Dressing Dykes: A History Of Lesbian Fashion

PLEASE READ THE FAQ’S AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE TO ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS ABOUT BOOKINGS AND RECORDINGS <3

Lesbian Fashion: a non-chronological history’ is a lecture about lesbian fashion over the last 200 years, approached in a non-chronological way. It will hop from Anne Lister, a lesbian heiress in the early 19th century, to the lesbian activist group the Lavender Menace in the 1970s, with many stops afterwards and in between. It will set the scene for lesbian fashion history and be a site to discuss what we can learn from lesbian fashion – whether in the context of broader fashion history, LGBTQ history, or the place of lesbians today. This lecture will study lesbian clothing from paintings, photographs and written accounts, and reflect on why they might be important, both in their own time and in ours.

This lecture is built upon the idea of inclusivity, but specificity. It focuses on lesbian fashion histories because they deserve their own space, but there is no room for biphobia or transphobia within this discussion.

____________________________________

Eleanor Medhurst is a lesbian fashion historian from Brighton, UK, currently living in Birmingham with her wife. She started the blog Dressing Dykes after finishing her MA in History of Design and Material Culture at the University of Brighton. She also has a BA in Fashion and Dress History. Her studies, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level, revolved around uncovering and analysing lesbian history through the lens of clothing. In the fields of queer and fashion history she believes that lesbian fashion is either sidelined or completely invisible – Dressing Dykes was created to be a space where it is prioritised.

Eleanor has presented previous research at various conferences including the Lesbian Lives Conference (2019), The Gayness in Queer Times Conference (2019), and the Queer Legacies Conference (2018). Later in 2021 she is presenting a paper about the “first modern lesbian,” Anne Lister, at the Association of Dress Historian’s New Research Conference.

____________________________________

OUR SPRING TERMS LECTURES!

12TH APRIL – COURAGE CALLS: CELEBRATING MINORITIES IN THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT – Sofia Barton

19TH APRIL – BAUHAUS WOMEN: GENDER TROUBLE IN UTOPIA – Maria Bonner

26TH APRIL – SHE SHOOTS, SHE DRAWS: A HISTORY OF WOMEN IN ANIMATION – The Invisible Women Archive: Rachel and Camilla

3rd MAY – GIRLS AND INK: TRADITIONS AND GENITAL TATTOOING -Dr Kimberly Baltzer-Jaray

10TH MAY – DRESSING DYKES: A HISTORY OF LESBIAN FASHION – Eleanor Medhurst

17TH MAY – ART VS CRAFT: TEXTILES AND GENDERED MATERIALS – Florence Carr

24TH MAY – LEE MILLER AND LAURA KNIGHT: WOMEN ON THE FRONT-LINES – Maria Bonner

31ST MAY – WHO’S AFRAID OF THE NIPPLE? CENSORSHIP, THE FEMALE BODY AND SOCIAL MEDIA – Emma Shapiro

2ND JUNE – CENSORED BODIES TALK BACK – Panel Discussion with Emma Shapiro

7TH JUNE – THE STARVING ARTIST: UNDERSTANDING EATING DISORDERS IN CONTEMPORARY ART – Ally Zlatar

14TH JUNE – SEX WORK, ART AND REPRODUCTIVE LABOUR – Lena Chen

21ST JUNE – CANCELLING GAUGUIN: SEXUALISED BODIES, SENSUOUS GEOGRAPHIES AND THE LEGACY OF EXOTICISM – Rowan Gard

____________________________________

Please read the following FAQ’s as you may find the answer you are looking for already listed below. If these do not answer your question, then please email us with the subject heading “UNRESOLVED ENQUIRY” and we will be in touch as soon as possible.

Thank you for your patience!

Love, LDG