Cat Stiles
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catsfstiles.bsky.social
Cat Stiles
@catsfstiles.bsky.social
130 followers 180 following 29 posts
Doctoral Researcher at University of Bristol working on female and gender nonconforming monstrous bodies in early modern literature.

Based in West Yorkshire.
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catsfstiles.bsky.social
Join me tomorrow at South Square in Bradford for Heritage Open Days, where I'll be telling the story of Mary Sykes, a woman who lived in Bradford almost 400 years ago that stood trial accused of witchcraft...

#HeritageOpenDays #WomenInHistory #Witches
September 19, 2025 at 7:23 AM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
Join me for Heritage Open Days at South Square in Bradford!

I'll be telling the story of Mary Sykes, a woman from Bradford accused of witchcraft in 1649, and uncovering the history of English witch trials.

Totally free to attend and no need to book!
September 3, 2025 at 11:50 AM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
Back at Bolling Hall today delivering 3 family friendly talks about Mary Sykes, a Bradford woman accused of witchcraft in 1649.

Really pleased to be doing this as part of the first ever Bradford Heritage Festival!
July 12, 2025 at 10:47 AM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
It's this weekend!

On Saturday, I'll be at Bolling Hall museum telling the story of Mary Sykes who was accused of witchcraft in 1649. We'll be looking at what her neighbours said about her & the history of witchcraft in Yorkshire. Plus kids will learn about witch bottles & have a go at making one!
July 7, 2025 at 8:53 AM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
Our last panel of the conference, kicking off with Anna Kalkaeva taking us through female witches and male sorcerers in nineteenth century German folklore (Sagen)

#MagicWitchCon
June 25, 2025 at 1:54 PM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
Another great keynote from Rita Voltmer on the many faces of the European witch, ending with a call for semantic respect for the accused who fought, often in vain, not to go down in history as a witch

#MagicWitchCon
June 25, 2025 at 1:04 PM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
Proudest moment of #MagicWitchCon was definitely introducing @witchesetc.bsky.social to a new witch!

I will never stop talking about Miracola...
June 25, 2025 at 12:01 PM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
Kicking off day 3 with an incredibly fascinating paper from Joanna Paschendag on the role of accusations of sorcery in the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and colonisation in the US

#MagicWitchCon
June 25, 2025 at 8:39 AM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
Concluding the day with another great panel! First up we had Paolo Portone on the development of the modern positive meaning of strega in Italy

#MagicWitchCon
June 24, 2025 at 3:25 PM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
Too busy chairing the last panel to share about the papers individually, but some fascinating talks by @toujoursbizarre.bsky.social , Dan Harms and Neil Tarrant!

#MagicWitchCon
June 24, 2025 at 3:03 PM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
Really fascinating talk from @cerihoulbrook.bsky.social on Unstoppering the Witch-Bottle
June 24, 2025 at 12:26 PM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
For the second panel of the day we have Maria Tsitsani discussing the importance of magical charms and spells in 4th century papyri for providing psychological reinforcement and symbolic authority to victims of injustice in often ineffective ancient legal systems

#MagicWitchCon
June 24, 2025 at 10:22 AM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
Great morning so far at #MagicWitchCon in York! Some fascinating papers so far yesterday and today.
June 24, 2025 at 10:03 AM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
So excited to be part of the programme of the first ever Bradford Heritage Festival!

I'll once again be bringing the story of Mary Sykes, a Bradford woman accused of witchcraft in 1649, to life, & talking about the historical context of the English witch trials

bradfordheritageconnection.co.uk
Bradford Heritage Connection
Bradford Heritage Connection CIC. Registered in England and Wales, company number 16039881. A Community Interest Company dedicated to the preservation of Bradford’s heritage.
bradfordheritageconnection.co.uk
June 18, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Reposted by Cat Stiles
ainokash.bsky.social
📣🚨 CFP: Neurodiversity Special Issue: A Critical Turn in Neurodiversity Studies: Bridging the Arts, Humanities and the Social Sciences 📣🚨

📝Abstract deadline: 3 August 2025
✉️ Please share widely with arts, humanities and social science networks!

Full call: journals.sagepub.com/pb-assets/cm...
journals.sagepub.com
May 20, 2025 at 2:59 PM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
So excited to be heading to York next month for this amazing conference!

My paper will explore themes of sex, desire and embodiment in cultural depictions of witches in the seventeenth century.

Online tickets also available!
May 16, 2025 at 7:57 AM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
I don't often post about my job, but sometimes it's just too cool not to share...

I spent all of Friday with Blue Peter legend, Konnie Huq, talking to Bradford primary school children about writing, drawing & science. And thanks to the National Literacy Trust we were able to donate over 300 books!
A picture of Cat Stiles, Konnie Huq and Andra Chelcea at an event for Primary School children for Bradford 2025
April 27, 2025 at 6:19 AM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
Excited to speak at the Magic & Witchcraft Conference at @crems-york.bsky.social in June!

