Management Institute. The mother is a leader of a Mothers’ Union. Andrew goes by the name Dre and uses the following pronouns: he, him, it, they, their and them comfortably. Dre pursued Sports Science at Makerere University and is the head personal trainer at a popular City Gym; here he is sharing his struggles, tribulations, triumphs and lessons during COVID-19 restrictions.

Tom: Are you happy we are doing the Desert Island Series and please tell us about yourself? 

Dre: Thank you. I am so happy to be here. I am Andrew Daniel Kironde an independent Instructor Physical Calisthenics, a model and a father to 2 daughters. I go by the name Dre.

Tom: Thank you for joining us.

Dre: You are welcome.

Tom: According to research, the biggest physical challenge for people as they grow older or when they are confined, is maintaining muscle mass and strength. On average, people to lose up to 5% of their muscle when they when they are not active. Now that we are under COVID-19 restrictions, what tips do you give our readers?

Dre: First of all, I argue them to follow the government and ministry of health advisory. Having said that, I am for regular strength training because it can slow that loss and even increase muscle mass up to when you make 100 years of age.

Tom: Wait, I am aware it is possible to keep stout and toned even in one’s 90's. But what is the big deal about staying fit even while we are confined in our homes?

Dre: Yes, it is.  I was reading from one of the top physical trainers. According to Dr. Steven Makovitch, an instructor in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, "increased muscle mass has benefits beyond physical strength, too," he says. "Staying fit can reduce your fear of falls, increase confidence, and help you sleep better."

Tom: Interesting, tell us more please!

Dre: It makes it easier for one to be flexible and provides what I call stay-ability. One can reach for things comfortably without tearing a muscle or tendon. They say a fruit a day, keeps the germ away. I dare say, a 5-15 minute work-out a day keeps joint stiffness away.

Tom: Awesome! Tell us, there is this notion and I do not know where it came from. Is it true that to stay fit one has to have a sophisticated gym or come to the City Gym?

Dre: You have raised an important point. Well, your one's own body weight, those water storage Jerry cans, your pails, the spare tyre in one's car, the discarded gear box, a box of washing soap and any domestic materials that are labelled with weights can be used as lift, push or pull objects. If one lifted, pulled and pushed weights regularly they get back their muscle tone. One does not have to have six-packs or the perfect Hollywood-Arnold like body. Although there is nothing wrong about trying to get to that pinnacle. I have to warn our readers, our bodies are as diverse as finger prints.

Tom: How is that? Tell us more please.

Dre: The body physique is very much a result of your own physiology, background, physical engagement, endurance, enthusiasm, motivation, age, professional life, height and weight.

Tom: I see. Social factors come into play as far as how our bodies turn out.

Dre: Sure.

Tom: Tell us more about how one can improvise a home gym please.

Dre:  We have the “Keep in Sight” rule. Home gym equipment must be easy to store when one is not using it. Renowned instructors recommend placing these items within eyesight as a constant reminder to exercise.  I personally use bands a lot. So, I drape my bands the bathroom door. Take note, if you have a partner first agree on where to stow the “gym equipment.”  My partner has encouraged me immensely to pursue my career. However when our daughters visit, we have to keep away some of the bands for fear of leaving them lying around in case children trip and fall. One can leave them in the room where they watch TV, that way one can do their routine before or during a favourite show.

Tom: The lock down seems to be going on and on. What are some of those in-your-face or plain sight work out tips or objects you can give to our readers?

Dre: I want to reassure the readers that home workouts can produce good results. A 2017 pilot study in F1000Research found that unsupervised home-based exercise or work out programmes for four weeks improved muscle mass, power, and strength. I add that one does not need to have a lot of space or money to set up a good home gym. The area where one’s mattress can fit is enough for doing work outs.  Also one can do a lot with just four basic items that cost less and don't take up much room.

Tom: What are those four?

