Caroline Derry
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carolinederry.bsky.social
Caroline Derry
@carolinederry.bsky.social
Gender, sexuality & criminal law/history.
Early women barristers. Agatha Christie.

Professor of Feminism, Law & History, The Open University.

📚 Legal Temporalities of Sexual Consent (2025)
📚 Lesbianism and the Criminal Law (2020)

#ActuallyAutistic
Pinned
My book Legal Temporalities of Sexual Consent is out with @edinburghup.bsky.social later this month!

The law on sexual consent is notoriously problematic – but why focus on time? 🧵(1/7)

🌈🎓
Legal Temporalities of Sexual Consent
Legal Temporalities of Sexual Consent
edinburghuniversitypress.com
Interesting, useful - and welcome confirmation that I'm not alone in hating misuse of 'neurodiverse' to describe an individual!
November 10, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Reposted by Caroline Derry
Man, I was all excited going to read the Hansard report from the day the lesbians abseiled into the House of Lords to protest Section 28, but all it says is "[Interruption]" 😂
November 10, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Reposted by Caroline Derry
Now open for booking: OU Law School's legal histories conference. This year's theme is 'moments of rupture' and we have an exciting range of speakers, topics, jurisdictions and periods.

20-21 November, online, free.

Programme and booking at the link.
Annual Diversity, Dilemmas and Discoveries Conference - Moments of Rupture
Join us for the 6th annual Diversity, Dilemmas and Discoveries Conference - Moments of Rupture
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Now open for booking: OU Law School's legal histories conference. This year's theme is 'moments of rupture' and we have an exciting range of speakers, topics, jurisdictions and periods.

20-21 November, online, free.

Programme and booking at the link.
Annual Diversity, Dilemmas and Discoveries Conference - Moments of Rupture
Join us for the 6th annual Diversity, Dilemmas and Discoveries Conference - Moments of Rupture
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Reposted by Caroline Derry
An excellent #LegalHistory initiative from my #Bristol colleagues. Do have a look!
Are you working on a paper on law, history and reproduction? My great colleague Dr Gauri Pillai and I are organising a workshop for you at the University of Bristol Law School on 1 May 2026!
Please send your abstract by 15 December 2025.
Travel grants available.
November 5, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Reposted by Caroline Derry
On 11 November, Steven Spencer of Birkbeck, University of London, will be speaking at the next IHR Parliaments, Politics & People Seminar, where he will be presenting on 'The campaign to pass the Criminal Law Amendment Bill'

Find out more about his paper and how to attend below:
buff.ly/OTB2wDo
'Abominable, unutterable, and worse than fables': the campaign to pass the Criminal Law Amendment Bill - The History of Parliament
Steven Spencer of Birkbeck, University of London, will be discussing the campaign to pass the 1885 Criminal Law Amendment Act.
historyofparliament.com
November 5, 2025 at 10:31 AM
I had a lovely and very informative time at History Day at @ihr.bsky.social and came home with brochures, books and badges - this one may be my favourite.
November 4, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Reposted by Caroline Derry
Remember guys, @pcsunion.bsky.social staff at the BL are on strike for the next two weeks. Please don't cross the picket line to go to reading rooms, attend exhibitions or anything else. They've endured so much on low pay since the cyberattack in 2023 and the least we can do is have their backs now.
Secret Maps opens today! 🤫 🗺️

From medieval manuscripts to Cold War espionage, our new exhibition explores how maps have hidden as much as they revealed for over 600 years.