My paper, "Sex Specific:
The Witch, Desire & Embodiment in Early Modern Culture", will explore how witchcraft is written onto the bodies of the real accused women and literary fantasies of witches
March 24, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Reposted by Cat Stiles
bethdooner.bsky.social
Close Ups of the sketchbook pages! Writing is in the Alt Text.
Featuring: @carmineclaire.bsky.social @katievernon.bsky.social @krheyam.bsky.social and @catsfstiles.bsky.social
A sketchbook page with written word, painted images, and a sticker. The painted images are of drag king Eugene Delacroissant in a couple of bright outfits and also waving the inclusive LGBT+ flag on a sword; one of the speakers, and of the etching of two women on a grave. The sticker is of two women kissing with the words "The Lovers" under it, signifying the tarot card. The text reads: Queer-Ying The Museum: Daggers & Drag - 1pm Tournament Galley, Floor 4 - Claire Mead. Queer Rep in Arms - 1:45pm Newsroom, Floor 4 - Katie Vernon. Hidden Queer Histories - 3pm, Floor 2 - Kit Heyam. Performing Masculinity - 3:45pm, Newsroom, Fllor 4 - Cat Stiles. Around Eugene are the quotes: "Late at night, I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need... QUEER IT" and "This is all me, I organised ALL of this" with a winky face. There is also a signature by Eugene. Around the small sketch of the talker Cat are the quotes: "The awkward moment when early medieval Catholic France is more accepting than... JK Rowling" and "Helkiah Crooke, Great Name" By the etching are the names Agnes Oxenbridge and Elizabeth Ethingham, with "By each other" as a note, and other notes pointing to them saying "Buried together" "Hair down = unmarried" and "They were 'Good Friends' " There is also a note which says: (La) Chevalier d'Eon, Trans ICON, Presentation Sword at Armouries. A sketchbook page featuring illustrations, a collage, and written notes. The illustrations are of a Female Pageant St George (also the note by it), an illustration of Penthésilee - Tapestry in Chateau d'Angers (also the note by it), a painted rainbow flag, a bollock dagger, a sketch of armour worn by Henry VIII, a sketch of Mary Frith/Moll Curpurse, and an unfinished sketch of a Daemonologie border. There are collaged images from the talk featuring knights and the actual image of Penthésilee - Tapestry in Chateau d'Angers The texts reads: "Female Masculinity = Sword Lesbians??? Maybe." "Paegents (sic) & Medeival (sic) Tournaments were early Queer Crossdressing? Perhaps." Which leads to "Ladies dressed as men, with knives across the belly in pouches." Which leads to "No punishment." Which also leads to the drawing of the Ballock (sic) Dagger with "(early to mid 15thC ) labelled under it. Above all of the written in pink is "Here, I am seen" Written by Henry VIII's armour is "Fellas, is it effeminate to love women?" with a drawing of an angry face saying "Stop trying to attract women and run the country!" By the drawing of Moll Cutpurse are the notes "The Roaring Girl" and "Problematic Fave". Notes on the left of the image are: "This one looks like a generic gun and that's kind of the point - Brown Bess (generic brown gun), Floor 2" with "I wanna marry and kiss Brown Bess" and "Lesbian song" pointing to it. "Winchester Rifle - Floor 5" "Forget Me not Fun - Floor 5 Engagement Rings!" with blue flowers painted by it. "C18th Trans Sword - Floor 5. 'I am a woman written on sword' Remember me to friends" On the bottom of the page reads "(about queer rep) ' We are looking for a ghost in the archive...' Cat Stiles"
March 3, 2025 at 3:56 PM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
I absolutely need this
alexanderglass.bsky.social Alexander Glass @alexanderglass.bsky.social · Mar 2
Bat fan, c. 1900.
Fan made of panels which are painted to show a spread-winged bat and starry sky.
March 2, 2025 at 12:24 PM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
Really excited to be back at @royalarmouries.bsky.social today as part of their LGBTQIA+ History Month.

I'll be giving a talk later this afternoon about early modern bodies and masculinity (with added swords!)
Picture of Cat Stiles, a woman in her mid thirties with dark curly hair, wearing a black top and embroidered corset, and standing in front of an illustration of the Battle of the Spurs in the Tournament Gallery at the Royal Armouries
March 1, 2025 at 11:42 AM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
This Saturday (1st March) I'll be speaking about bodies, sex, and gender (with added swords!) in the Tudor period as part of the Royal Armouries LGBTQIA+ History Month event 🏳️‍🌈

#LGBTQIAHistoryMonth

royalarmouries.org/leeds/whats-...
Queer-ying the museum
1 March 2025
royalarmouries.org
February 26, 2025 at 8:54 AM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
Last week I was at Bolling Hall in Bradford sharing the history of English witch trials, and especially the story of Mary Sykes, the witch of Bowling with local families. And most importantly of all, they let me do it on costume 😂

#witchtrials #historian #bradford
A picture of Cat Stiles, a 33 year old woman with dark curly hair in Tudor inspired clothing
February 26, 2025 at 8:42 AM
catsfstiles.bsky.social
I wrote a blog post about some of the hidden stories of gender we uncovered as part of Forgotten Battles at the Royal Armouries in Leeds!

The exhibition (featuring my film with a drag king Henry VIII) and object trail are at the Armouries until November

www.heritageopendays.org.uk/resource/for...
Forgotten Battles: Gender in the Armouries
A knight swirls to victory in a skirt; a queen rules with a fist clad in iron. What we choose to wear says a lot about us, and how we want, or need, to be seen. Intricate, powerful, stories like these...
www.heritageopendays.org.uk
February 21, 2024 at 2:03 PM