Today is the anniversary of the death of Joan of Arc, a 15th century saint and symbol for France. She was born in 1412 and executed on May 30, 1431 at the age of 19. I had visited her monument in 1989 when I visited Paris. I had always admired her, but had never known her full story. Recently, she has gotten more global attention, becoming an icon for LGBTQ youth, cast as a cross dressing teenage warrior. I had actually never been aware that the crime she was charged with and burnt at the steak for was cross-dressing. It was always cited as heresy (which it was), but no one had ever discussed her wardrobe. While the only information we have about her sexuality was that she was a virgin, there is documentation that she reported dressing as a man (on and off the battlefield) for the purpose of preventing her becoming a victim of rape, as men wore double hose that were tied on and difficult to remove and being alongside male soldiers put her at great risk for assault. I think she can be an icon for all women, for being feminine and strong, for our protection and for our spirituality.
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AuthorCynthia Klatte, Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Archives
September 2022
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