Lesbians in Hiding: The Obscurity of Lesbianism in the Medieval Period

Lesbians in Hiding: The Obscurity of Lesbianism in the Medieval Period

Leo Paquette

University of Northern British Columbia

Dr. Dana Wessell Lightfoot

WMST 312: Women and Gender in Medieval Europe

June 16, 2022

Lesbians in Hiding: The Obscurity of Lesbianism in the Medieval Period

In a heteronormative society that encourages a patriarchal equilibrium, lesbianism is a bleak and obscure concept that dwells among women and their sexuality. The observation of lesbianism in the medieval period is investigated and studied in the form of sexual activity. Such a perspective suggests a modern heteronormative lens that narrows the social history of lesbianism and lesbian-like behaviour. The limitations in which sexual activity serves as a basis for lesbianism eradicate women’s lesbian-like behavior to deviate from societal norms that restrict them from their sexual exploration. Furthermore, if the determination of sexuality is only considered through a heteronormative lens and sexual activity, lesbianism and the associated lesbian-like behaviour will linger in obscurity because of such a narrow analytical lens. Therefore, the artistic representation aims to conceptualize the ideologies of Judith Bennett’s (2000) and Martha Vicinus’ (1994) definition of lesbian-like behaviour, describing the methodologies in which lesbians operate beyond the context of sexual activities and more on behaviour that deviates from medieval societal norms. In addition, the artistic representation will include concepts from primary sources, such as the trial of Katherina Hetzeldorfer in 1477 (Puff, 2020) and Martin of Leibitz’s experience with a woman disguised as a man during his time in university (Shank, 1987). 

Understanding lesbianism; Lesbian-like Behaviour and Social History

Lesbian history is challenging to construct as fewer documents can describe the methodologies in which lesbianism operates. Moreover, identifying lesbianism in medieval Europe surrounds the fact that there is a lack of women documenting these experiences (Bennett, 2000). Judith Bennett (2000) proposes and argues that using an unbiased perspective in writing about medieval lesbianism enables modern historians the ability to be able to identify and define lesbians and their activities through a perspective that is appropriate in analyzing the medieval period. In addition, Bennett (2000) states that there are different forms in which lesbianism can manifest; however, the restriction lies in the heteronormative perspective that sexual advances of a woman to another woman determine these activities to be considered “lesbian-like.” This heteronormative perspective of sexual activity as the primary determinant of lesbianism in the medieval ages obscures the other methodologies in which lesbians operate in the medieval period. Incorporating the behaviour of women, not limited to sexual activities, involves the behaviour of “lesbian-like” women who deviate from societal norms (Bennett, 2000). Using contemporary definitions and frameworks in analyzing lesbianism in the medieval period is not functional, as these forms of contemporary perspectives and lenses have undergone significant shifts in definition and application.

As women faced restrictions imposed by men, their exploration of sexuality and sexual activities in lesbianism was obstructed. This obstruction in sexual activities allows evidence of lesbian-like behaviour, as proposed by Judith Bennett (2000). Benware (2017) mentions that sexual activities dictate the evidence in which lesbianism exists in the medieval period. Therefore, with such criteria, evidence of any form of lesbian-like behaviour is discarded. The parameter in which lesbian sexual activities dictate its existence limits a thorough understanding of the methodologies intertwined with women’s lives and sexuality. Furthermore, according to Vicinus (1994), a modern perspective of lesbianism involves self-identification or a visibly mannish woman. Given this kind of perspective, it does not allow the possibilities of lesbian-like behaviour to be analyzed for what it was in the medieval period (Vicinus, 1994).

In the trial of Katherina Hetzeldorfer in 1477, male figures of authority sought to condemn a woman for involving herself in sexual activities beyond societal comprehension. Within the religious doctrine, her actions are condemned as worthy of a perilous sanction. Puff (2020) mentions that the discourse of female sodomy exists in the legal setting as they configure legal methods to punish an unfathomable concept given the historical setting, practices, and beliefs during the early modern period. The trial of Katherina Hetzeldorfer had testimonies describing sexual activities attributed to her character and behaviour. In addition, with the treacherous sanction given to Katherina Hetzeldorfer as an offender of societal norms and religious doctrine, her actions and sanctions are aimed at warning individuals of the same sexuality. 

