- Teacher: Elizabeth Kukorelly Leverington
Some gender historians claim that it was in the eighteenth century that dichotomous gender structures became most firmly entrenched in Britain. Some argue that this was done against a backdrop of growing denunciation of homosexual behaviour; however, it is also clear that this was a time where amazingly diverse lives could be lived and written about, and when a vibrant gay subculture existed in London. During this seminar, we will explore this moment in the constitution of heteronormative and patriarchal gender structures, as we discuss and critique a selection of texts drawn from different genres. We will also read a handful of theoretical texts to help us understand the implications of the primary texts.
Please note: some of the primary texts contain virulent homophobia and transphobia. Also, many of the texts that we read are only available in facsimile eighteenth-century editions, so they may be hard to read.