To celebrate the 100th anniversary of women fencers being allowed to compete in the Olympic Games let's delve into the podcast archives and talk about a lesbian fencer who didn't take part - but still made history in a range of ways: Toupie Lowther.

Featuring women's fencing trousers, all-women ambulance squads, a kitten mascot and 1920s lesbian dramaaaaa.

Transcript and show notes available here!

For our first podcast interview, we talk to Abey Bradbury (writer and cast member) and Sam Kearney-Edwardes (playing Julie) from JULIE: The Musical (Le Gasp! and Croft & Dye Productions) about their show about chaotic bisexual opera singer duellist (and previous podcast subject) Julie d'Aubigny aka La Maupin! JULIE: The Musical is on till 30th June at The Other Palace, London. Listen to the end for a discount code!

This episode, it's a Chevalière and Chevalier-heavy episode as we explore the life of trans soldier, spy and bringer of 18th century courtly chaos the Chevalière d'Eon, featuring Black duellist, composer and abolionist Chevalier de Saint Georges!

Expect intrigue in no less than THREE different European countries, capitalism-destroying gender feelings, too much wine, unexpected convents, musical prodigies, lost operas, accountancy nerds and REVOLUTION.

[Transcript and sources page on its way, experiencing a few tech difficulties - will be up soon!]

Follow the podcast at @bustleswordpod! Credits: Written, narrated and produced by Claire Mead - follow her at @carmineclaire 

This episode, it's another delve in the podcast pre-reboot archives. This time one from Summer 2021, all about a legendary rider who did countless duel shows on horseback against men with an unbeatable track record. Expect ambiguously queer sportswomen, absolutely devastating public challenges in the local newspaper and jaguar print hot pants. Also, Muchacho the horse. Access the episode transcript and show notes here! Season 1 of Bustles and Broadswords will update weekly throughout June/July 2022. Tune in every week for a new episode! Follow the podcast at @bustleswordpod! Credits: Written, narrated and produced by Claire Mead - follow her at @carmineclaire  Music is Captivated By Her by Cody Martin.

This episode, we have a bit of a change of pace. Our warrior lady this week was a swordfighter but she's a lot more known for her high-stakes wrestling. The stakes? Her hand in marriage. Expect a primer on Mongolian warfare techniques, Marco Polo for some reason, problematic operas, iconic actresses turned queer icons and enough horses to appease the most demanding of horse girls.

Access the episode transcript and show notes here

Season 1 of Bustles and Broadswords will update weekly throughout June/July 2022. Tune in every week for a new episode!

Follow the podcast at @bustleswordpod!

Credits:

Written, narrated and produced by Claire Mead - follow her at @carmineclaire 

Music is Captivated By Her by Cody Martin.

This episode, I bring you back in time...okay back to the pre-reboot podcast archives with this May 2020 episode but also to 17th century France...where we join bisexual opera singer and duellist Julie d'Aubigny, aka La Maupin, for a chaotic journey throughout France leading us to the main stage of the theatre, more than a few pub duels and convent arson.

To access the episode transcript and show notes: click here

Season 1 of Bustles and Broadswords will update weekly throughout June/July 2022. Tune in every week for a new episode! Send your Qs and sword lady stories to [email protected] and follow the podcast at @bustleswordpod!

Credits:

Written, narrated and produced by Claire Mead - follow her at @carmineclaire 

Music is Captivated By Her by Cody Martin.

This episode, we continue our pun-filled adventure of Princess Pauline von Metternich taking flowers too seriously and get to the meat and potatoes...THE DUEL. But not just that. What happens after it, what is its influence, a bit of a topless duel plot twist (and some debunking), and a current-day reimagining via The Language of Flowers (2021)!

Access the episode transcript and show notes here!

Season 1 of Bustles and Broadswords will update weekly throughout June/July 2022. Tune in every week for a new episode!

Follow the podcast at @bustleswordpod!

Credits:

Written, narrated and produced by Claire Mead - follow her at @carmineclaire 

Music is Captivated By Her by Cody Martin and King's Feast by Wicked Cinema.

It's a first episode! And we're starting (very) strong and ~scandalous~ with a duel that has remained legendary...the duel between a Princess and Countess at the end of the 19th century that was allegedly fought...topless?! As we follow the story of how exactly Princess Pauline von Metternich ended up in this situation (or not), we encounter queer vibes, fashion, ridiculous duels, operas, and an alarming amount of plot-relevant flowers. 

Access the episode transcript and show notes here!

Season 1 of Bustles and Broadswords will update weekly throughout June/July 2022. Tune in every week for a new episode!

Follow the podcast at @bustleswordpod!

Credits:

Written, narrated and produced by Claire Mead - follow her at @carmineclaire 

Music is Captivated By Her by Cody Martin.

Welcome, sword lady lovers...to Bustles and Broadswords! Tune in to find out what it's all about and for a teaser about Season 1...around Performance! (jazz hands with swords) (don't try this at home)

Season 1 of Bustles and Broadswords will update weekly throughout June/July 2022. Tune in every week for a new episode!

Follow on Twitter at @bustleswordpod to be the first to know when the next one's live!

And you can follow the writer, narrator and producer of this podcast, Claire Mead, at @carmineclaire!

This week, we cover a gender non-conforming lesbian who was a fencer, a tennis player, WWI ambulance driving unit leader AND a key player in a 20s lesbian book scandal...the unpredictable Toupie Lowther.  

Show notes!

Images:

Toupie Lowther in breeches in The Sketch, 1900

Sources & more reading:

Diana Souhami, The Trials of Radclyffe Hall - a must-read for anyone who wants to find out more about Hall and the book trial. And the rest of her books are just as fantastic re: historical lesbians.

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