thequeerhistorian

[thequeerhistorian]

genuinely I think maria reynolds should have been able to publish her own pamphlet. just for fun :)

[thequeerhistorian]

Selena Quintanilla - Queen of Tejano

If any of you grew up in the 90s to early-2000s, you know about Selena Quintanilla. Whether it's hearing her music on the radio, or your mom's CDs/playlists, or you were made to watch the movie every year in your Spanish classes. As I have grown up, trying to learn about my own Mexican heritage, I have had the joy of teaching her songs to my mom and learning about her story. Selena has certainly become a beloved icon to Mexican heritage in general, and her love only grows with each generation that is taught about her. In celebration of this Hispanic-American Heritage Month, I want to be another person to highlight the incredible memory of the incredible Selena Quintanilla, the queen of Tejano music.

Selena was born April 16, 1971 in Lake Jackson, Texas. She was the youngest of three children to her parents, Abraham Quintanilla and Marcela Ofelia Samora. Selena and her siblings, Suzette and Abraham III. (A.B.) The Quintanilla family would end up opening a restaurant that would be the thing to propel Selena and her family's future.

Abraham Quintanilla was a former musician, specializing in Tejano music. (or, "tex-mex" music - a blend of both Mexican and US influences) He wanted to get his children involved in the world of music, so he had them form a band known as Selena y Los Dinos. Abraham would have Suzette play drums, A.B. on guitar, and Selena did the vocals. Perhaps as a way to bring them closer to their Mexican roots, Selena was instructed to learn Spanish and sing in Spanish. She had only spoken English up to this point.

At just the age of 9, Selena was already becoming a sensation. With her father acting as manager to get them gigs at restaurants, weddings, and other local events, Selena Y Los Dinos was already making a name for themselves. Sadly, though, the band would not be able to use their performances to sustain them in the beginning. The Quintanillas would have to declare bankruptcy and move to Corpus Christi, Texas.

There, Selena and the family began to make themselves more well-known in the Latin music world by publishing their albums under smaller Tejano labels. Due to their growing popularity, Selena would stop going to school by 8th grade, but would still get her GED and study business at Pacific Western University. In 1984, Selena Y Los Dinos released their first album, "Mis Primeras Grabaciones". They would create more albums such as "The New Girl In Town" (1985), "Alpha" (1986), "Muñequito de Trapo" (1986), "And The Winner Is..." (1987), "Preciosa" (1988), and "Dolce Amor" (1989).

During this time, Selena would be awarded with Best Female Vocalist and Performer of the Year at the Tejano Music Awards in 1987 at just fifteen. Two years later, at the Tejano Music Awards in 1989, she would sign with EMI Latin Records, and begin her solo career, releasing her album "Selena" the same year. She would still have the support of her family with her brother, A.B. writing many of her songs and acting as her producer. During this time, she would also start dating her guitarist, Chris Perez, who she married in 1992*. Coca-Cola would also sign her on as a spokesperson.

Her 1991 song, "Buenos Amigos", would hit the top of the US Billboard for Top Latin Songs. She would also release "Entre a Mi Mundo" in 1992, which would top charts in the US. She would tour Mexico and present her newest song, "Como la Flor", which would reach number 6 on the US Billboard for Top Latin Songs.

Though she was largely ignored outside of the Tejano music scene, she would begin to blossom in 1993 into the iconic popstar she is today. Her album "Live!" (1993) would earn her a Grammy for Best Mexican-American Album, also becoming the first female Tejano singer to win a Grammy in that category. "Amor Prohibido" would be her next album in 1994. During that year, she would be labeled "Most Influential Texan" in Texas Monthly, and get an interview with the LA Times. She would also create her own clothing brand and a pair of boutiques in Corpus Christi and San Antonio.

By 1995, Selena would be nominated for another Grammy for Best Mexican-American performance, star as a mariachi singer in the movie "Don Juan DeMarco" with Johnny Depp and Marlon Brando, as well as a few other Latin American shows such as the "Johnny Canales Show".

Sadly, and I'm sure many of you knew this was coming, Selena would not be able to show us how much her legacy would grow past 1995. During her growing career, Selena and her father, Abraham, would be approached by a former nurse named Yolanda Saldivar. Saldivar would propose a Selena fan club, which she would become the president of. Over time, Selena would have Saldivar managing one of her boutiques, believing she could trust her. Sadly, though, Selena would go to meet Saldivar at a hotel on May 31st, 1995 due to Selena's concerns that Saldivar was embezzling from her businesses. Saldivar shot the singer in the shoulder, and Selena tried to flee, collapsing, and being rushed to hospital. She would sadly succumb to her injuries in Corpus Christi, devastating the Latine community. Her family would release her final album, "Dreaming of You" posthumously in 1995.

Selena was a person full of passion. Coming from a working class life, she would remain in the working class community of Molina in Corpus Christi, despite her wealth. She would also involve herself in many social programs, such as working with the Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, the Coastal Bend Aids Foundation, the D.A.R.E. Program, her PSAs for the Houston Area Women's Center and pro-education content, as well as plans to visit a Boys and Girls' Club benefit before her death. In 1997, Jennifer Lopez would star as Selena in the movie by the same name. Chris Perez, Selena's husband, would write a novel to her titled "To Selena, With Love".

Selena's legacy paved the way for new Latin American artists to really explode in the mainstream. She would be an icon for young Hispanic people everywhere. It's truly heartbreaking to lose such a kind and passionate person at such a young age, and not get to see what she could do if her career was able to continue in the way it had been. Yolanda Saldivar is able to ask for parole by 2025, but she'd better prepare for the vehemence of the Latine community for taking such an icon away from us. May Selena rest well always knowing that she is most beloved.

*One of the sources states that Selena and Chris eloped in 1999. This is not true, and I'm not sure why this was stated.

Sources:

#women in history #women #girlpower #selena quintanilla perez #hispanic heritage month #mexican american #tejano music #90s tejano #selena #mexican heritage

[thequeerhistorian]

Patsy Takemoto Mink: The Woman Who Ruled Congress

I want to thank everyone for their patience with this new post! Things have been extremely busy and hard, but I’m glad I’m able to dedicate a little extra time to this blog. I hope all of you are as excited for these next few posts as I am! We have some really fascinating figures coming up. I want to say I hope you all are happy and safe right now. Things in the world are pretty scary for many of us. But, I hope you all can take a little time to enjoy the story of an incredible woman.

            The year is 1959. The United States has just declared Hawai’i a state. (Note: I have found out it is properly pronounced ha-vai-ee) Elections are starting for government officials and representatives for the new state. Amongst the names on the ballots was an intelligent young woman that would make headway for women, for representation, and great change – Patsy Takemoto Mink.

            Patsy was born in Paia, Hawaii on Dec. 6th, 1927. She was born to Suematsu and Mitama Takemoto. She was valedictorian of Maui High and graduated in 1944. She would attempt to attend both Wilson College in Pennsylvania as well as the University of Nebraska but left both schools after experiencing racial discrimination. She would then return to her home state to study Zoology and Chemistry at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, graduating in 1948. She had intentions of becoming a doctor but was denied from every medical school she tried to attend. Instead of medical school, she would attend the University of Chicago’s law school. (I applied to undergrad there!) While in Chicago, she would meet and marry John Mink. After she graduated, she and John would have a daughter named Gwendolyn.

            The Mink family would return to Honolulu where Patsy would be met with work discrimination for her interracial marriage so she answered by creating her own private practice which made her the first Japanese-American woman to practice in Hawai’i. (We love to see it.) But, Patsy wouldn’t just be satisfied with the work of her own private firm AND being the mother of a young child. In 1954 she would create the Oahu Young Democrats, in 1956 she was elected to the Territorial Legislation, and in 1958 she was elected to the Hawai’i territorial senate! (If I’ve done even half of the kind of work she’s done by 35, I will be impressed.)

