In the 15th century, a teenager from rural France put on armor, led armies, and changed the course of a war - all while refusing to conform to what society said a person of her birth was allowed to do. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake at age 19, canonized as a saint five centuries later, and has been claimed by wildly different groups ever since. Today, many in the queer community claim her too - and for good reason.
Joan consistently wore men's clothing and refused to stop, even when the charge was used against her at trial. She described her identity and calling in terms that didn't fit neatly into the categories of her time. Whether we read her through a modern trans lens, as a gender-nonconforming figure, or simply as someone who defied every expectation placed on her, her story resonates deeply with queer experience.
This episode explores Joan's life, her trial, and the centuries of interpretation that followed. We talk about what it means to claim historical figures as queer icons, where that interpretation is grounded in evidence, and why Joan's particular kind of defiance still speaks to people today.
She was a warrior, a mystic, a revolutionary, and maybe - in the most important ways - one of ours.
Watch the video version: https://youtu.be/tTwa3NSod_k
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