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Happy #SwordLesbianSaturday ! Today for this @MuseumBuddy collaboration between @ShibdenHall @BankfieldMuseum and I exploring LGBTQI connections we combine Anne Lister's legacy with my special interest in swordswomen and arms & armour! To ask... #WasAnneListeraSwordLesbian?
Wait back up...sword lesbians? And the answer is: yes. I am an art historian, curator, artist and a fencer (albeit definitely still a beginner) interested in sharing histories and creating stories around women with swords as well as feminist/queer perspectives in arms & armour!
You may be thinking that's niche. Well yes and no. When I talk about sword lesbians I'm talking about a general framework of research exploring the historical and cultural legacies of women with swords challenging gender and sexual norms. And there is some STUFF to explore there!
Welcome to another exciting day of @MuseumBuddy collaboration between @ShibdenHall @BankfieldMuseum and I exploring LGBTQI connections in heritage! This afternoon we take a closer look at what our sartorial sapphic Anne Lister wore and how she challenged gender norms in doing so!
What do we know of what Anne Lister wore? Much of what we can draw from comes from this portrait of her by Joshua Horner, circa 1830. While it may not have appear very gender conforming, this would have been a real slap in the face of norms pertaining to women's fashion back then 
By 1817, Anne Lister would have made the decision to only wear black - a decision she made before visiting a certain Ann Walker, her future wife! This colour choice would have been exceptional for a woman at the time, given its association with mourning..