            Once Hawai’i became a state in 1959, Patsy knew what she wanted/needed to do. She stepped up and ran for House Representative. Though she didn’t win, this would not deter Patsy from politics. She successfully ran for state senate in 1962, then tried again to run for House Representative in 1964 with her husband as campaign manager, volunteers, and a lack of Democratic support. Despite that, this would be the one to stick and Patsy Takemoto Mink would successfully become the first woman of color and the second woman to be elected into the House of Representatives. Over the years of her position, Patsy would make a point of continuing to connect with Hawai’ian locals.

            Patsy would not spend her time in office taking the easy route. She would spend her years fighting for racial and gender equality, supporting and sponsoring title IX, bilingual special needs, and non-discriminatory education, and worked on several committees to ensure protections for people facing discrimination, not to mention her support of Roe v. Wade. In 1970, she would even appear at the hearing of Supreme Court nominee George Carswell, calling his appointment, “an affront to the women of America”. Patsy would try to run for President in 1972 on an anti-war platform, try to create a bill providing free daycare, advocated against nuclear testing in the Pacific, and even created the Pu’ukoholā Heiau National Historic Site which still exists today in Hawai’i.

            Patsy would try to run for Senate in 1976 but would lose to another constituent. Patsy would continue her political career as Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans & International Environmental and Science Affairs (1977-78) and president of Americans for Democratic Action (1978-81) before returning to her home state where she served on the Honolulu city council (1983-87) before trying to run for mayor (1988) and governor of Hawai’i (1986). Patsy would get the opportunity to return to Congress in 1990, serving in the House until her passing in 2002 at the age of 74.

            Patsy’s legacy is one filled with hard work and a desire to create change. Her life was so influential on others that even her own daughter, Gwendolyn Mink, who got her own doctorate in law and became a professor and scholar. Patsy’s life is well documented and greatly respected with her earning a spot in the National Women’s Hall of Fame as well as the creation of the Patsy Mink Foundation in 2003 which works to tell Patsy’s story and provide education opportunities for low-income women and children, which will be linked in the sources for any who need it.

            In this very difficult time for many Americans, stories like Patsy’s are ones worth remembering and telling so that we can remember that this fight isn’t new and it takes strong voices to make change happen. One of the best things we can do to honor Patsy right now is to make that change happen.

Sources:

#patsy mink #women #women in history #asian women #hawaii #hawaiian history #history #asian history #american history #roe v wade #roe vs. wade #roe wade #civil rights #human rights #asian american #japanese american #women of color #women in politics

[thequeerhistorian]

One more update!

Hey guys!

I'm so sorry there's been a delay on the latest post - I had intended to post it last month but between finishing moving, applying for work, and sadly having to help my family take care of my grandma who's ill, I've been very busy!

Luckily, though, she's doing a bit better. I'll be taking that extra free time to keep applying for work and keep writing! Hope to have new posts out soon!

Happy Pride!!!

EDIT: My grandmother has sadly passed away. I will still be working. on the next post, but it might continue to take a while.

[thequeerhistorian]

Update

Hi everyone! Sorry for the silence lately - I've been finishing my last year of university. My graduation is in 2 days! Hopefully I will have time to make more posts soon!

[thequeerhistorian]

Anne Bonny - My SC/Irish Pride

I said in my last post that I had intended to post about Queen Elizabeth. I was about to go ahead and begin writing it out. But, considering it is also Irish heritage month, I think my ancestors would be turning in their graves if I wrote about the Irish-colonizer queen during this month. I proudly talk about two aspects of my heritage – my Irish side and Mexican side. I also will say (with bittersweet feelings) that I hail from the Palmetto State – South Carolina. So it makes sense that I talk about one of my favorite badass Irish women – Anne Bonny. Now, this blog is no stranger to pirates - we’ve talked about Ching Shih, one of the most impressive pirates in my opinion. But, I think I’d consider Anne Bonny my favorite pirate. She’s an absolute badass, and I think she deserves more attention than she gets!

Anne Cormac was born around 1698 in county Cork, Ireland. (a beautiful place I’ve gotten to visit!) She was the daughter of William Cormac and his maidservant, Mary Brennan. Understandably, Cormac’s wife wasn’t too happy about this baby and left, taking her financial help with her. Cormac would raise Anne as a boy for a while so she could work to support her family until they finally had to leave for Charleston to try and seek a new life.

Mary Brennan would die when Anne was about 12, terribly distressing her. Perhaps this would add to her anger and her fight. She was a known spitfire and rebel. There’s a story about how she stabbed a maid with a carving knife for some slight and beat a boy who tried to assault her but take this with a grain of salt because I couldn't find much verification.

Cormac tried to marry Anne off to someone of good standing, but continuing her role as a rebel and troublemaker, she ran off to elope the penniless sailor, John Bonny, causing her to be disowned by her father. One of my sources even says there’s a belief that she may have burnt her father’s plantation. Metal.

Anne and her new husband ran away to the Bahamas and lived on the island of New Providence. There, John continued to work as a sailor and report pirates to the governor of the Bahamas, Woodes Rogers. Anne and John didn’t remain married for long, though, and eventually would run away with “Calico Jack” Rackham. John would refuse Jack’s attempt to pay him to divorce Anne, but the two would still run away together on Jack’s the “William” (for some reason, the National Park Service claims it to be the “Revenge”, but every other source says “William”). (Poor John got the short end of that stick) Anne and Jack would go to Cuba where Anne could have and leave behind their baby and went off to live a notorious life of piracy.

By 1720, Anne would become well-known under the alias Ann Fulford and even written about in the Boston Gazette. The article describes Anne, Jack, their 12 male pirates, and another woman pirate, Mary Read, who we’ll also discuss in this blog. The crew was notorious and robbed many ships. Anne and Mary were known for dressing as men, fighting fiercely, and even urging their crewmates to be more vicious.

The ship would be ambushed on the coast of Jamaica by one of Rogers’ ships. Anne and Mary were the only ones that fought for their ship and crew as the men were too drunk/frightened to fight. Of course, the two women and the rest of the crew were arrested and sent to Spanish Town, Jamaica for their trial. Rackham and his men were hanged and reportedly as he passed Anne, she told him, “I’m sorry to see you like this, but if you had fought like a man, then you need not be hanged like a dog.” While this should be taken with a grain of salt because there’s a lot of falsehood around Anne’s life, I like to believe she said this. It certainly wouldn't be out of character!

Read would die in jail and Anne would be released because she was pregnant. She would return to Charleston where she would get married again, have children, and die rather peacefully at 84.

There is a lot of falsehoods about Anne’s life that have lingered because of books written about her life. Many of those beliefs came without any real sources and some of those beliefs have definitely lingered. Nonetheless, she still had a very cool life! While she wasn’t as infamous as Ching Shih, she’s still quite well-known! She’s noted in both Charleston and Ireland because of her connections to both. Anne and Mary were both a rare pair as pirate women, but they sure as hell weren’t going to let that stop them! Now, go forth, my little pirates, and take on the world with the fierceness of Anne Bonny!

Sources:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Anne-Bonny

https://www.thoughtco.com/biography-of-anne-bonny-2136375

https://www.worldhistory.org/Anne_Bonny/

https://www.nps.gov/people/anne-bonny-pirate.htm

https://www.postandcourier.com/news/the-true-and-false-stories-of-anne-bonny-pirate-woman-of-the-caribbean/article_e7fc1e2c-101d-11e8-90b7-9fdf20ba62f8.html

#women's history month #women in history #women #international women's day #pirate #pirate woman #anne bonny #ireland #south carolina

[thequeerhistorian]

Olga - the Ruthless Saint of Kyiv

So this was not originally the story I wanted to write about. I was planning to write about Elizabeth I. But, considering recent events, I decided it’d be more important to write a piece on one of the infamous women of Ukraine. I want this piece to be an example of the rich history of Ukraine that deserves to be recognized. Let this be an example of why we must look out for our brothers and sisters around the world and support them against the destruction of their culture, as well as a call to look into cultures outside of our own.

