A Short History of Queer Women
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Average rating3.5
No, they weren’t ‘just friends’! Queer women have been written out of history since, well, forever. ‘But historians famously care about women!’, said no one. From Anne Bonny and Mary Read who sailed the seas together disguised as pirates, to US football captain Megan Rapinoe declaring ‘You can’t win a championship without gays on your team’, via countless literary salons and tuxedos, A Short History of Queer Women sets the record straight on women who have loved other women through the ages. Who says lesbians can’t be funny?
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The author is quite cheeky, which makes for a funny read about a serious topic. There's SO MUCH historical content (and historical figures) discussed that it would be quite an undertaking to verify all of the reference material. Still, it certainly would provide a starting point to research individuals and eras.
What I primarily appreciate about the book is learning that straightwashing exists, that is, the explaining away, ignoring, or just plain revisionist history where queer women are involved. While that's sadly no surprise, it was an informative and eye-opening read. I'm not sure if it's to the full extent the author purports, but I wouldn't be surprised (and I'm sure for every story she told, there are many more that remain unknown).
