Disrupting Gender - From Desert Saints to Drag Scenes

Ancient Christian writers were fascinated by women who claimed to be men, whether in a spiritual way or by dressing in men’s clothes and performing ‘manliness’ in their daily lives. Professor Kate Cooper will share the story of Pelagia, the most provocative of the gender-disrupting saints, and explore why religious devotion leads people to break the social ‘rules’ in the most dramatic way possible.

What does gender expression mean to a scientist? Or to a historian?
We invite you to a panel discussion between a history professor and STEM scientists who are also drag performers, offering intriguing perspectives on gender expression.
Let’s unpack the past together to explore how it shapes our present in a dialogue about the intersections between sciences, history, gender, and feminism.