Opening Up Space: A Lovely Technofeminist Opportunity

Being LGBTQ+ In the Late 19th Century

The discrimination the LGBTQ+ community received during the 19th century was not equally distributed. While lesbians were thought to be a small, insignificant portion of the population, gay men were seen as a threat and any relationships were outlawed and punishable by death according to the Buggery Act. The Buggery Act was in place until 1861 when it was revised to be punishable by 10 years rather than a death sentence (Dryden, A Short History). Gay men and transpeople suffered the most open discrimination and intolerance, while many women pursued same-sex relationships that were accepted within the upper-middle-class society. Lesbian women experienced an erasure of their identity because it wasn't recognized as a real identity or relationship. However, this did allow women to escape some of the explicit discrimination experienced by others in the community. This is in part why Frances Power Cobbe and Mary Lloyd’s was able to happen during this time, however, it is important to note that they were unable to get formally married and same-sex relationships were not widely accepted.

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