Happy (belated) International Women’s Day, everyone! This is a day that I, an AFAB non-binary person, still love. There are so many incredible women in history and across the world, so you can imagine what a hard choice it was to figure out who to write about. As stated in my last paragraph, I figured that with recent events, this amazing badass queen/saint would be a perfect name to write about!

Olga of Kyiv* is a bit of a tricky figure to write about up to a certain point. I found a lot of debate about what year she was born ranging from 890, 903, to 900. Based on what I have seen from my sources, I estimate that somewhere around 900 might be more likely. Sadly, there’s very little known about her life before her marriage. We do know, though, that she was born in what is now Pskov, Russia. She’s most likely a Varangian – people who descended from Scandinavians.

Olga was married early on in about 903 CE to Igor of Kyiv, leader of the Kyivan Rus. (Probably one of those “engaged as a child – secure the family line” kinds of things that are common with royalty) The Kyivan Rus during this time gained a lot of power and wealth by taking control of many neighboring groups. This constant fighting would be a major part of Olga and Igor’s marriage. Igor would make many enemies, including the Byzantine Empire. His constant enemies would be his downfall as he was murdered by the Drevlians. Leo the Deacon, a Byzantine chronicler, wrote about his death in stomach-churning detail. I won’t give details for those who have a bit of a weak stomach.

When he died in 945, Olga was about 20 and raising their 3-year-old son. Considering the problems of having a toddler rule the Kyivan Rus, Olga would become the queen-regent. This gave her the power to take her brutal revenge on her husband’s murderers and make a strong name for herself. The Drevlians dared to try and get Olga to marry their own Prince Mal. Olga responded by saying, “Your proposal is pleasing to me; indeed, my husband cannot rise from the dead. The Drevlians would leave pleased, returning the next day. They likely expected further discussions of marriage, but they would be sadly mistaken.

Olga would have these men buried alive in a giant ditch. This would not be the end of her vengeance for her husband, though. Olga messaged the Drevlians that she would come to meet their prince if their finest chieftains were sent to accompany her. Prince Mal agreed (they hadn’t even learned of the first ambassadors being buried alive yet) and sent his men to Queen Olga. Olga invited the men to rest in their bathhouse. While these men, like the last, were probably patting themselves on the back for their success, Olga set the bathhouse on fire, burning them inside.

Somehow, though, Olga wasn’t done! She messaged Prince Mal AGAIN requesting for the opportunity to hold a funeral feast for her husband in the city he was murdered in. The (big dumb) prince agreed again. Remember, they STILL hadn’t learned about what Olga did to their ambassadors and chieftains. Olga mourned and the feast began. They all drank and ate, but once the Drevlians were thoroughly drunk, Olga had the 5,000 of them slaughtered by her army, then returned to Kyiv.

But this STILL WASN’T THE END OF IT! Olga had the Kyivan Rus lay siege to the Drevlians. The Drevlians wouldn’t relent, and eventually, Olga decided to send a message. She offered peace if they would pay tribute. Every household in the city of Iskorosten (modern Korosten) was to send her three pigeons and sparrows each. They did this, thinking that would be the end of it. But, these Drevlians clearly didn’t know how far Olga was willing to go. She had the men tie cloth covered in Sulphur to the birds and set the cloth on fire. The birds flew to their homes and set the city ablaze. The survivors were enslaved and Olga was satisfied.

Olga would return to Kyiv and reportedly ruled peacefully until she gave up the throne to her son. During this time, Olga traveled to Constantinople and was baptized as an Orthodox Christian with Emperor Constantine as her godfather and Helena would become her Christian name. I think Olga’s cooler, though. After her besting him against his prospects of marriage, Olga would return to Kyiv where she would live with and advise her son and get him to agree to not persecute his people that did decide to become Christian. Olga would aid and protect Ukraine with everything she had up until she died in 969.

Olga is an absolute badass - the Ukrainian Daenerys Targaryen. I think it’s telling that despite Olga being considered the patron saint of Ukraine, the most well-known part of her story is her fierceness and lack of willingness to back down to her enemies. What they thought was a quiet young lady who could be pushed around, were very quickly proven wrong. It seems safe to say that considering how vengeful Olga was, there surely had to have been some genuine love for Igor. I’m sure another part of it is wanting to prove her own and not be pushed around. Olga is an example of the rich history of Ukraine that can sadly be overshadowed by bigger names in history. I think it’s important to remember that history, now more than ever.

*I wanted to make a note that I actually looked this up. While I grew up knowing the capital as “Kiev” (Ke-EEV), this is the Russian spelling & the Ukrainian spelling is Kyiv (KEE-ef)

Sources:

https://www.thecollector.com/olga-of-kiev-russian-saint-or-queen/

https://www.thoughtco.com/princess-olga-of-kiev-3529733

https://theconversation.com/saint-olga-of-kyiv-is-ukraines-patron-saint-of-both-defiance-and-vengeance-178019

https://www.historyanswers.co.uk/medieval-renaissance/olga-of-kiev-one-saint-you-do-not-want-to-mess-with/

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Olga

#women's history month #women in history #women #international women's day #women run the world #killer queen #queens #support ukraine #help ukraine #ukraine #kyiv #standwithukraine #olga of kiev

[thequeerhistorian]

Let it be known that this is exactly what I want to do with this blog. We all deserve to feel represented, no matter race, gender, sexuality, religion, and we all deserve to feel we have a safe space. I am always welcome to more people coming to learn or talk. If anyone has other LGBTQ+ women from history that I don't have, I will always be happy to include them!

#women in history #women #women's history month #black women #black trans rights #lgbtq community #lgbtq #safe space #trans rights

[thequeerhistorian]

Dido Elizabeth Belle - Secret Heiress of England

So this was intended to be posted on the last day of February but sadly things got busy, so this will be opening the month posts for women’s history/Irish heritage month! Now for this post, I want to put a disclaimer that I did the best I could to find good, reliable sources to tell this story, but there’s sadly not as much as I would like because she’s still a fairly “new” recognized figure with not a lot of information. That’s all & I hope you still enjoy this story!

When I was taking my class “Women in Modern Europe”, I don’t remember everything but I remember our discussion of a very interesting woman known as Dido Elizabeth Belle. I might change this the more I read about her but my basic interpretation of her is black British Cher Horowitz, due to her being one of the first black heiresses in British history. I’d never heard of her before & we sadly didn’t get to discuss her much, but I made sure to write her down because that class left me wanting to know more!

Dido Elizabeth Belle was born into slavery in 1761 to Maria Belle and as the illegitimate daughter of John Lindsay, a British noble and sailor. Her parents met after Maria Belle was rescued from a Spanish ship. Dido’s first name came from the queen Dido of Carthage herself (look her up – it’s a pretty cool story though if she was real, her life has become heavily mythologized). Her other two names came from her great-uncle’s wife and her mother. It’s unknown what happened to Dido’s mother, (I found some counter information that there was supposedly a transaction to confirm she was set free in 1774 but it’s also believed she died in 1766) but around the age of 5, Dido would be taken to England by her father.

She was sent to live with her uncle, William Murray, of the Kenwood estate. She would become beloved friends with her cousin, Elizabeth Murray, and was treated like an equal by her father’s family. She was given an elegant room, a good education, an allowance, and all the fixings you’d expect a young aristocrat to have in her life. She would even be trusted with supervising the dairy and poultry yard.

Not all that came to Kenwood were particularly welcoming toward Dido. American visitor, Francis Hutchinson, described her as “a black” that joined them for dinner like any other member of the household. He’s not the only one that was initially hesitant of Dido. Apparently, when guests would come around, she wouldn’t dine with them but would end up coming into the party later on. They’d still leave with a very good impression of her.

