Rosalie Gilbert (author of The Very Secret Sex Lives of Medieval Women) gives us a lovely recap of her time with theChermside Library.
On Thursday I had the pleasure of visiting Chermside Library in Brisbane’s northside for the very first time, and what a delight it was.
The staff were incredibly welcoming with big shout outs to Megan who organised the visit, and Rosemary who was my host on the night! It goes without saying that Brisbane Libraries themselves who have hosted and promoted these speaking events for me are amazing!
The facilities provided were first rate- a generous sized meeting room, chairs spaced sensibly apart, a great overhead projecting screen for my powerpoint pictures and tea, coffee and biscuits for our guests!
I had no idea that beverages and snacks would be provided free along with the talk, so that came as a delightful surprise!
Chermside Library is enormous, and everything a library should be- bright, airy, filled with books and a variety of lounging and study options.
And a cafe inside.
Of course, with the current Covid climate, we anticipated that only a small number of attendees would be permitted and although the crowd was quite small, they were certainly rather enthusiastic about the topic!
Following the talk and Q&A, people kindly bought books with the Australian nipple-free dust jacket and even more kindly asked for them to be signed.
I’m so delighted to meet such lovely people at each talk who share my passion for medieval women.
You can catch me at Kenmore Library next Thursday for more Very Secret Sex Lives f Medieval Women!
The Very Secret Sex Lives of Medieval Women
An Inside Look at Women & Sex in Medieval Times
An inside look at sexual practices in medieval times. Were medieval women slaves to their husband’s desires, jealously secured in a chastity belt in his absence? Was sex a duty or could it be a pleasure? Did a woman have a say about her own female sexuality, body, and who did or didn’t get up close and personal with it? No. And yes. It’s complicated.
Romance, courtship, and behind closed doors. The intimate lives of medieval women were as complex as for modern women. They loved and lost, hoped and schemed, were lifted up and cast down. They were hopeful and lovelorn. Some had it forced upon them, others made aphrodisiacs and dressed for success. Some were chaste and some were lusty. Having sex was complicated. Not having sex, was even more so.