Abbie Fray (she/her)
LightNews LightNews
banner
abbiefray.bsky.social
Abbie Fray (she/her)
@abbiefray.bsky.social
100 followers 220 following 7 posts
Queer Medievalist 🏳️‍🌈🏰 PhD student at the University of Bern, researching dysphoria and transformation in late medieval literature
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
abbiefray.bsky.social
Abbie Fray (she/her) @abbiefray.bsky.social · 15d
Very excited to announce this CfP! Please share widely with anyone who might be interested! #medievalsky #skystorians #cfp #histmed #Fissures2026
aliceraw.bsky.social Alice Raw @aliceraw.bsky.social · 15d
Call for Papers! Fissures: Gender and Political Crisis #medievalsky #Fissures2026
Fissures: Gender and Political Crisis 17-18 September 2026 Pembroke College, University of Cambridge Gendered work on medieval popular politics has tended to revolve around the exceptional. This workshop explores how studies of gender can reconfigure discourses of medieval political community. We ask how attending to gendered bodies and identities might help us better understand the fissures in political culture in medieval Europe. Marking, for example, women’s participation as either absent or rare confines their involvement to the historical margins. How did literary as well as non-literary texts from various genres, ranging from the thirteenth to the sixteenth centuries, engage with gendered political action? How did ideas of gender stabilise or destabilise political performances? We invite abstracts for 25-minute papers, as well as expressions of interest for participation. We welcome papers with a historical, literary, or interdisciplinary focus. Potential topics could include but are not limited to: • Frameworks for understanding non-normative gender expressions in political spaces. • Studies of politics at the intersection of gendered, queer, or trans methodologies. • Histories of masculinities in political community. • Emotion and/or Affect • Weaponized/defensive gender • Manoeuvring bodies through political crisis • Inclusion and exclusion • Different sites of political discourse, such as domestic and non-violent conflict. Collectively, the papers will interrogate the role of gender in political discourse. Selected papers may be considered for inclusion in an edited volume. Means-based bursaries for speakers may be available by further application. Please submit a title and abstract of no more than 200 words to Alice Raw (ar889@cam.ac.uk) and Abbie Fray (abigail.fray@unibe.ch) by 16 January 2026.
Reposted by Abbie Fray (she/her)
medievalmcsheff.bsky.social
On this Trans day of remembrance, let’s think about Rolandina Ronchaia, cruelly executed in 14th-c Venice middleagesforeducators.princeton.edu/resource/cas...
The Case of Rolandina Ronchaia, a 14th - century transwoman?
In this video three historians of gender and sexuality examine the legal case of Rolandina Ronchaia, a transwoman in mid-fourteenth century Venice
middleagesforeducators.princeton.edu
November 20, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Reposted by Abbie Fray (she/her)
echomikeromeo.bsky.social
I'm glad to have signed this statement in support of queer and trans staff at the National Library of Scotland, who by the sounds of it are going through an awful time at the moment: docs.google.com/document/d/e...
November 19, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Reposted by Abbie Fray (she/her)
heatherpaterson.co.uk
Today is Trans Day Of Remembrance

#TransLivesMatter #TDoR #TDoR2025 #TransDayOfRemembrance #TransAwarenessWeek #SayTheirNames

*** Trigger warning for the following thread: Violence against trans people (especially TWOC) * * *
MOURN THE DEAD, FIGHT LIKE HELL FOR THE LIVING TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE THIS IS WHY WE'RE SO FUCKING ANGRY
November 20, 2025 at 6:58 AM
Reposted by Abbie Fray (she/her)
durhamhistory.bsky.social
One for urban historians... The new Cambridge Urban History of Europe is out soon, including chapters by Durham historians Christian Liddy (vol. 2) and Markian Prokopovych (vol. 3):

www.cambridge.org/core/books/c...

www.cambridge.org/core/books/c...

