Why My Name Is Paige
My name’s Elysha Paige - but it wasn’t always that. This is my third surname - and no I’ve never been married.
Two years ago, I decided I didn’t want something as important as my name to be a trophy for the man it belonged to. Especially, one who is absent and / or abusive - so I changed it to one that no man could claim; Paige.
I see my name change as the first critical step in reclaiming my authentic self, there have been many more steps after that and a lot more ahead.
Publishing this blog is the current step. A step that’s been years in the making since many of the early articles in this blog will be those that have been sat half written on my laptop for a while that I’ve been too scared to finish or share.
Nothing that I write in here represents the "final version" of me and I feel like that’s what I’ve been waiting for before I share - but that means I’ll literally never share anything until I’m like 100 years old. I’m growing and experiencing new things so my world view is always changing.
So… here is my blog… I’ll take comfort in the fact that few people will be reading but for those of you who do, thanks for being interested, or at the least - a bit nosey!
Cheers,
Elysha Paige X
Why my wedding day is not "the best day of my life". | 25th Oct 2025
I’ve never really subscribed to the idea that your wedding day should be or is "the best day of your life". I don’t believe in the concept of a "best day of your life". Because if you gave me the opportunity to relive the "best day of my life" or my wedding day over and over again - I wouldn’t take it. I prefer to refer to periods of time and reflect in that [read more…]
I’m Creative (?) | 18th Oct 2025
It’s 2011 and I choose Textiles as a GCSE. I want to be a fashion designer. I design a denim ball gown, patchwork with lighter and darker blues. I can still see it so clearly now. We start our first project and everyone’s making cushion covers but I’m set on doing a dress. It was short, pink, and remained unfinished. I had the design perfectly in my head, [read more…]
Transformation | 11th Oct 2025
This crow visited a few nights in a row and repeatedly pecked at the window. The first night it happened, I was home alone and the sound made me jump. It made a mess - peck marks allover the glass. I thought it was strange the first time, never mind the next night and the night after. I Googled it and the factual explanation is that apparently [read more…]
A Reading Complex | 24th Feb 2024
I didn’t read much as a kid and until shit went down with JK Rowling, I’d always been a bit embarrassed that I’ve never even read Harry Potter. The only series of books I’ve read that gave me that “not able to put down” feeling was the Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging series - and I’d actually read it before the film came out (and then fell in love with [read more…]
Throw a Fucking Birthday Party | 8th Jan 2023
It’s my birthday tomorrow! This one feels extra special because this year, the day falls on the same day of the week I was born; Monday! That feels very fitting for me and my personality. I actually really like Mondays because being productive is something that feels easy to me. It’s how I avoided my anxiety and feelings for a long time and still catch myself doing from time to time now [read more…]
“The Life Story”
Passing
I’m a mixed-race, working class woman who passes as white, middle class. That sentence makes me feel deeply uncomfortable and even typing these words makes me feel like I’m taking up space that should be for somebody else; somebody like me who doesn’t "pass". But this is my truth and I want to honour it. Part of that truth is that I have benefitted from the privilege that comes from within a system that disproportionately advantages white, [read more…]