Dre: The first is one’s own body weight. The best use of one’s body weight can be manifest through three movements or activities. One is just stand upright and breathe deeply in, hold your breathe for about 5-10 seconds and then breathe out.  The second activity: make 50 squats in the morning and 50 in the evening. Third, do 10 press ups in the morning and 10 in the evening. Fourth and my favourite: do 20 sit-ups and leg-raises in the morning and evening. This will give one the right thicknesses and greater resistance and can be just as effective. Remember it is your own body weight that you are using to tone up. Your own muscle memory never fades. Your self-awareness is continuous and you are conscious of a wellness that only comes after consistent work out.

Tom: What are the other three basic items, as it were?

Dre:  The elastic resistance bands. These lightweight bands come in various thicknesses for lesser or greater resistance and can be just as effective as most gym weight machines for improving strength, according to a study published in the March 1, 2018, Journal of Sports Science & Medicine. One can also use disused bicycle tyre inner tubes. These can be cut accordingly and they are as effective as bands.

·         One can also get the 10 litre Jerry cans or easily handled objects that weigh five- to 10 kilos. Consider these as your home dumbbells. You don't need heavy weights to see and feel results. Light weights can be used regularly and these add to your body weight to offer greater resistance. Beginning with lighter weights also can reduce your risk of injury while you build up your strength and endurance. It is possible and please don’t be shy about it or feel small. Make plans on a chart and pin them up. Call it your work out charter. This is part of self-care during the COVID-19 time.

·    The stability ball is a good item to have. Stability balls are used to perform various kinds of core exercises. One must use your core muscles to keep the ball from moving and prevent sliding off. The stability ball also can be used along with bands and dumbbells in exercises to provide an extra core workout. Stability balls come in different sizes. It is important that users who are 5 feet, 2 inches to 5 feet, 11 inches tall should use an 18-inch-wide ball, while those 6 feet and over should use a ball 22 to 26 inches wide. When one cannot afford a stability ball, they can use also dance. The choreography moves that require fast paced interspersed with slow ones while other body areas are moving is also good enough. This means that dance can be as effective where stability balls are missing.

Tom: Wow! Tell us a little bit about that moment in your childhood in school that made you aware of your sense of agency and autonomy.

Dre: What? (Silence...mulling over something)......

One day, a log time back we were at the school parade and one of the boys in our school who had epilepsy went into epileptic episodes. The boy fell down hard and was all shaking. We were all shocked and run away to a distant. One of the teachers looked around and run to rescue the boy. She took off her belt, folded in form of a tongue. The opened the boys mouth and placed it there.. Next she struggled to tune him facing up. I just moved from the crown of students and went to help her. Some other teachers approached us later. As if nothing had happened, the boy came to and just stood up! We became friends with this boy and I was assigned to encourage him take medication. This same boy was very intelligent and we read books together. He helped me with my reading and sums. It turned out that I got to know so much about some things hidden in our bodies. It helped me come to terms with what I felt inside me. I became braver and authentic to myself. That is the time I knew have romantic feelings for both boys and girls. I could not tell what it was but it was there in me. We performed so well and my grades got me into College and I am sure that experience is what formed in me my understanding of human diversity.

Tom: Let us talk about COVID-19. What tip are you giving to families in their homes?

Dre: It is possible to protect oneself against COVID-19 indeed. Wash those hands with soap and keep following the government regulations.

Tom: Thank you Dre. We are about to wind up. This being Desert Island we give you a chance to choose an activity to do were you to find yourself in isolation but with all the comforts one needs in life. Also give a last tip to our readers on COVID-19 prevention.

Dre: Aahhhhhhhh!

Tom: Yes, come on!

Hahahahahahahaha!

Dre: That is a hard one Tim…..rather Tom, I am sorry!

Tom: No problem, I get that a lot!

Dre: If I were to be at the Desert Island, I shall want to have a masseur to come with us to the island. Surely I am allowed to come with my boyfriend, right?  

Tom: Yes!

Dre: Now you are talking. Okay, to our readers, wash those hands with soap; wipe those surfaces with detergent, if you are to venture out put on masks and move with a pair of gloves and pocket sanitiser. Stay safe, stay home.

Tom: Thank you so much Dre, I hope you will like us to make more series of this with you?

Dre: Yes, no problem!