Dido’s father would die in 1788, leaving her without inheritance, but would be described as his natural daughter and considered extremely respectable and accomplished in his obituary. Though her father didn’t leave her with an inheritance, her uncle did. Lord Mansfield would leave her with a sizable inheritance when he died in 1793 because of his deep affection for her.

Dido would marry a Frenchman, John Davinier, and they had 3 children, John, Charles, and William, raising the children in London. Dido would die in 1804 at the age of 43 from natural causes.

An important discussion of Dido is about her infamous portrait that really brought her story to life in the modern-day. The only well-known depiction of Dido we have is from the portrait by David Martin titled “Lady Elizabeth Mansfield” where her identity was unknown for many years. It clearly shows her status with her wearing pearls, fancy clothing, and being beside her cousin. There are some questions, though, about the depiction of Dido holding a bundle and touching her face. Either way, it’s considered an iconic painting.

Increased knowledge of Dido would inspire the movie “Belle” (2013) describing her life as well as books, plays, and even a musical. Her life is still shrouded in heavy mystery, but she’s still considered an increasingly interesting figure for her unusual status for the time and the increased anger of her great-uncle towards the slave trade, possibly influenced by his growing relationship with his niece. Dido Elizabeth Belle may not have made some great invention, a wildly successful business, or some scientific or artistic breakthrough, but her life has still been heavily influential because of her interesting life and breaking through as one of the first POC aristocrats of England.

Sources:

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/histories/women-in-history/dido-belle/

https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/belle-dido-elizabeth-1761-1804/

https://www.thoughtco.com/dido-elizabeth-belle-biography-2834910

https://scone-palace.co.uk/dido-elizabeth-belle-her-story-1761-1804

https://www.history.co.uk/articles/the-story-of-dido-elizabeth-belle-britain-s-first-black-aristocrat

#women's history month #women in history #black woman appreciation #women #black women #aristocrats #international women's day

[thequeerhistorian]

Billie Holiday - Grower of Strange Fruit

Growing up, my dad raised me on the sound and voices of the 1930s/40s jazz. I grew up hearing Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie. More importantly, though, he raised me on the voices of incredible black women, from Ella Fitzgerald to Etta James. His favorite, though, was Billie Holiday. He would talk about her so often and instill such a love for her in me that she has also become my favorite. We’ll absolutely speak on the other great women of jazz but Billie was the first one I wanted to write on. She’s an incredible singer, a powerful advocate, and a queer icon. I’ll even be including some fun mentions of her pets, because if you know me, you know I can’t resist talking about dogs. I need everyone else to know about this incredible woman so that love that was instilled in me can grow!

Billie Holiday was born Eleanora Fagan in 1915. There is some debate about where she was born, either in Philadelphia or Baltimore, but it’s generally accepted that she at least spent most of her young life in Baltimore. Her mother, Sadie, was only 13 when she had Holiday, and tried to give her the best life she could. Billie’s father, Clarence Holiday, also a teenager, would be only a name in her life. He didn’t end up sticking around. Sadly, this wouldn’t be the only example of neglect and abuse in Billie’s life.

Billie would grow up in instability and poverty. She would end up dropping out in 5th grade to help her mother work. This would get Billie’s mother arrested for her truancy.

Poor Billie was taken away to a home for “troubled African-American girls” at just 9-years-old. She’d luckily be returned to her mother in August 1926, but sadly this would be after she had been sexually assaulted. I want to jump in and say that sadly this is still a HUGE issue of not just abuse in the foster system, but abuse against young black girls. I wrote about this more in-depth in my #SayHerName post.

Holiday and her mother would move to New York for work, where Holiday would begin working running errands for the madam of a brothel while her mother worked as a prostitute. This would be how Holiday started to get her love of jazz from listening to the madam’s records of singers and musicians like Louis Armstrong. Around this time, Holiday would begin working as a call girl but would be arrested. This trauma, as well as that of more assaults, would never leave her.

After her release, Holiday would try to find work as a speakeasy dancer. Lucky for us, this wouldn’t work out and she would instead begin singing in these clubs. She’d actually begin to make a name for herself, and this is how we got her stage name – Billie Holiday – after the silent film star, Billie Dove. Now knowing this, it is my moral duty as someone with a self-proclaimed obsession with my lord and savior, Billie Holiday, to watch at least 1 Billie Dove movie. This would be how Billie started to gain notoriety. She would be taken to play amongst big names like Benny Goodman (another favorite of mine!) singing in songs like “Your Mother’s Son-in-law”.

Billie’s career would flourish in the next few years and lead her to work with other big names like Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw, and Count Basie, which is how she would meet her beloved friend, saxophonist Lester Young, a member of Basie’s band, who would give her the lasting nickname “Lady Day”. The two would work together in collaboration and remain great friends.

In 1939, Holiday would make one of her more famous songs, “Strange Fruit”, at the same time as “God Bless the Child” which was a song to her mother. “Strange Fruit” was in response to the death of her father, denied medical help in the era of Jim Crow, and the horrid lynchings of the time. Holiday would say, “It wasn’t the pneumonia that killed him, it was Dallas, Texas.” This would be one of Holiday’s most controversial songs to the point she had to jump hoops to get it recorded. There’s a story I remember hearing (I can’t remember where, so take this with a grain of salt) that Holiday would sing it at the end of her show when performing at clubs so patrons would be made to stick around to the end. This was supposedly done because so many would leave when she would sing the song. Another adage in sort of controversial songs, Holiday would record the song “Gloomy Sunday”, which is supposedly cursed because of its incredibly melancholy nature. There’s also the song “Don’t Explain” which she wrote after catching her husband coming home with lipstick on his collar. (A concept that I thought was more figurative than literal! I wonder if this was the 1930s-40s girl code to identify men cheating on their wives)

In 1947, Holiday would sadly be arrested for possession of heroin (an addiction that had sadly worsened with the death of her mother) which was also motivated by her refusal to stop singing “Strange Fruit” and possibly for her open bisexuality. (she had known affairs with men and women including Tallulah Bankhead) She would sadly be arrested for this and would lose many relationships after her release. One that wouldn’t fade away was her friendship with Lena Horne. Holiday wrote about how Lena leaped off mid-performance to embrace and welcome her. According to Holiday, her beloved dog Mister would also greet her with such enthusiasm, that passersby feared he was attacking her.

Holiday’s addiction would sadly begin to catch up with her within the next few years. Her career began to take a downward turn and in 1959, Holiday was admitted into a New York hospital. Two months later, in July, Holiday would pass from her addiction at the young age of 44.

Billie Holiday was, and still is, a beloved member of the big 3 of women in jazz – Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Josephine Baker – with movies and documentaries of her, continued reproduction of her music, and children’s books written to memorialize her. She was a woman of love and power with songs to remember victims of Jim Crow, honor children who grow up in poverty and continue to break strides for black women in the jazz industry. She also is known for her great love of dogs. Mister, her boxer-pit mix, was especially beloved, even accompanying her to her club performances, but she also had a little less than a dozen dogs! Though her music was powerful and still very impactful, she suffered an incredibly sad life. Even today, her story isn’t terribly uncommon. Her story is one where people can be inspired to pursue their dreams, but also to remember that we never know what a person is going through and continue to make strides to help give people proper help for addiction and mental health issues. If she had had access to proper help, I would like to think that my favorite queen of jazz would have been around a bit longer to inspire more people.

Sources:

https://www.biography.com/musician/billie-holiday

https://www.biography.com/news/billie-holiday-facts

https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/billie-holiday-about-the-singer/68/

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/02/billie-holiday-biography-lady-sings-the-blues

https://thegavoice.com/culture/two-versions-of-one-woman-billie-holiday/

https://www.themarginalian.org/2015/09/17/mister-and-lady-day-billie-holiday/

#jazzlovers #black women #women #women in history #women in jazz #jazz music #billie holiday #black woman appreciation #black history month #black history facts #black history is american history

[thequeerhistorian]

#SayHerName - A movement bringing justice to black women

This post is going to be MUCH more serious than my others. This is not just discussing the history of this movement, but also the statistics alongside it. This is a post that will have much more reading, much more thought, and much more discussion as opposed to just the history. I will be sending this to my other black friends to make sure that when I post this, it does not come across as uninformed or as another white person speaking over black people because that’s never what I want. I want this post to remind us about a powerful movement that deserves more attention. I want this post to lift the voices and experiences of black women, not speak over them.