@cambridge.org
The Cambridge Urban History of Europe
Cambridge Core - European Studies - The Cambridge Urban History of Europe
www.cambridge.org
November 17, 2025 at 2:41 PM
abbiefray.bsky.social
Very excited to announce this CfP! Please share widely with anyone who might be interested! #medievalsky #skystorians #cfp #histmed #Fissures2026
aliceraw.bsky.social Alice Raw @aliceraw.bsky.social · 15d
Call for Papers! Fissures: Gender and Political Crisis #medievalsky #Fissures2026
Fissures: Gender and Political Crisis 17-18 September 2026 Pembroke College, University of Cambridge Gendered work on medieval popular politics has tended to revolve around the exceptional. This workshop explores how studies of gender can reconfigure discourses of medieval political community. We ask how attending to gendered bodies and identities might help us better understand the fissures in political culture in medieval Europe. Marking, for example, women’s participation as either absent or rare confines their involvement to the historical margins. How did literary as well as non-literary texts from various genres, ranging from the thirteenth to the sixteenth centuries, engage with gendered political action? How did ideas of gender stabilise or destabilise political performances? We invite abstracts for 25-minute papers, as well as expressions of interest for participation. We welcome papers with a historical, literary, or interdisciplinary focus. Potential topics could include but are not limited to: • Frameworks for understanding non-normative gender expressions in political spaces. • Studies of politics at the intersection of gendered, queer, or trans methodologies. • Histories of masculinities in political community. • Emotion and/or Affect • Weaponized/defensive gender • Manoeuvring bodies through political crisis • Inclusion and exclusion • Different sites of political discourse, such as domestic and non-violent conflict. Collectively, the papers will interrogate the role of gender in political discourse. Selected papers may be considered for inclusion in an edited volume. Means-based bursaries for speakers may be available by further application. Please submit a title and abstract of no more than 200 words to Alice Raw (ar889@cam.ac.uk) and Abbie Fray (abigail.fray@unibe.ch) by 16 January 2026.
November 11, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Reposted by Abbie Fray (she/her)
danelphick.bsky.social
Well this is awful news: tinyurl.com/yr65mjkx
'All modern language and music courses are being suspended for new students at the University of Nottingham.'

Nottingham friends: please be assured that we will join you in protesting against this decision in the strongest possible terms. Solidarity.
Music and modern languages courses suspended at University of Nottingham
In a statement the institution also says it is
www.bbc.co.uk
November 6, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Reposted by Abbie Fray (she/her)
royalhistsoc.org
We've two new titles forthcoming in our New Historical Perspectives book series:

> Gareth Roddy's 'Atlantic Isles' is published on 30 October bit.ly/3WFhpRg
> Rachael Harkes's 'Forging Fraternity' is available from 6 November bit.ly/4ogSm2H

Full details from @uolpress.bsky.social #Skystorians 1/2
Cover images for the two forthocming titles in the New Historical Perspectives book series: 'Atlantic Isles: Travel and Identity in the British and Irish West, 1880–1940', by Gareth Roddy Forging Fraternity in Late Medieval Society. The Palmers' Guild of Ludlow, by Rachael Harkes
October 15, 2025 at 11:25 AM
abbiefray.bsky.social
Currently loving this corner of my office ☕️🧡
October 14, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Reposted by Abbie Fray (she/her)
jdsargan.bsky.social
It's true: I wrote a book. And what's more, the book is done and soon you'll be able to own a copy. And what's more more, if you want a hard copy you can order one for 50% off now, with the code SAR50. And if you want it digitally, it'll be open access!

www.arc-humanities.org/978180270163...
Trans Histories of the Medieval Book - Arc Humanities Press
Archival collections are political spaces: the decisions that govern whose histories are preserved, when, and by whom are not neutral. They reflect the commu...
www.arc-humanities.org
October 8, 2025 at 3:17 PM
abbiefray.bsky.social
I arrived in Bern yesterday to start my PhD in Medieval English literature! Would love to hear people’s advice for starting their PhD or settling into life abroad☺️ #phd #medievalsky
September 25, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Reposted by Abbie Fray (she/her)
samemes.bsky.social
We are happy to share the publication of Reconsidering Consent and Coercion: Power, Vulnerability, and Sexual Violence in Medieval Literature, edited by @janebonsall.bsky.social and Hannah Piercy! Thanks to the generosity of the @snsf.ch it has been published open access!
Reconsidering Consent and Coercion | Gender and Sexuality in the Global Middle Ages
www.brepolsonline.net
September 24, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Reposted by Abbie Fray (she/her)
historyworkshop.org.uk
'I've been exploring the uses of trans history as a tool of political education: one that moves beyond questions of visibility, validity, or 'always being here'.'

