Women's History Network
LightNews LightNews
banner
womenshistnet.bsky.social
Women's History Network
@womenshistnet.bsky.social
5.5K followers 410 following 240 posts
Your go-to place for women’s history!

The Women’s History Network is an inclusive UK association for those passionate about women’s & gender history. Also on LinkedIn.

Learn more about our values: https://womenshistorynetwork.org/about-page/
Posts Replies Media Videos
womenshistnet.bsky.social
Our second speaker spotlight falls on writer and (historical) documentary maker Gráinne Lyons. Her travelogue, "Wild Atlantic Women: Walking Ireland’s West Coast", was published in 2024. Sign up for our event (below) to hear Gráinne speak about how she approaches writing women's histories.
A white woman with short brown curly hair sits on a rocky beach, smiling, in jeans and a dark rain coat.
November 4, 2025 at 9:15 AM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
Olympe de Gouges was executed #OTD 1793. A pioneering French feminist and abolitionist, de Gouges wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen in 1791, demanding equal rights for women during the French Revolution.
November 3, 2025 at 5:19 PM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
Ahead of our 'New Approaches to Writing Women's Histories' event, we want to shine a light on our fab speakers, starting with Kaia Alderson. Kaia is a historical fiction author passionate about highlighting “hidden" women in African American history. Read more about Kaia here: www.kaiaalderson.com
A photo of Kaia Alderson sitting, smiling in front of a fountain. Kaia is an African American woman. In the photo she wears glasses, a black and white flowery dress, a blue denim jacket, and dangly earrings.
October 30, 2025 at 1:49 PM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
🎓 Calling all MA students in women's history!

Our MA Dissertation Prize 2025 is now open for submissions. Celebrate outstanding scholarship & share your work with the wider community.

Deadline: 16 January 2026

womenshistorynetwork.org/whn-ma-disse...

#WomensHistory #MAHistory #GenderHist
Photograph of Sophia Jex-Blake by Margaret Todd. Image of a woman in Victorian dress sitting at a desk, with books and writing equipment.
October 22, 2025 at 10:33 AM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
This #BlackHistoryMonth, explore the challenges of uncovering the lives of women—especially Black, Asian & ethnic minority women—who left no written record.

Read: womenshistorynetwork.org/searching-fo...

#BHM2025 #InclusiveArchives #WomensHistory #GenderHistory
October 14, 2025 at 11:43 AM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
Today, why not learn about the fascinating life of Lucille Mathurin-Mair (née Waldrond)—pioneer of Caribbean Women’s History, historian, diplomat, and champion of gender equality.

#BlackHistoryMonth #CaribbeanHistory #WomensHistory #GenderHist

womenshistorynetwork.org/womens-histo...
October 13, 2025 at 2:12 PM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
We are delighted to share the Call for Papers for our Spring Seminar Series 2026:
September 30, 2025 at 5:09 PM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
Women's History Today, the journal of the Women's History Network, is looking for new editorial team members.

Academics/independent scholars/PhD students with an interest in taking on a voluntary role, should contact Kate Murphy, Lead Editor, for more information: editor@womenshistorynetwork.org
September 30, 2025 at 1:24 PM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
Please find below the updated programme for the remaining sessions of the Autumn Seminar Series 2025:
Poster showing updated programme for the Women's History Network's Autumn Seminar Series. Notably, Prof Merry Wiesner-Hanks's talk has moved to 19 November 2025.
September 24, 2025 at 2:13 PM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
We are thrilled to share the programme for our upcoming seminar series. Please continue to check our socials and our website over the coming weeks as the links to register for each of the seminars are published. We look forward to seeing you all there!
A document entitled 'The Women's History Network Autumn Seminar Series' detailing the five seminars which will comprise our upcoming series. The seminars are as follows: A Special Roundtable on 'Lesbian Histories and the Long View' at 4pm BST on 10 September 2025, a paper entitled 'Overlooked Occupiers: Women, Family, and the Home in Occupied Germany and Japan' by Christine De Matos at 10am BST on 24 September 2025, a paper entitled 'Perfection: 400 Years of Women's Quest for Beauty' by Margarette Lincoln at 4pm BST on 1 October 2025, a paper (title TBC) by Merry Wiesner-Hanks at 4pm BST on 15 October 2025, and a special roundtable entitled 'New Approaches to Writing Women's Histories' at 4pm GMT on 5 November 2025.
August 21, 2025 at 12:31 PM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
Our conference is approaching soon!

There is still time to book to explore & celebrate the challenges of uncovering the presence of women within archives, libraries, museums & personal collections.

Info here: womenshistorynetwork.org/the-womens-h...

