Becoming Lesbian: A Queer History of Modern France

• Department of History

As part of the LGBT+ History Month Italia, the Queer and Feminist Studies and the Oral History Working Groups are jointly organising a one-day workshop on Queer & Oral Histories with Tamara Chaplin, author of the recently published book 'Becoming Lesbian: A Queer History of Modern France'.

Professor Chaplin will present her book in the morning, which will also be discussed by EUI researchers in relation to their work. In the afternoon, Professor Chaplin will convene a workshop where researchers present sources they wish to discuss with the group. We will focus on methodological practices employed by Chaplin in writing this book, such as archival work, interviewing, and oral history, as well as their use in ‘queering’ histories. 

'Becoming Lesbian' is a monumental work on female same-sex intimacy, drawing on many sources, from ego documents through visual sources and publications to interviews filmed by the author. Creating and analysing this extensive lesbian archive, the author explores the histories of queer women’s sexual identification in public spaces and public media, from interwar Paris to present-day France. While the book focuses on one specific national history, its methods, conceptual frameworks, findings, and claims are a significant contribution to modern history and queer studies.

We can only accommodate a limited number of people for the afternoon workshop. Spots will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. The sources will be pre-circulated to participants before the workshop. Please register to get a seat or to receive the ZOOM link.