Book now: bit.ly/BLSecretMaps
October 26, 2025 at 9:49 AM
V generous offer, but I think I'll pass!
November 1, 2025 at 5:01 PM
A little quantum physics on my way to London Month of the Dead, at Guy's Hospital (now a KCL campus).
November 1, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Reposted by Caroline Derry
Super interesting talk by @carolinederry.bsky.social and @drcisme.bsky.social last night complemented by items from Josephine Butler archive. The parallels with what's going on today were striking.
We were exploring the events of 1885, when a series of scandals led to changes in sexual offences law. The Women's Library at @lselibrary.bsky.social has lots of relevant archival material, some of which was on display 😍
October 31, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Exciting day - I got to meet @drcisme.bsky.social in person and deliver a workshop with her at @lselibrary.bsky.social
October 30, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Reposted by Caroline Derry
All ready to go for this talk on Thursday. Really looking forward to it. Squeee!
NEXT WEEK: Thu 30 Oct 4-6pm: The London Scandal: sexuality, exploitation and law reform in 1885.
Explore the dramatic events and the people involved that led to the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 with
@carolinederry.bsky.social and @drcisme.bsky.social
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-london...
The London scandal: sexuality, exploitation and law reform in 1885
Join LSE Library for a workshop on the causes and consequences of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
October 28, 2025 at 1:29 PM
At the Metropolitan Police Museum gallery yesterday, I learned about the Great Pearl Robbery of 1913. The stuff of detective fiction: a fake office! A famous necklace! Wax seals and sugar lumps! The King of Fences!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_P...
October 26, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Reposted by Caroline Derry
🚨 Amelia King, volunteering for the Women's Land Army in 1943, was rejected by Essex farmers. This week's Substack post on John Scurr House in Stepney looks at the racial discrimination suffered by residents and its later redevelopment.
municipaldreams.substack.com/p/john-scurr...
October 25, 2025 at 7:45 AM
An excellent newsletter, essential for #AgathaChristie fans!
October 23, 2025 at 6:11 PM
A few tickets left!
NEXT WEEK: Thu 30 Oct 4-6pm: The London Scandal: sexuality, exploitation and law reform in 1885.
Explore the dramatic events and the people involved that led to the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 with
@carolinederry.bsky.social and @drcisme.bsky.social
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-london...
The London scandal: sexuality, exploitation and law reform in 1885
Join LSE Library for a workshop on the causes and consequences of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
October 22, 2025 at 5:02 PM
#CFP closes tomorrow!
It promises to be a fantastic programme - 24 hours to get your submission in and join us.

#LegalHistory
Researching a legal moment that was supposed to change everything - whether it did or not? The call for papers for 'Moments of Rupture' is open until 23 October!
Free, online conference in November, hosted by the Open Universities legal histories research cluster.
#LegalHistory #cfp
The Open University
Moments of Rupture Online 20-21 November 2025Some legal and social changes are so profound that they create what seem to be moments of rupture: breaks between the ‘before’ and ‘after’. These moments c...
law-school.open.ac.uk
October 22, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I'm looking forward to this!
What can you expect to find at #HistDay25 our celebration of history collections with @senatehouselib.bsky.social? Come along and find out on 4 Nov. Book your free space here www.sas.ac.uk/news-events/...
October 21, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Two more days to get your abstracts in!
Researching a legal moment that was supposed to change everything - whether it did or not? The call for papers for 'Moments of Rupture' is open until 23 October!
Free, online conference in November, hosted by the Open Universities legal histories research cluster.
#LegalHistory #cfp
The Open University
Moments of Rupture Online 20-21 November 2025Some legal and social changes are so profound that they create what seem to be moments of rupture: breaks between the ‘before’ and ‘after’. These moments c...
law-school.open.ac.uk
October 21, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Reposted by Caroline Derry
#OTD 1966 • Aberfan Disaster 🥀

On Friday the 21st of October 1966, a wave of coal waste slid down the Aberfan Valley, taking the lives of 116 children and 28 adults with it.

#Wales #History
October 21, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Still one week to submit your abstract!
Researching a legal moment that was supposed to change everything - whether it did or not? The call for papers for 'Moments of Rupture' is open until 23 October!
Free, online conference in November, hosted by the Open Universities legal histories research cluster.
#LegalHistory #cfp
The Open University
Moments of Rupture Online 20-21 November 2025Some legal and social changes are so profound that they create what seem to be moments of rupture: breaks between the ‘before’ and ‘after’. These moments c...
law-school.open.ac.uk
October 17, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Reposted by Caroline Derry
We always welcome non-legal historians using legal sources/events 😊
October 14, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Reposted by Caroline Derry
Researching a legal moment that was supposed to change everything - whether it did or not? The call for papers for 'Moments of Rupture' is open until 23 October!
Free, online conference in November, hosted by the Open Universities legal histories research cluster.
#LegalHistory #cfp
The Open University
Moments of Rupture Online 20-21 November 2025Some legal and social changes are so profound that they create what seem to be moments of rupture: breaks between the ‘before’ and ‘after’. These moments c...
law-school.open.ac.uk
October 14, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Reposted by Caroline Derry
In her life, Marilyn Monroe was exploited and abused by so many men.
Studio executives, so many people.
After she died, men continued to exploit her for their pleasure: trying to get themselves buried near/above her.
What your writer did here is obscene, nonconsensual and makes me feel slightly ill
October 14, 2025 at 11:40 AM