So is this image of Lady Strachan and Lady Warwick ‘lesbian history’? The Wellcome Library has it catalogued under the topics ‘Lesbians’ and ‘Lesbian Couples’, which instantly makes the record accessible to users looking for female same-sex love. From a public history point of view, such accessibility is great. But is labeling it as ‘lesbian’ telling the user before they know the context, or subjects of the image, that this is definitely an image of lesbians, implying a full sexual relationship? Furthermore, Hall raised the point that this image may not be about FEMALE sexuality at all, but instead about the sexuality of the Ladies’ husbands. By questioning their control and power over their wives, it calls their masculinity into disrepute. Does this then exclude it from being labelled as ‘lesbian’?

Here’s some more of our “besties”:

[–] Deceptichum@quokk.au 3 points 6 months ago

“We can’t say for sure they’re lesbians, but this penis shaped dildo rock is without a doubt a ceremonial object”