Episode 272: We Were Never Lost

“Today’s episode argues that queer and trans narratives have not been lost throughout history but were intentionally suppressed and miscategorised within various archival systems, such as folklore collections like the Aarne-Thompson-Uther classification. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, asserts that institutions like the British Museum and the methodologies of scholars like Stith Thompson functioned as “warehouses of empire,” actively obscuring gender-diverse stories and portraying trans existence as a modern phenomenon. Instead, Dr. Hoerricks highlights the continuity of trans and gender-nonconforming experiences through ancient myths, folktales (such as ATU 514, “The Shift of Sex”), and historical practices like Norse Seidr. Ultimately, she frames Pride as an act of “reclamation” and “spellwork,” emphasising the resilience and ongoing presence of these stories, which were never truly forgotten but rather held within the community until they could be “remembered” and openly shared.”

Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/we-were-never-lost-trans-continuity

Let me know what you think.