We are partnering with creatives to document how they are spending their days at home in isolation during the coronavirus pandemic.
Bethany C. Meyers is the latest to continue our Lockdown Diary Series. The LGBTQ+ activist, body positivity advocate and founder of be.come is taking things slow during quarantine, but that is by no means getting in their way of making a difference. In fact, the upstate New Yorker is brushing up on their gardening, educating themself of race issues, and using their platform to donate to subscriptions to those affected by Covid-19, now including black activists and other people of colour.
tmrw: How have you continued your activism during lockdown?
Bethany: Quarantine is an interesting time. At the beginning, I felt so trapped, but as time continued, I actually felt like I was offered space to be able to do the things that I wanted because I’m not distracted by leaving the house or, for myself, I haven’t been living in the city. Something that myself and my spouse have been doing is that we’re taking time to really educate and read in the mornings. Mornings have become a kind of peaceful time. This week I’ve been focusing on the types of racism that exists within this system, so this morning I’ve been learning about racism in wellness, racism and diet culture and understanding where some of that comes from. I’ve also started reading the book ‘Me and white supremacy’ which is an awesome book by Layla F Saad.
tmrw: How have you dealt with your mental health during lockdown?
Bethany: I definitely struggle with that, and I have to really work on different ways to cope. I’ve been going to therapy, which I’ve done for five or six years now with the same therapist. I think therapy is super important and is a part of self-growth and self-discovery. I also like take walks outside and putting my phone away is really helpful, especially when I’m feeling overly anxious, so stepping away from social media or stepping away from this screen seems to help. Another tactic that maybe doesn’t seem much like health care but can be helpful is reverting back to childhood activities, whether that’s eating a bowl of cinnamon toast crunch cereal or watching a movie from my childhood. A good Disney movie can feel nice, and you don’t have to think too much, so go watch a Disney movie!
tmrw: Have you learned something new about yourself while you’ve been in lockdown?
Bethany: Something I have been thinking about is how multifaceted we are and that we can be more than just one thing. My relationship with living in this city is such a piece of who I am, so it’s nice to be able to step away and say I can be both and that I can have a love for like both of the environments that I live in. So, probably the biggest thing that I’ve learned is exploring a more multifaceted side of myself that can exist in many different spaces.