Martin of Leibitz’s experience with a woman disguised as a man during his time in university describes and aligns with Judith Bennet’s ideology encompassing lesbian-like behaviour (Shank, 1987). In Martin of Leibitz’s encounter with a woman exhibiting lesbian-like behaviour, he describes her as a woman pursuing knowledge in the academe. However, to participate in the academe, the woman had to take the role of a man, both in physical attributes and behaviour. If modern historians use sexual activities and a modern understanding of lesbianism, it is most likely that this evidence of lesbian-like behaviour will be discarded. Lesbian-like behaviour encompasses the deviances from the period’s societal norms, escaping the heteronormative lens of heterosexuality. In addition, Judith Bennett’s ideology regarding lesbian-like women creates nuances in lesbianism in the medieval period, creating a spectrum of evidence to determine the exploration of women and sexuality. 

Understanding Lesbianism in the Medieval Period through Contemporaneous Artistic Mediums 

The hindrance of a modern perspective involves the definition of sexuality in the current period; it has been altered based on volatile societal norms that represent the advancement of women and their disposition after the medieval period. Therefore, using a modern perspective and definition of women and their sexuality obscures lesbianism in medieval Europe. Furthermore, the modern perspective involves sexual activities, self-identification, and a visual representation as a basis of lesbianism (Vicinus, 1994), all of which can obscure the methodology of lesbians in the medieval period as these criteria are not observed in such a period. 

The medium used in the artistic representation comprises a canvas, metallic acrylic paint, modeling paste, and thin metal lines to represent a contemporary approach to analyzing lesbianism in the medieval period. Modern historians such as Judith Bennet and Martha Vicinus have recognized the essentiality of utilizing social history in analyzing lesbianism. Therefore, contemporary artistic mediums were used to exemplify the approach and perspective of identifying lesbian-like behaviour and not limited to sexual activity. The purpose of using contemporary mediums allows the manifestation of ideologies of modern historian and their arguments in analyzing lesbian-like behaviour intertwined with the social history of the medieval period. Furthermore, the contemporary medium also represents the constraints of using modern definitions of lesbianism or lesbian-like behaviour in analyzing lesbians in the medieval period; to illustrate and visualize the limitations of a heteronormative perspective of sexual activity as a basis for identifying lesbianism. 

Representing the Obscurity of Lesbianism Through Abstraction 

The goal of representing the obscurity of lesbianism in the medieval period lies in the methods in which the artistic representation is formed. The artistic representation is a textured abstract painting accompanied by an abstract metal line art—the modern abstract textured painting representing the contemporary art style. The color palette used in the painting is reminiscent of dark tones of color used in the medieval period. Furthermore, it represents the medieval period regarding lesbianism. The painting is abstract, representing our lack of a concrete form of understanding of lesbianism in the medieval period. The combination of both abstract and the color palette— represents the clash in perspective used to understand lesbianism. The texture of the painting refers to the detail that lesbianism has texture and has more to explore. It is not an abstract concept, after all. Finally, the metal line art represents the obscurity and how faint of presence lesbianism was in the medieval period due to the limitation of the perspective of sexual activities as a basis of the existence of lesbianism. It is an outline of a woman that is present and waiting to be filled in using the proper perspective. Overall, the artistic representation aims to highlight the need for using a perspective, such as Bennett’s definition of lesbian-like behaviour, to identify lesbianism in the medieval period. 

References

Bennet, M.J., (2000). “Lesbian-Like” and the Social History of Lesbianisms. Journal of the History of Sexuality, 9 (1/2), 1-24.

Bennett, J. M. (2010). History matters: Patriarchy and the challenge of feminism. University of Pennsylvania Press.

Benware, A.M., (2017). Lesbians in the Middle Ages: Bietris de Romans. Young Historians Conference, 1-10.

Puff, H., (2000). Female Sodomy: The Trial of Katherina Hetzeldorfer (1477). Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, 30 (1), 41-61.

Shank, H.M., (1987). A Female University Student in Late Medieval Krakow. Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 12 (2), 373-380.

Vicinus, M. (1994). Lesbian history: All theory and no facts or all facts and no theory? Radical History Review, 60, 57-75.