The SayHerName movement was started by the executive director, Kimberle Crenshaw, of the organization known as the African American Policy Forum (or AAPF) in December of 2014. This was started to bring attention to the ongoing police violence that plagues black women. On May 20th, 2015, an enormous vigil was held in New York City to both mourn and honor the many young black women and girls who were killed by police violence. That same week, the AAPF would release a report on what their goals and intentions were with the #SayHerName movement.

The report discusses how at the time it was written, there was no accurate data available to provide a fully comprehensive list of statistics on reported instances of police violence against black women. Most of their data came from accounts and cases brought to life. Even groups like the MXGM (Malcolm X Grassroots Movement) puts out statistics but release them in a way that erases the statistics and facts concerning violence against black women. Of course, going through the whole report would take too long – it’s a 45-page report! But, it will be added to the list of sources and can be found on the AAPF site that will be sourced.

As the movement gained traction, Kimberle Crenshaw would go to Black Lives Matter rallies and speak on the names of black women who had been killed by police brutality but were forgotten or ignored. She discusses women such as Tanisha Anderson of Cleveland, Ohio, who was shot and killed by Cleveland police 10 days before Tamir Rice under very similar circumstances, but her death did not gain the same national attention. Crenshaw included the families of women who suffered similar fates and even created a report, similar to the AAPF report, which includes 70 different cases. This report doesn’t just include police violence, but also cases of sexual violence against black women.

Even in 2020, with the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor gathering enormous traction, Breonna Taylor did not get the same attention as George Floyd did. Her killers have not been convicted. Her case didn’t have the same legal impact as Floyd’s did – the Breonna Taylor law that bans no-knock raids only applies to the city where she was murdered. Even at this time, the name of this very movement, #SayHerName, was not given the same traction as other hashtags like #SayHisName or #SayTheirName. The movement simply doesn’t get its just dues. They have continued, though, to do the necessary work to raise awareness and get out the statistics of violence against black women.

To also raise such awareness, I’ll take the rest of this section to write out different statistics I have found concerning violence against black women from police brutality to sex trafficking. If these numbers or discussions are too much for you now, I encourage you to go to one of my other posts. It’s important to take care of your own mental health.

As this is a huge issue for this post, we have to start off by discussing black women experiencing police violence.

· 250 women have been shot and killed by police.

· Black people already experience the highest rates of death by police as opposed to other races, but the deaths of black women make up 20% of all women killed by police.

· One of the big problems mentioned with these deaths is the practice of ''no-knock raids”, where police will come into a house unannounced. This has resulted in many mistakes of houses, fatal shootings, and property damage. After Breonna’s death, the city of Louisville put a ban on “no-knock raids''.

· Black women who have reported mental health issues are 31% more likely to be killed by police, 9% more than black men.

Black women also experience a higher rate of domestic and physical violence.

· 4 in 10 black women report having experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner.

· There are higher rates of black women experiencing psychological abuse or even being killed by a man.

· 20% of black women report having been raped in their lifetime. The justice system is already hard in general on women who try to report rape or sexual assault/harassment. It’s even harder on black women.

Another source of concern is the high rate of black women and girls forced into sex trafficking. Much of this is influenced by the hyper-sexualization and criminalization of young black girls. There are also issues such as fewer media coverage of the disappearances of young black girls, and personal situations such as a lower economic class, education, former criminal justice involvement, previous abuse, etc.

· 40% of women sex trafficked are black women.

· 57.5% of girls arrested for juvenile prostitution are black girls.

· Traffickers tend to target girls and women with a lower socioeconomic status, as stated before. Because of this, these girls or women may be less likely to try and escape due to debts or a need to help their families.

· 36.9% of these women report being trafficked by their own partners.

· 85% of the men who purchase this sort of sex online are reportedly white men.

· 86% of girls who were sex trafficked were in the foster care system when they went missing.

· Black girls who run away from foster care are more likely to be sex trafficked.

· Out of the 2014 homicide rate, black girls made up 4.41 of 100,000

The last serious discussion on violence against black women I want to mention is the violence against black trans women. Statistically, black trans women have the highest murder rate in the US.

· The HRC reported 2021 as the worst year of deaths to trans/gender non-conforming people

· There were 50 reported murders of trans/gender non-conforming people

· Black trans women made up 66% of these deaths

To finish off this discussion, I would like to post a poem written by Aja Monet. She will, of course, be put in the sources, but I felt this poem was too important to leave out.

"I am a woman carrying other women in my mouth behold a sister a daughter a mother dear friend spirits demystify on my tongue

they gather to breath and exhale a dance with the death we know is not the end all these nameless bodies haunted by pellet wounds in their chests listen for them and the saying of a name you cannot pronounce

black and woman is a sort of magic you cannot hash tag the mere weight of it too vast to be held

we hold ourselves an inheritance felt between the hips womb of soft darkness portal of light watch them envy the revolution of our movement how we break open to give life flow

while the terror of our tears the torment of our taste my rage is righteous my love is righteous my name be righteous here what I am not here to say we too have died we know we are dying too

I am not here to say look at me how I died so brutal a death I deserve a name to fit all the horror in I am here to tell you how if they mentioned me in their protest and their rallies they would have to face their role in it too my beauty too

I have died many times before the blow to the body I have bled many months before the bullet to the flesh we know the body is not the end call it what you will but for all the handcuffed wrists of us the shackled ankles of us the bend over to make room for you of us how dare we speak anything less then I love you

we who love just as loudly in the thunderous rain as when the Sun shines golden on our skin and the world kisses us unapologetically we be so beautiful when we be- how you gonna be free without me

your freedom tied up with mine at the nappy edge of my soul singing for all my sisters watch them stretch their arms and my voice how they fly open chested toward your ear listen for Rekia Boyd, Tanisha Anderson Yvette Smith Aiyana Jones Caleb Moore Shelly Frey Miriam Carey Kendra James Alberto Spruill, Tarika Wilson, Shereese Francis Shantel Davis, Malissa Williams Darnisha Harris Michelle Cassell Pearlie Golden, Kathryn Johnston Eleanor Bumpers, Natasha McKenna Sheneque Proctor We

we will not vanish and the baited breath of our brothers show me show me a man willing to fight beside me my hand in his the color of courage

there is no mountaintop worth seeing without us meet me in the trenches where we lay our bodies down in the valley of a voice say her name"

I know this post is one of my much longer posts. In fact, this will likely be one of the longest posts I’ve written. But, I cannot stress how important this topic is to me and how much I wanted to make sure I do it justice. We mustn't forget that black women go through so much in this world. They deserve to be listened to, believed, and protected. There are many other things I wanted to mention in regards to injustice against black women, but I simply didn’t have the time or space. I encourage everyone to read through these sources in more detail than I could write out. Donate to AAPF, as I will as well, and promote the #SayHerName movement. Our country has been trying to make strides for racial equality. But it’s time we finally start really talking about and figuring out what we can do to support our black sisters and get them the justice they deserve.

