One Barrier to Two-Spirit History: Settler Archives
Historians need to know more about the roles of two-spirit Native Americans, but relying on written records isn't always productive.
Hair, Gender, and Social Status in Ancient Egypt
Egyptian tomb chapels depict men, women, and children of different ranks in society. What can their hairstyles tell us about their lives?
Caregiving, Gender, and Power in Papua New Guinea
Among the Murik people, mothering isn't something that comes "naturally" to women who give birth; it's a form of power.
What’s Behind the Very Real Butch Quarantine Hair Crisis?
What's a masculine lesbian to do when her hair starts getting too long? Look at history for inspiration.
Who Were the Ladies of Llangollen?
Top hat connoisseurs, friends of princesses and poets, tchotchke models, dog lovers, cottage keepers...lesbians?
The Masculinization of Little Lord Fauntleroy
The 1936 movie Little Lord Fauntleroy broke box office records, only to be toned down and masculinized amid cultural fears of the “sissified” male.
Asimov’s Empire, Asimov’s Wall
The science fiction author Isaac Asimov engaged in forms of unwanted touching with countless women. It set the tone for the entire genre.
How Medieval Surgeons Shaped Sex and Gender
Our ideas about surgically “correcting” intersex conditions go back to a shift in the profession of surgery seven centuries ago.
The Gendering of Holiday Labor
Women in heterosexual relationships still do most of the domestic work. During the holiday season, the tasks multiply.
The End of Men, in 1870
In 1790, U.S. men were about twice as likely as U.S. women to be literate. But by 1870, girls were surpassing boys in public schools.