#WomensHistory #GenderHist #Archives #Museums
Black and white image of a woman reading next to bookshelves.
August 21, 2025 at 9:49 AM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
For World Humanitarian Day, read about Eleanor Rathbone, an exceptional woman and great humanitarian activist.

#ActForHumanity #WorldHumanitarianDay #WomensHistory #GenderHist

womenshistorynetwork.org/eleanor-flor...
Image of a stamp with a woman's face and the words "Campaigner Family Allowance Eleanor Rathbone"
August 19, 2025 at 3:36 PM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
Registration is open for the @WomensHistScot Annual Conference 2025! Exploring new directions in women’s & gender history in Scotland.

Sat 13 Sept, Kinning Park Complex, Glasgow.

Learn more: womenshistoryscotland.org/projects-and...

#WomensHistory #GenderHist #ScottishHistory
August 18, 2025 at 3:52 PM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
Time to book for this year’s Women’s History Network Annual Conference!

Join us to explore diverse histories, connect with fellow researchers, and celebrate women’s contributions across time.

womenshistorynetwork.org/the-womens-h...

#WomensHistory #WHNConference #GenderHist #Archives #Libraries
July 29, 2025 at 12:24 PM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
🚨 Are you a first-time author in women or gender history?

The WHN Annual Book Prize offers £500 for the best debut monograph in this field published in the UK (2023–2024).

Deadline: 15 August 2025
Open to WHN members.

Details: womenshistorynetwork.org/whn-annual-b...

#WHNBookPrize #GenderHist
July 29, 2025 at 10:15 AM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
Interested in the history of women's football? Learn more @nfmofficial.bsky.social through their blogs and collections!

#WomensHistory #Lionesses

More on this image in the comments below ⚽ 🍾
July 29, 2025 at 10:07 AM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
Meet Mary Richardson: suffragette, arsonist, and the woman who slashed the Rokeby Venus.

Helena Wojtczak’s biography uncovers the real woman behind the headlines — hunger strikes, radical politics, and all.

www.hastingspress.co.uk/mrr.html

#Suffragette #WomensHistory #MaryRichardson
July 28, 2025 at 6:05 PM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
England’s Lionesses are making history, and they’re not the first.

Discover the trailblazing women who fought for equality in sport and beyond.⚽

📖 Read more: webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/202506...

#Lionesses #WEURO2025 #WomensHistory #Archives #GenderHist
July 28, 2025 at 6:00 PM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
For #SouthAsianHeritageMonth, discover the remarkable life of Indian activist Pandita Ramabai — a pioneering feminist, educator, and social reformer.

📚 Learn more: womenshistorynetwork.org/womens-histo...

Image: WikiCommons

#WomensHistory #SAHM2025
July 23, 2025 at 1:56 PM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
On 10 July 1553, Lady Jane Grey, known as the "Nine Days' Queen," was proclaimed the successor to King Edward VI, though her reign was short-lived and disputed. #GenderHist
July 10, 2025 at 8:57 AM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
For World Chocolate Day learn about S. Margery Fry, her uncle ran the eponymous chocolate manufacturing company based in Bristol. Fry was a British prison reformer, as well as one of the first women to become a magistrate. Read more on the blog: womenshistorynetwork.org/womens-histo... #GenderHist
July 7, 2025 at 11:05 AM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
📢 Just announced! The programme & booking is now live for our Annual Conference 2025.

🗓️ Join us online & free on 4–5 Sept for Hidden in Plain Sight: Women in Archives, Libraries, Museums & Personal Collections.

🔗 womenshistorynetwork.org/the-womens-h...
#WHN2025 #WomensHistory #Archives #Heritage
July 7, 2025 at 8:54 AM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
#OTD 4 July, novelist and short story writer Georgette Heyer, (1902-1974) died. Read our article, ‘The Concept of Englishness and Masculinity in the Novels of Georgette Heyer’ by Jay Dixon womenshistorynetwork.org/wp-content/u...

#WomensHistory #GenderHist
July 4, 2025 at 8:51 AM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
🗳️ #OTD 2 July 1928: The Equal Franchise Act received royal assent in the UK, granting all women over 21 the vote—regardless of property.

It gave women electoral equality with men, adding 5 million to the roll and making them the majority in the 1929 election. #VotesForWomen #Suffrage #GenderHist
July 2, 2025 at 8:08 AM
womenshistnet.bsky.social
July is Disability Pride Month. Read about “Making women count in disability history” by Dr Coreen McGuire on the blog. #DisabilityPride #GenderHist
womenshistorynetwork.org/making-women...
July 2, 2025 at 7:58 AM