One of the topics looming over this blog (though likely to be addressed in the podcast) is the historic ambiguity between the expression of gender identity and the use of gender presentation to accommodate heteronormative expectations in the context of same-sex desire. Or, to put it in less academic terms: the conflict between interpreting a historic individual as a trans man or a cross-dressing lesbian.
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Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 30b - The State of Lesbian Historicals in 2018 - transcript
(Originally aired 2019/01/12 - listen here)
I’ve gotten in the habit of doing a year-end summary of my creative output, if only to convince myself that I really have accomplished something after all. It’s funny: people have a tendency to react as if I’m boasting, or making the lists to try to make other people feel bad. But for me it’s an emotional survival tool. What have I done? What do I have to show for all the time, energy (and money) I’ve poured into the projects of my heart? Am I putting those resources into things that bring return? The intangible returns are the connections and friendships I make.
This is a dense and wide-ranging study of lesbian-relevant themes in Indian history, literature, religion, and politics, covering the entire range of history from the earliest written records up through the present day. I'll confess that I'm not familiar enough with the literary and religious traditions to be able to take in a lot of the nuances, but Thadani does a great job of providing both an overview and deep dives within an amazingly compact volume.
Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 29e - At the Mouth by Gurmika Mann - transcript
(Originally aired 2018/12/29 - listen here)
Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 30a - On the Shelf for January 2019 - Transcript
(Originally aired 2018/01/05 - listen here)
Welcome to On the Shelf for January 2019.
'Tis the season for the giving of gifts. And so, completely randomly, I want to give some person a gift. Comment here with the title of one of the books covered on the Lesbian Historic Motif Project blog that you desperately want to own. I will pick a winner semi-randomly (*) and send it to you. This offer is not limited by geography but applies to either hard-copy or (if available) e-book, as preferred.
I wish I had time to go into more detail about the individual readings collected in this volume, rather than simply summarizing the explanatory material. But if you have any interest in finding out more about the rich history of same-sex relations on the subcontinent--especially before the colonial era--it would be worth tracking down this volume. The editors are working from within their own cultures and have personally created many of the translations included here.
I've rearranged the order the next several publications come in, because this one seemed like a good one to kick off the sequence of material on Asia. I feel very self-conscious about how thoroughly Euro-centric the majority of the Project is, but at the same time, I have many of the same limitations discussed in this article. In particular, I'm largely limited to material published in English. But I've added half a dozen new items to my to-do list and maybe they'll point me towards some other useful sources.
Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 29d - Queen Anne - transcript
(Originally aired 2018/12/22 - listen here)
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