Sources:

https://www.aapf.org/sayhername

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/say-her-name-origin

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/may/30/sayhername-why-kimberle-crenshaw-is-fighting-for-forgotten-women

https://empathyeducates.org/Journeys-to-and-through/aja-monets-sayhername-poem-asks-all-to-remember/

https://iwpr.org/iwpr-issues/race-ethnicity-gender-and-economy/violence-against-black-women-many-types-far-reaching-effects/

https://www.hrc.org/resources/fatal-violence-against-the-transgender-and-gender-non-conforming-community-in-2021

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/investigations/police-shootings-women/

https://www.cbcfinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/SexTraffickingReport3.pdf

https://time.com/6131444/2021-anti-trans-violence/

#women in history #women #women's history month #say her name #black trans rights #black woman beauty #black woman appreciation #black women #police brutality

[thequeerhistorian]

Fe del Mundo: The Children's Angel

Often, east Asian women are not given the attention they deserve. If they are given attention, it seems that Chinese and Japanese women are the main focus with little attention given to Korean, Vietnamese, Indonesian, or Filipino women. I, myself, am guilty of this, though not intentionally. Being from America, it is horrifying how little we are taught in any depth of more than a handful of women throughout history. I still remember, in 2018, seeing the google doodle of Fe del Mundo and immediately adding her to the list of names to write about for this blog, so I think it’s time to continue to spread her story.

Fe del Mundo was born in Manilla, Philippines in 1911 the 6th of 8 siblings. 3 of those 8 siblings would sadly die in infancy, then Del Mundo was inspired to go into medicine from a young age after witnessing her sister pass at 11-years-old from appendicitis. At just fifteen years old, she would become enrolled at the University of the Philippines where she studied pediatrics and graduated as valedictorian in 1933. Del Mundo was granted a scholarship offer to attend a school of her choice in the US. She would accept this offer and applied to go to Boston University in 1940, then Harvard. There is debate about whether she was actually admitted as a medical student or not, as Harvard was not accepting women as medical students at this time, and apparently, some of these sources I’ve used have struggled to find a record of her admittance as a student, though others have said she was admitted and was assigned to a men’s dormitory. Whether she was a full student or not, it is known that del Mundo did have the opportunity to participate in graduate-level work and research through the university.

Dr. Del Mundo would end up returning to the Philippines in 1941 during WWII, where she began her work with the International Red Cross. After Japan invaded her country, she would begin to work at the University of Santo Tomas where an internment camp had been built. She would create a hospice to care for and treat over 400 of the imprisoned children, earning herself the nickname, “the Angel of Santo Tomas”. After the camp was shut down in 1943, the mayor of Manila would ask for her help in opening a new government children’s hospital. She would agree and become its head director.

Eventually, though, the hospital would have to be rebranded into a general medical center to help those affected by the Battle of Manila. Del Mundo would still remain the director until 1948 when she left after becoming too frustrated by the restrictions of the government hospital and decided to open her own private children’s hospital.

She would fund this by selling her home and almost everything she owned to start up her hospital in Quezon City where she would live on the second floor and open its doors to the public in 1957. This hospital would be instrumental for the rural families of the Philippines without healthcare. Del Mundo would end up treating and saving many of the children, while also creating a family planning clinic.

This work would not stop her research though, which not only revolutionized medicine in the Philippines but also internationally. Her BRAT diet is still used to help children suffering from diarrhea. She helped to bring a whole new understanding to the disease dengue fever and how it affects children. She did research on the treatment of jaundice and even wrote textbooks that were used in the Philippines for years. Del Mundo was also part of many medical associations such as being the first woman president of the Philippine Pediatric Society; an honorary membership with the American Pediatric Society and a consultant for the World Health Organization.

Fe del Mundo would still make early morning rounds in her hospital until she became wheelchair-bound at the age of 99. Sadly, she would pass just months before her 100th birthday from a heart attack in 2011.

I feel like it can be very hard to find out more about east Asian cultures and the historical figures within them, especially if you were a student in the United States like I am. In my experience, we learned more about China and Japan. If you were lucky, you got to hear about the Mongol empire or a bit about Korea, but it seems to be very rare. That’s why I’m so glad to have started this blog where I have the chance to write about fascinating and incredible women like Fe del Mundo. Her work is insurmountable in the care of children and the breakthroughs she made in medicine in the Philippines. Working with rural families may not necessarily be always seen as more successful in terms of monetary gain, but the work she did for children in poverty and desperate situations shows just how big of a heart she had. I hope telling stories like hers will help bring more attention to women all over the world and encourage others to learn more about all the different parts of our world.

Sources:

https://cms.www.countway.harvard.edu/wp/?p=15381

https://www.thoughtco.com/filipino-doctor-fe-del-mundo-1991718

https://amazingwomeninhistory.com/fe-del-mundo/

https://www.ajc.com/news/world/who-was-del-mundo-google-honors-filipino-doctor-first-woman-admitted-harvard-medical-school/oStEMNmKc5KEz27R9X4etN/

https://www.hws.edu/about/blackwell/del_mundo.aspx

#women in science #women in history #women #girlpower #asian beauty #asian women #women in medicine #philippines #filipina #manila

[thequeerhistorian]

Marsha P. Johnson: A stonewall of strength

The first thing I think of when I think about LGBTQ+ history month in October is how not enough attention is given to that. We have pride, as is much deserved, but more attention should be given to the history of the fight for gay rights. One name that has recently gained so much attention in the gay community, especially as trans rights and the stories and rights of black LGBTQ people becomes a more prominent issue, is the iconic Marsha P. Johnson, one of the many powerful women and queer people that helped lead the Stonewall Riot that would really propel the gay rights movement and continue to inspire young queer people today.

Marsha was born Malcolm Michaels Jr. in 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. She was the fifth of seven children and had a difficult childhood because she came from a heavily Christian family. Marsha began to dress femininely from the age of five, much to the displeasure of her family. Not long after graduating high school, Marsha left for Greenwich Village in New York.

Marsha was homeless, poor, and had to rely on prostitution to get by. Though it was a hard life, there was still joy in having the ability to discover herself. Marsha began to join in the Christopher Street nightlife where she became a drag queen and developed quite a support system while also providing the same support for other young gays and drag queens. During this era, she would switch between Malcolm and Black Marsha before finally finding the name Marsha “P” for “Pay It No Mind”. She would also become a “drag mother”, looking after the young members of the community. She helped those in need of a meal and look out for her family. Despite such a tough beginning, Marsha wouldn’t let that stop her kind heart. Johnson would insist, “I was no one, nobody, from Nowheresville until I became a drag queen…that’s what made me in the world.” Certainly a powerful sentiment for many in the gay community finding themselves.

During the 60s, there was a heavy increase of activism for gay rights and reform; activism that would lead to the events that Marsha is most famous for and the revolution that would follow. To provide some brief context to the lead-up, in the 60s the gay rights movement took on a new saying: “Gay is Good”. This was intended to help lessen the fear and discrimination around gay people. There were many attempts to create social reforms such as decriminalization of homosexuality and dispelling biased information about homosexuality. There were also many achievements like the right to publish LGBTQ+ magazines, wins in employment discrimination cases, and constraints put on the police to lessen harassment. Though, this did come with the problem of more hostile and discriminatory attitudes as gay people gained more rights and visibility.

This would come to a head on June 28, 1969. Marsha would leave a party to go to the Stonewall inn on Christopher Street where the Stonewall riots had begun. The riots were started by NYPD raiding the notoriously LGBTQ+ spot and arresting patrons on trump charges, causing the community to finally take a stand. Marsha is said to be one of the many instigators that turned it into a riot. I, myself, have heard stories of her either throwing shot glasses or even a brick. Which is true, I’m not sure, but this has solidified her as one of the many faces of the movement at just 23-years-old.

Marsha would take this notoriety and begin STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries*) with another well-known face of the movement, Sylvia Rivera, who will also get her own blog post. This would act as their organization for trans rights (Something that was still considered extremely controversial even within queer spaces) as well as provide aid for trans youth from food to housing across the country before eventually disbanding. Johnson would still perform drag all over and even worked with fellow well-known queer artist, Andy Warhol. In the 80s, Johnson would be a heavy advocate for queer people with AIDs, falling ill with the disease herself. She would also be asked to attend the dedication of a memorial reveal to the Stonewall riots.

