Lot's Wife Edition 4

Lot’s Wife • Edition Four
lot’s
wife
Lot’s Wife acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land, the people of the Kulin Nations. We pay our
respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty has never been ceded.
Recently I realised that the only time we see another
person’s face now is on the internet. Admittedly
there is a sense of disconnection and isolation not
being able to smile, show some teeth to a stranger, make
their day, even. Our point of communication is now bulky
through screens, pixels and delayed voices. At this point
of lockdown 2.0 none of us are strangers to the feeling of
loneliness. It’s difficult not to fixate on this, so for this issue
we want to give our readers something else to turn their
minds to.
Lot’s Wife Edition 4 is a reflection of all we have been
through together over this turbulent year. Articles, creative
stories, opinions, and poems all born in the bedrooms of
isolated souls. We are locked away in the tallest room of
the tallest tower waiting for Covid-19 to be slain. It’s okay
to need a distraction. It’s okay to need a break. It’s okay to
lose yourself in a book, a short story, a poem - we invite you
to find that solace here, amongst the words and thoughts of
Monash students.
In saying this, the world outside does keep turning. It
doesn’t feel like it inside our homes, unable to leave
without permission and reliving the same day over and
over. Fostering your mental health is important, but we ask
you to keep yourself informed to the best of your ability.
Marginalised communities have been locked in their houses
long before Stage 4 restrictions befell Victoria, as we saw in
the Flemington and North Melbourne housing blocks. The
unfolding events over the last few months prove to us how
much larger the world is than ourselves despite being trapped
behind our screens, stuck inside our four walls. #BLM
reminds us of that. George Floyd’s death reminds us of that.
We want to draw your attention to the words of Riya Rajesh
who we have republished in this edition, and the incredible
artwork by Siobhan Stephan and Maria Chamakala on our
front cover and opening pages. Your work inspires us.
So before you dig in, I want to make a final note on
something that’s been lingering on my mind during these
times: youth. I’ll admit mine makes me feel invincible - my
agility, fitness, capacity to push my body to all sorts of limits
and still be considered healthy. I am not elderly, and to my
privilege, disabled or immunocompromised. My fear of the
virus stems from the fear of spreading it rather than what
it will do to myself directly if I contract it. I have tried to
be as cautious and considerate as possible, and have abided
by state restrictions. But I do believe I can be doing more. I
feel that there are many young people who stand alongside
me on this. I am not here to call people out, or boast of my
privilege, but acknowledge it and my mistakes. If you feel the
same, then it’s more than time to up your game. Let’s extend
this respect and compassion fully and properly to the people
who are elderly or otherwise vulnerable, who are scared that
this virus will end their life. A large portion of our readers
and contributors being a university magazine sit in this
margin of young people. In reality, we are not invincible, and
our youth won’t necessarily protect us. Let’s get through this
together.
Keep safe, healthy, warm and cosy in your homes, curled up
with a copy of Lot’s Wife Edition 4 to get you through. Keep
your loved ones close and your Lot’s Wife closer, and we’ll
see you on the other side.
With love,
On behalf of the Lot’s Wife team,
Milly Downing
Creative Editor
EDITORIAL TEAM
Dao, Ryan Attard, Austin Bond, Milly Downing, Weng Yi Wong, Anna Fazio, Charith Jayawardana, Vivien Tran
Co-managing Editors Content Editors Marketing/Communications Editors Visual Editor
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