Trans and Genderqueer Subjects in Medieval Hagiography

In this important volume, Alicia Spencer-Hall and Blake Gutt bring together scholarship that rethinks, in creatively productive ways, how gender figures medieval representations of sainthood sanctity. While, for the past several decades, sexuality have featured importantly medievalist work on Christianity, only recently scholars begun to consider contemporary trans studies—with its attention transition genders escape or exceed male/female binary—can illuminate texts, experiences, histories. here provide a capacious space such work, resulting collection will facilitate further exciting exploration.The editors’ co-written introduction calls current ambivalent situation people, with some significant rights recognition having been won midst ongoing legal governmental efforts curtail existence. doing so, they emphasize is not simply matter academic concern; it might serve, too, as correction historical narratives construct nonconformity primarily (post)modern phenomenon. Through production new histories gender, can help genderqueer people stronger sense their own long-lived presence world. (The volume includes an extremely valuable appendix “trans studies terminology, language, usage.”)A number essays take up saintly lives who, assigned female at birth, ended living men, often within monasteries. These so-called transvestite saints garnered large body scholarly here, group, rethink scholarship, whose centering cross-dressing presents from male disguise deception. her essay, M. W. Bychowski responds directly earlier work—not by rejecting but critiquing, reworking, moving beyond it. Examining Life monk St. Marinos, turns Magnus Hirschfeld’s groundbreaking Transvestites (1910) highlight reading Marinos’s “transvestitism” “as distinct authentic state being” (247). On model theologies imago Dei imitatio Christi, proposes like enact “imago transvesti transvesti” (250), understood manifesting divine image imprinted soul person saint’s withdrawal world Christi embrace (imitatio transvesti) transgender process allowing soul’s self-expression.Several other similar Marinos’s. Martha G. Newman revisits Engelhard Langheim’s account Joseph Schönau, Cistercian Engelhard’s words “was woman although no one knew it” (44). Clearly, description depends upon binary, rethinks acceptance “gender essentialism” (45), turning analysis Joseph’s life (complicatedly) represent both man “realiz[ing] his identity” (49) “a fluidity which miraculously changes death” (53).Vanessa Wright Amy V. Ogden Old French Vie de sainte Eufrosine, also considers someone birth who enters monastery, taking ambiguous name, Esmarade. treats earliest text poem (ca. 1200), examining ways comment poem’s central action—Eufrosine’s father poet-narrator—employ discourses coded masculine feminine. Such crossings argues, contribute representation “the human highest nature genderless” (208), modeling readers “queer love” binary “exceed[s] boundaries individual worldly relationships” (217). three later Parisian manuscripts appears, visual Eufrosine/Esmarade Mauberge Fauvel Masters. The miniatures deploy gendered features always consistent emphasizing incorporation into monastic community, difference brother monks. saint appears sometimes eunuch, identity claimed Esmerade poetic text, gender.Blake takes material Tristan Nanteuil, figure Blanchandin·e, parent Gilles. Blanchandin·e’s trans, transformed male, disabled, impaired loss arm, restored. uses crip theory develop persuasive embodiment bodily impairment come sacred manifests itself complexly queer network social relations. As reveals “transgender . dereliction order rather radiant expression God’s will” (240).The considers, addition these, female-identified challenge norms. Caitlyn McLoughlin shows essay John Capgrave’s Katherine, refusal marriage childbearing “trades normative conception feminine power power” (76). While many conventional, intriguingly suggests foregrounding complex involves textual birth” (72). Like Juana la Cruz inhabits queerly. Kevin C. A. Elphick investigates Juana’s Vida theology expressions liminality. God initially forms utero after Virgin Mary’s intervention makes female, preserving Adam’s apple signify “divine re-gendering” (95). Taking role preaching, develops complex, paradoxical fluidity, “depict[ing] Father Son each pregnant other,” “transcend[ing] all categories” (102).Juana’s thought meshes well broader queerness theology, Sophie Sexon’s Christ’s wounds suggests. Sexon formulations focused feminization Christ specifically side wound, elaborating understanding instead nonbinary, incorporating feminine, masculine, agender potentialities. reads devotional objects birthing girdles Books Hours enabled devotees’ close contact mobilizing identifications nonbinary persons. (e.g., Ogden’s Bychowski’s), thinks toward reception, where transgender, subjects reflect through encounters representations.Two depart focus Western European Christendom traditions. Felix Szabo discusses Niketas David’s Byzantine eunuch Patriarch Ignatios, considering hagiographer deals challenges representing eunuchs, were treated lacking self-control, outside true masculinity. case Ignatios demonstrating chastity granted him virtue castration achieved “sexual self-restraint” (122), alongside “spiritual virility” allows ultimately be exempted category credited being “anēr” (a noncastrated man) (125), “spiritually fertile” manly athlete Christ” (127). Lee Colwill archeological evidence four burial sites Late Iron Age Scandinavia associated pre-Christian magical practice seiðr. burials around single differently realms. Or determined archeologically buried suggesting whom we characterize man. seiðr graves suggest, system was more complicated than simple binary” (193).In volume’s final Mathilde van Dijk provides effective epilogue, noting thematic threads crossing back forth across seeing these contributing development hagiographical, studies—especially furthering intervenes politics present. editors reemphasizes, serves “call arms” (30, 269) response vexed confronting our place time.All varied collected excellent, whole mounts invigorating argument about importance attending texts experiences Middle Ages. Of course, narrowly focused, themselves emphasize: “We recognize there are intersections substantively addressed collection. include sexualities; racial geographic diversity (almost sources European, assume whiteness default); disability; class” (28). They propose future decolonizing “might examine Christian notions identity, exceptionality sanctity non-Western models ‘exceptional’ and/or holy identities, example hijras Indian subcontinent, indigenous North American Two-Spirit individuals” (28–29). I would add, that, comparative work—for instance, Islam Judaism—would welcome. Then generalizations thought-provoking Gutt’s introduction—“Critics’ juxtaposition articulates evident, yet heretofore unspeakable, truth: did exist, religion fundamentally queer” (25)—would become bracing instructive.