Sadly, though, Marsha’s life would be taken too soon. On July 6, 1992, Marsha P. Johnson was found drowned in the Hudson River. The police initially ruled this a suicide, but after 2 decades of insistence to reopen the case, police finally agreed in 2012 to reopen it. Personally, I agree with many others that Marsha was likely murdered, taken from the world too soon at the age of 46.

As a bisexual non-binary person myself, it’s hard for me to express how much finding out about Marsha’s story impacted me the first time I heard it. I still remember crying as gay marriage became legal, right as I began to be more honest with myself and my sexuality. Writing this now, it hits even harder to know that Marsha would never get to see that, or just how beloved people like her and Sylvia have become to the queer community. I would like to finish this post off with an excerpt from an edition of QED discussing Marsha’s reaction to the memorial statue of Stonewall because I believe it truly shows who she was. “Now they got two little statues in Sheridan Park Square…how many people have died for these two little statues…to recognize gay people? How many years has it taken people to realize we’re all brothers and sisters and human beings…? I mean how many years does it take for people to see that?”

Marsha P. Johnson was a force to be reckoned with. She didn’t just think for herself, she thought for all, and she would make sure if others weren’t being listened to, she would make sure she was heard to advocate for them. She is still as inspirational for young queer folk to this day as she was then.

*Let it be noted that transvestite is considered not as acceptable today. Please refer to trans people as transgender instead!

Sources:

Morris, Charles E., and Thomas K. Nakayama. “Paying Mind to GLBTQ Pasts.” QED: A Journal in GLBTQ Worldmaking, vol. 1, no. 2, Michigan State University Press, 2014, pp. v–vii, https://doi.org/10.14321/qed.1.2.000v.

Worthen, Meredith. “Marsha P. Johnson.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 25 June 2020, https://www.biography.com/activist/marsha-p-johnson.

Washington, KC. “Marsha P. Johnson (1945-1992) •.” Black Past, 6 July 2020, https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/marsha-p-johnson-1945-1992/.

“About Marsha P. Johnson.” Marsha P Johnson Memorial Elizabeth Native and Transgender Activist for LGBTQ+ Rights, 2021, https://ucnj.org/mpj/about-marsha-p-johnson/.

“Brief History of the Gay and Lesbian Rights Movement in the U.S.” History of Gay Rights Movement in U.S., http://www.uky.edu/~lbarr2/gws250spring11_files/Page1186.htm.

#women in history #women #girlpower #drag queen #queer community #marsha p johnson #queer stuff

[thequeerhistorian]

Ching Shih: The Red Pirate of China

Ching Shih is without a doubt one of the fiercest pirates I have ever read about. She commanded thousands of ships, ran a thorough business, and was truly a gatekeep, gaslight, girl boss. Ching Shih was a pirate not to be trifled with and would have laughed in the face of more notable male pirates like Blackbeard and his truly minuscule fleet in comparison to the operation she commanded.

Ching Shih (or Zheng Yi Sao) was born poor in Guangdong providence, China in the year 1775 (One source I found stated 1785, but considering every other source I found says 1775, I assume this was a typo). Her original name is unknown as Ching Shih simply translates to “widow of Ching”, but this isn’t terribly surprising considering the poverty of the area she grew up in and the lowliness of her status. This will be a continuing pattern of contradicting stories of Ching Shih’s life.

Ching Shih, like many young girls born into poverty in China, became a prostitute at the age of 13 on one of China’s floating brothels, called “flower boats”. She would gain quick notoriety for her beauty which caught the attention of pirate commander Zheng Yi. This is another moment where we see there isn’t a lot of clear-cut information on Ching Shih. There are many conflicting stories about how she and Zheng Yi met and the stories can vary heavily.

In one version of the story, Zheng Yi immediately falls in love with Ching Shih for her beauty and begs her to marry him. In another, he sends an entire fleet to capture Ching Shih and bring her to the notorious pirate. Either way, the two ended up married but Ching Shih wasn’t about to go into this marriage without benefits. She demanded at least 50% of his profits from plundering and command within his organization of at least 200 ships called “The Red Flag Fleet”.

Together, the two commanding pirates would rule the seas. Their fleet grew by the thousands from 200 to about 1800. Their fleet was color-coded, the lead fleet being the “Red Flag” fleet, led by Ching Shih and her husband. While leading an army of estimated 60,000 pirates, Ching Shih helped implement a new code of conduct for the fleet that was strictly enforced including:

• Giving unauthorized orders or disobeying direct orders meant execution

• All goods must be inspected and anyone found hiding unauthorized goods would lose a body part

• Loyalty was generously rewarded to inspire the other pirates

• Women captives were treated respectfully. The wealthy, pretty ones were held for ransom. Those who were weak, poor, or pregnant were released as quickly as possible

• Rape and infidelity were considered serious crimes that would result in hanging to death.

Ching Shih’s changes and efforts to win the crew’s loyalty and happiness would end up working to their benefit. Soon, their fleet had become the largest on Earth. In fact, they were so well-known and respected, that even the emperor declared Zheng Yi as “Golden Dragon of the Imperial Staff”, essentially making him a prince.

Sadly, though, the marriage of Ching Shih and Zheng Yi would end after 6 years because of Zheng Yi’s death. Instead of stepping down, though, Ching Shih took the opportunity to take over the fleet as one of the fiercest pirate lords in the world. Not long after her first husband’s death, she would then marry his second-in-command, Chang Pao, the legal heir of Zheng Yi, and possibly Ching Shih’s lover during her first marriage as well. Though she was married to her first husband’s heir, Ching Shih still would not loosen the reins of her power over the Red Flag Fleet. She still was the formidable leader of China’s greatest fleet.

Ching Shih’s fleet gained insane control. No ship passed by the coast without Ching Shih’s knowledge. Even the Chinese navy tried to do something about it but this would end in a colossal failure. Ching Shih and her army of pirates would end up losing only 40 men and taking all the ships the army had tried to use against them.

Ching Shih was trouble for everyone – British, Portuguese, and Chinese. It had reached a breaking point for the current emperor who began negotiations with Ching Shih’s husband-son (don’t think about it too much) for the end of the pirate queen’s career. Ching Shih finally came to an agreement with the emperor, (in one story where she came accompanied by 17 women and children who likely were living with the fleet) where the pirates would get to keep their loot, and many of them were given bureaucratic jobs, Ching Shih and Chang Pao were married before the emperor, and even Chang Pao was named captain of the Guangdong navy. The two welcomed a daughter and a son into the world and after Chang Pao died in 1822, Ching Shih went to Macau with her children where she ran a gambling den and brothel until she died in 1844 at 69 (nice) years old.

Ching Shih would be born into the world so poor we don’t even know her true name. But, this powerful lady wouldn’t be stopped. She made the best of whatever situation she was in and took control of the largest pirate fleet in history, gaining increased wealth and notoriety, by keeping her crew tightly in check and even making sure they were drinking that respect women juice. She could never have known that she would pass away with incredible wealth and notoriety that would last her centuries as the truly greatest pirate to ever live.

Sources:

https://historyofyesterday.com/ching-shih-a-prostitute-who-became-historys-deadliest-pirate-f596f7fcff23

https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/ching-shih-prostitute-pirate-lord-002582

https://www.rejectedprincesses.com/princesses/ching-shih

http://www.annebonnypirate.com/famous-female-pirates/ching-shih/

#Ching Shih #pirate #women in history #china #stop asian hate

[thequeerhistorian]

Another update

Hello everyone - here's another update for the blog. I promise I have another post coming soon. This blog takes significantly longer than I would like it to, I'm afraid. I'm finishing my last year of University and in the middle of a very busy internship, so when I do have time to sit and write, I try to make sure I do my best so you all get a worthwhile read (while also trying to make sure it's not too long!)

