ART BINOCULAR Taking a Look around the World through 5 Art News UK Art and History Museum classifies Roman Emperor Elagabalus as a trans Woman The North Hertfordshire Museum in the UK has classified the Roman Emperor Elagabalus as a transgender woman and will from now on use female pronouns for the ruler in their descriptions. The decision was made together with the LGBT charity Stonewall, after it was Roman
Coins showing Elagabalus (Source: Wikimedia.org)
documents state that Elagabalus wanted to be
Other experts however, like Keith Hoskins,
referred to as a “lady”.
executive member of the “Enterprise and Arts
discovered
that
some
Ancient
at North Herts” Council, believe that these Elagabalus, who assumed the Roman throne at
accounts are evidence for Elaga-balus being
the age of 14 is a controversial historical figure
trans and wanting to be referred to as a woman,
and there has been a long-standing debate over
He states that “pronouns are not a new thing”
the leaders gender identity between academics.
and thinks that museums should reflect this in
Some scholars, like Dr. Shushma Malik, a
contemporary discussions about historical
classics Professor at the University of Cam-
figures.
bridge, claim that effeminate lan-guage was often used in Ancient Rome to slander political
A spokesperson for the North Hertford-shire
figures like the Emperor, and that we therefore
Museum has explained that it was “only polite
cannot be sure of Elagabalus’ gender. While
and respectful to be sensitive to identifying
there are accounts of the ruler wearing makeup
pronouns for people in the past”.
and wigs, these could have been written to “undermine the unpopular Emperor”.
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