New book: “Queerness in the Early Modern Russian Orthodox Church” by @nick-mayhew.bsky.social reveals that the church blessed same-sex unions, honored transgender saints and tolerated homosexuality from 1500-1800. Surprise bestseller at Q Spirit! #FaithfullyLGBT www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXPZNG7...

Queerness in the Early Modern Russian Orthodox Church (Genders and Sexualities in History)

Queerness in the Early Modern Russian Orthodox Church (Genders and Sexualities in History)

amazon.com

Excited to announce my first ever panel at #IMC2026! 🎉 Our session, 'Negotiating Masculinity in Eastern Orthodoxy', brings together papers from @nick-mayhew.bsky.social, Orlen Crawford (co-organiser) and myself, with @maroulix.bsky.social as moderator. @imc-leeds.bsky.social @leedsims.bsky.social

How can we use history stories as a tool for liberation? Three Trans+ creatives share their insights 👇 https://www.wearequeeraf.com/how-do-we-tell-trans-history-so-we-can-all-learn-from-it/

How do we tell Trans+ history, so we can all learn from it?

How can we use history stories as a tool for liberation? Three Trans+ creatives share their insights

wearequeeraf.com

Petition started by students in Modern Languages at the University of Leicester. The department has been told it will close despite its stellar NSS record and brilliant teaching and research - the same devastating short-term thinking as elsewhere. Please sign and share www.change.org/p/save-moder...

Sign the Petition

Save Modern Languages courses at the University of Leicester

change.org

Horrified by the proposed closure of Modern Languages @uniofnottingham.bsky.social This would end language higher education in the East Midlands & decimate the uni’s research profile. Shortsighted and reckless. #University_of_Little_England #SaveNottinghamLanguages #WeAreUoN

My book "Queerness in the Early Modern Russian Orthodox Church" published today! 🏳️‍🌈🙏 The ebook is free with institutional access. link.springer.com/book/10.1007...

Wow. The University of Chicago, a world-class institution whose humanities faculty in the past has included Homi Bhabha & Lauren Berlant & Ralph Ellison & Hannah freaking Arendt, is getting rid of basically every graduate department involving the acknowledgment that other cultures & languages exist.

We stand in solidarity with this M&S employee. Discriminatory attitudes should never be pandered to at the expense of the dignity of your employees. We’ve signed. Will you sign and share? #TransRightsAreHumanRights

What The Trans?! 🏳️‍⚧️@whatthetrans.com · 12mo ago

An open letter to M&S that people can sign openletter.earth/an-appeal-to...

“This is not what the EHRC was made for” 💯🏳️‍⚧️💖

LGBT Liberal Democrats and a number of other Liberal Democrats groups have called for Baroness Falkner and Bridget Phillipson to resign.

LGBT+ Liberal Democrats 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️@pluslibdems.bsky.social · last yr.

The UKSC ruling was an opportunity for the government and the EHRC to step up and commit to affirm the rights of all. They've failed on every measure, choosing to peddle hate and discrimination instead. We've heard enough: Kishwer Falkner and Bridget Phillipson must resign. 1/2

I keep re-reading this. Like a single moment of calm in a bullshit storm.

ChooseKindness@kindauthors.bsky.social · last yr.

#AltText

Let's see if we can get this to 100,000 signatures. petition.parliament.uk/petitions/70...

Petition: Allow transgender people to self-identify their legal gender.

We believe the government should change legislation to make it easier for trans people of all ages to change their legal gender without an official diagnosis of gender dysphoria.

petition.parliament.uk

We know today may feel especially heavy for our trans and non-binary siblings. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or affected by the UK Supreme Court’s decision, please know you’re not alone. We’re here for you every day from 10am to 10pm. #TransRights #Trans #NonBinary #SupremeCourt #Gender

Given who the court chose to consult, it’s hard to see the ruling in favour of For (Some) Women Scotland as anything other than predetermined.

UK Supreme Court ruling on a dispute around trans rights by hearing from 3 trans hate groups is like watching a show trial in Putin’s Russia. How can such a “hearing” have any credibility?

BREAKING: New Action by Trans Kids Deserve Better (TKDB) TKDB are holding a protest inside Victoria Station. Updates, Photos and more video to follow.

1/🧵🔴 DAY 2 - Live tweeting the UK Supreme Court hearing: For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers Hate groups are asking the court to rule that, in the everyday application of anti-discrimination laws, a trans person’s affirmed gender should not be recognised.

A legal case starts in the UK Supreme Court today to clarify the meaning of 'sex' in the Equality Act. It's the latest in a long line of efforts to change 'who counts' as a woman, to the exclusion of trans women. @bbcphilipsim.bsky.social summarises events so far... www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Supreme Court to hear case on definition of a woman

Judges will consider a legal challenge which could affect how women and trans people are treated.

bbc.co.uk

#VIDAblog managing editor @paigedonaghy.bsky.social recently launched our new "Premodern Gender" series! In the latest blog, @markjmasterson.bsky.social explores the history of homoeroticism in histories from the tenth-century Byzantine empire 👑 Read here ⬇️ www.auswhn.com.au/blog/a-man-t...

A Man-to-Man Whipping and a Promotion in Byzantium | Australian Women's History Network

In this blog, Mark Masterson explores the history of homoeroticism in histories from the tenth-century Byzantine empire.

auswhn.com.au

The Early Slavic Studies Association just awarded an honorable mention to my article about the sex lives of Russian saints! 🥳 In it, I ask where we find historical sources for the Russian Orthodox Church’s “traditional values”? The answer, in a nutshell: nowhere… eprints.gla.ac.uk/284349/1/284...

Good to see this article from the Telegraph acknowledging our survey that found up to 87% of our members feel they experience potentially unlawful harassment when ‘gender critical’ beliefs are articulated in their workplace… archive.vn/2023.09.24-0...

Petition the government to end all forms of Conversion Therapy. A new government means previous petitions go unanswered. So, we must grow support once again. Sign now 👉 petition.parliament.uk/petitions/70...

Petition: Ban all forms of conversion therapy

We want the government to ban all forms of conversion therapy.

petition.parliament.uk

Avery Greatorex - Green Party@greenpartyavery.bsky.social · 2y ago

The petition to call a General Election now is so silly but it's exactly what you expect from the right. In other news, we have a new government so yet again we can push a petition to ban conversion therapy, a much better cause. Sign now - petition.parliament.uk/petitions/70...

In lieu of academic content, I was moved by this beautiful memorial to a dog on my walk earlier. I often think how tragic it is that a pet is for such a finite time, but it reminds me to cherish now. “It’s better to remember with love, than to hold on without love” (Mikhail Kuzmin, 1906). 🐾 ♥️

I’ll start by plugging my last press article for @uk.theconversation.com about queer soldiers in the war in Ukraine: theconversation.com/ukraines-lgb... Why doesn’t the media report that gay Chechens are forcibly sent to die in Ukraine? Solidarity with queers of all nationalities 🏳️‍🌈 and Ukraine 🇺🇦

Ukraine’s LGBTQ+ soldiers call for more rights – as Russia forces minorities into active service

Ukraine’s LGBTQ soldiers continue to face discrimination and abuse, despite some changing attitudes.

theconversation.com

Excited to join Bluesky! I never got into academic Twitter, but I hope to give Bluesky a try. I’m looking forward to keeping up-to-date with my fellow academics & queer activists, and to sharing some of my own views on all things LGBTQ+, Russophone and spiritual 🙏✌️

The Prime Minister should make a statement, immediately, to confirm whether UK missiles have been fired into Russia. Full statement below.