On that note, I want to make a statement. My writing this next blog at this moment is very much intentional. In the United States, there has been a disgusting growth in violence against Asian people, especially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Though it isn’t as prominent in the news right now, it still very much exists. I wanted to give Asian women a particularly prominent spotlight right now, considering the unjust violence that's happening, not to mention how their stories are so rarely told. Asian people are not a monolith. Asian women deserve to have their stories told. Asian women deserve to be respected and remembered. So for my next post or two, I will be giving these women a very necessary spotlight.

#stop asian hate

[thequeerhistorian]

Mary Tudor: The Bloody Queen of England

I would like to start with how this post will be a little tough for me. I started this blog to make a point – the women of history are more than we are told. I think this woman truly shows that, though I want to include, I absolutely do not excuse, nor do I condone what she has done. I simply think it is important to tell more of her story and show that she was a deeply troubled person caused by the actions of others and a lack of control in her own life.

Mary I of England, also known as Mary Tudor, was born at Greenwich Palace, on February 18th, 1516. She was the only daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, and the oldest of the king’s 3 living children. She was mostly cared for by the Countess of Salisbury and was the goddaughter of Cardinal Wolsey. As a child, she was reportedly beloved by her father, who carried her in his arms around the court, introducing her to all.

Not only distinctly spoiled by her father, Mary was also considered very bright and intelligent – French nobles even wrote to Henry about how talented she was for her young age. This, though, would not be Mary’s first encounter with the French court. Sadly, being a woman in this day meant that your future mainly consisted of being used for political power. Before Mary was past two, Henry was already bartering her marital status with France, having her engaged to the Dauphin of France, though this engagement wouldn’t last long. Mary’s young life consisted of her being used to negotiating with France and Charles V, Catherine’s nephew & the Holy Roman Emperor.

By the time Mary was about 9, Henry began to seek a divorce to marry Anne Boleyn, and it was here that Henry’s selfishness would cause Mary’s life to spiral. She was forced to separate from her beloved mother and declared a bastard. Henry’s reasoning - because Catherine had once been (extremely briefly) married to his former brother, Arthur, his marriage to Catherine was now incestuous and illegal. Funnily enough, this was not such an issue for Henry when he first wanted Catherine. Henry neglected his first daughter, forcing her to be a lady-in-waiting to infant Elizabeth, Anne’s daughter. He refused to let Catherine see her when she became ill, and she was constantly at risk of being executed due to her hatred of Anne. (Though, who could blame her?) Even in her mother’s dying moments, Mary was forbidden from seeing her mother, and after Anne Boleyn’s death, Mary was forced to play nice in the hopes her father would grant her back her royal title.

During this time, Mary saw her half-brother, sickly Edward, take the throne and install Protestantism in England. On his death, the Duke of Northumberland tried to put his own daughter, lady Jane Grey, on the throne. Though, this attempt would result in his daughter’s death as after 9 days on the throne, Mary, with her massive support, would take the throne and execute Jane. Mary then began to dismantle the protestant policies of her brother and take her anger towards her father and Anne out on the Protestants of England, including her sister, Elizabeth. Mary began to have protestants burned at the stake, beginning with the very men who helped her father break from the Catholic church. This would be the start of Mary’s downfall.

Mary had decided that she needed to marry a fellow Catholic and chose Phillip of Spain. This decision was very much discouraged by her court, because Phillip was seen as untrustworthy, with good reason. This would not be Phillip’s first attempt to get his grubby paws on England. Mary ignored these warnings, though, and continued with the marriage, continuing her loss in popularity amongst the English people, and they showed it through rebellions, which Mary defeated. Sadly, though, poor Mary would die thinking she was pregnant with Phillip’s child, though she was dying of cancer. Alone, abandoned, and despised by her people, Mary would die on November 17th, 1558, finally reunited with her mother.

Mary is often considered a volatile and angry ruler, though I would like to note, that she was no crueler than her father. Henry VIII caused the deaths of likely just as many. Of course, I want to remind my readers that I’m not saying she was justified at all. Mary’s rule would cause the deaths of at least 287 protestants. But I also think Mary’s killings were motivated by underlying bitterness. From her father’s cruelty and selfishness to being separated from her mother, I think Mary’s actions were caused by deep-seated trauma that could have been avoided if only she had been shown greater kindness and had a really good therapist.

Sources:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/mary_i_queen.shtml

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Mary_I.,_Queen

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/Mary_I_(1516-1558)

#mary tudor #bloody mary #queen of england #women in history #royal women #women's history month #henry viii was a huge selfish jerk

[thequeerhistorian]

Katy Jurado: Killer Queen of the Silver Screen

So often we hear about the lack of representation in Hollywood. There simply aren’t enough roles given to non-white men and women as there should be. This has been an issue throughout Hollywood’s history, but there is one woman who would become iconic in the days of the silver screen for breaking stereotypes of Latina women and would pave the way for more Latin-American women in the entertainment industry for decades to come.

Katy Jurado was born María Cristina Estela Jurado García (Esteban from Suite Life of Zack and Cody would be proud) on January 16, 1924, in Guadalajara, Mexico. Her family was forced to move from their luxurious home after it was seized by the government for redistribution to the poor. Her family’s aristocratic ideals would persist though as Katy was forbidden from becoming an actress, even threatening to send her to boarding school, after meeting Emilio Fernandez, who wanted to cast her in a film. She got around this by marrying actor, Víctor Velázquez and signing her contract in secret. Jurado was cast in her first film “No Matarás” (1943) during the “Golden Age of Mexican Cinema”. Her most well-known role, though, was for the movie, “High Noon” (1953)

Jurado was well-known for breaking stereotypes of Latina characters in her films. She could play a wide variety of characters, but her specialty would be the dangerous and alluring femme fatale role that she would be known for. She would also use her fame to pave the way for more inclusion in Hollywood – at the time, Hispanic women were used as sexual/grandmotherly characters, and Jurado showed that she was so much more than that. There’s even a story where a director mocked her for her broken English, so she tore him a new one. In fact, Jurado didn’t initially know English! She apparently learned her lines phonetically! Though she starred in many American roles, Katy was also known for the many roles in Mexican-made films and doing work writing about movies, critiquing bullfighting, and reporting for radio. She was an incredibly hard worker!

Katy Jurado’s beauty also meant she had a torrid love-life that included the attractions of many men from Marlon Brando to Frank Sinatra, though poor Katy did not have it easy, as she had a horribly abusive husband later in her life. It’s important to mention just how much influence she had, but I only want to briefly touch on this because it’s important to show that things weren’t always easy for her, it’s necessary to show that abuse can happen anywhere, and her love life is not nearly as big as her importance to cinema and breaking down barriers.

Katy Jurado was a woman of great accomplishment. She never backed down from her heritage, turning down a Hollywood contract so she could also work in Mexico and keep from showing an “imitation” of Latinx women, and got tons of awards including a Golden Globe and 3 Silver Ariels, while also being careful about what roles she chose. She wouldn’t just play anything, she wanted roles that showed Mexico in a positive and noble light. She wrote extensively and showed that she was a woman of many talents, even acting until she finally passed away at 78 in 2002.

Katy Jurado is now buried in Cuernavaca, Mexico, as I’m sure she would have wanted; her spirit remaining in the land she loved so much. Katy’s life was not an easy one, but it was not one without incredible success, with groundbreaking works that would give so much more opportunity to Latinx people entering Hollywood, and still never forgetting where she came from. Her work in America and in Mexico will not be forgotten, nor should we forget she, as many people are, was more than just one thing. Because of her, the Mexican flag was “plant[ed] in the US film industry.”

Sources:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0432827/bio

Cortés, Carlos E. “CHICANAS IN FILM: HISTORY OF AN IMAGE.” Bilingual Review / La Revista Bilingüe, vol. 10, no. 2/3, 1983, pp. 94–108. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/25744062. Accessed 16 Mar. 2021.

https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-katy-jurado/

https://www.allmovie.com/artist/p36544

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6577493/katy-jurado

#katy jurado #killer queen #international women's day #women in history #actresses #latinx women #women's history month #women in film