An exciting history of marginalized identities in the Middle Ages. The book "Byzantine Intersectionality" reveals the intriguing and less-examined discussions in medieval thought and visual culture regarding sexual and reproductive consent, bullying, same-sex and erotic interest relationships, non-binary gender identities, and the portrayal of ethnic minorities. Roland Betancourt explores these issues within the context of the Byzantine Empire, using sources from late antiquity and early Christianity to the early modern period.

Highlighting the subtle and remarkably modern approaches by medieval writers, philosophers, theologians, and doctors, Betancourt offers a new history of gender, sexuality, and race. He combines art, literature, and an impressive variety of texts to explore depictions of sexual consent in images of the Virgin Mary, sexual shaming tactics in the history of Empress Theodora, narratives of transgender monks, depictions of same-sex desire in images of Doubting Thomas, and gender and ethnic identity stereotypes in representations of the Ethiopian Eunuch.

Additionally, it gathers evidence from medical manuals describing procedures, from surgical practices for abortions to a plethora of processes used to affirm a person's gender identity. Showing how perceptions of gender, sexuality, and race have continued to intersect, "Byzantine Intersectionality" offers a revolutionary insight into the culture of the medieval world.

Publication Year: 2023, Dimensions: 15.2x15.2cm