Sam Rutherford @echomikeromeo on Imagining Trans Futures:
Imagining Trans Futures
Sam Rutherford reflects on how trans histories and historians can work towards building power in the trans community.
www.historyworkshop.org.uk
September 23, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Reposted by Abbie Fray (she/her)
silkabelli.bsky.social
Queen
September 16, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Reposted by Abbie Fray (she/her)
wokestudies.bsky.social
David and Goliath with grotesque creatures in the margins, 1450-1499
Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library. "David and Goliath in full armor, brandishing a club, f. 71r" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1450 - 1499. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/6d4ea740-c5cb-012f-06f4-58d385a7bc34 Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library. "David and Goliath in full armor, brandishing a club, f. 71r" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1450 - 1499. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/6d4ea740-c5cb-012f-06f4-58d385a7bc34
September 14, 2025 at 10:17 AM
abbiefray.bsky.social
This week I presented my first ever research poster at the Sensorial Lives of the Non-Human conference. I had an amazing time in the beautiful cities of Bern and Zurich, surrounded by really fascinating research! Lots to think about after such an inspiring few days! #medievalsky
September 13, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Reposted by Abbie Fray (she/her)
yorkisthistory.bsky.social
We had a wonderful time at the Fifteenth Century Conference at Durham - excellent papers showcasing lots of exciting new work on the later Middle Ages! #Skystorians #MedievalSky #medieval
A photograph of the gatehouse of Durham castle, with a view of the cathedral tower behind - it is night and both are illuminated.
September 6, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Reposted by Abbie Fray (she/her)
queermedieval.bsky.social
medieval pride parade!
a medieval style digital drawing showing a group of people surrounded by an ornate gold border. On the left, there is a brown woman with long, curly brown hair, smiling and looking to her left with her hands thrown up. She’s wearing a purple dress with gold trim, a trans flag cloak, and a flower crown in the lesbian flag colors. She’s holding hands with a Black woman to her right, who has short, curly black hair with a flower in the lesbian flag colors tucked into it. She’s wearing an orange bliaut with purple lining and gold trim over a pink underdress. In the center, there is a tan man with long, wavy grey hair and a beard, holding up a large progress pride flag on a gold flagpole. He has a chain of gold with rainbow leaves in his hair, and he’s wearing a long teal tunic with purple and blue sleeves and a rainbow inset at the chest. Next to him is a brown nonbinary person with medium brown curly hair, smiling with one hand on their hip. They’re wearing a chaperon in the nonbinary flag colors over a purple belted tunic, grey hose, and brown boots. To their left, a woman is throwing up a peace sign, wearing a bi flag cloak and a pale green dress with a leafy belt. Her hair is braided and has flowers in the bi flag colors tucked into it. There’s a white dog on the grass in front of the people, wearing a rainbow jester collar, and there’s a pigeon flying above everyone with a trans flag ribbon in its beak. There’s a rainbow in the background. The border is filled with scrollwork and flowers in the colors of various pride flags, as well as two smiling rainbow dragons with trans pride wings facing each other at the bottom, and a smiling frog to either side.
June 10, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Reposted by Abbie Fray (she/her)
drdyidhuijg.bsky.social
STATEMENT: 'Not In Our Name: Feminist Academics and Educators Speak Out Against Transphobia'
Read the statement online here: tinyurl.com/mud7va29
Co-sign the statement, fill in this form: forms.gle/oDYgnobrMiSc...
Not In Our Name: Feminist Academics and Educators Speak Out Against Transphobia
We call on all trans-inclusive feminist academics and educators to sign this statement: ‘Not In Our Name’ We are non-trans feminist academics and educators. We write in support of trans rights, tran...
forms.gle
April 30, 2025 at 7:25 AM
Reposted by Abbie Fray (she/her)
goodlawproject.bsky.social
On what is a really difficult day, here are some resources for our trans friends and allies.

Solidarity 💜
goodlawproject.org/resource/sup...
Support resources for our trans friends and allies | Good Law Project
At a time when anti-trans discrimination is rife and hate crime has reached record levels, it’s important to know what support is out there for trans, non-binary or gender-questioning individuals and ...
goodlawproject.org
April 16, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Reposted by Abbie Fray (she/her)
trinityoxford.bsky.social
February is #LGBTQHistoryMonth and we are looking forward to our MCR LGBTQ+ Month Equalities Symposium! Join us for ten-minute talks with Q&A followed by drinks and nibbles in our cafe; all welcome!
📆 Tuesday 18 February
⏰5:30pm
📍de Jager Auditorium
A graphic with rainbows in each corner advertising the Trinity MCR LGBT+ History Month Equalities Symposium on 18th February at 5:30pm.
February 13, 2025 at 10:55 AM