Consultation on the wording of the Anne Lister plaque

27 thoughts on “Consultation on the wording of the Anne Lister plaque”

1. Resist lesbian erasure.

   Anne Lister
   1791-1840
   of Shibden Hall, Halifax
   Lesbian and Diarist
   Took sacrament here to seal her union
   with Ann Walker
   Easter 1834

2. The epithet ‘entrepreneur’ is important: her role as a businesswoman was as important to her (and inspiring to contemporary women) as her passion for women.
   The line “Took sacrament here to seal her union with Ann Walker” is a massive improvement on the awful contortions of “Celebrated marital commitment, without legal recognition, to Ann Walker in this church”: apart from being mealy-mouthed, it’s a downer to have a negative (what the union *wasn’t*) in a plaque that’s meant to be celebratory.
   Subbing point: avoid the capital ‘D’ on diarist (it’s a description not a job title).

   Anne Lister
   1791-1840
   of Shibden Hall, Halifax
   Lesbian, entrepreneur and diarist
   Took sacrament here to seal her union
   with Ann Walker
   Easter 1834

3. I agree with the new wording– our recognition that gender is a construct is important for our time, but for Anne Lister, it was important to recognize her love and union with Ann Walker. And since she was a diarist, her own words would add the historical dimension: “I love and only love the fairer sex” (January 1821).

4. Anne Lister was a woman and a lesbian. The new wording acknowledges this, as it should do, and this is what should be adopted. Glad you’ve rethought this.

5. The proposed alternative wording is perfect. It’s essential to the memory of Anne Lister that she is proudly & clearly identified as lesbian.

6. This wording would be perfect :

   Anne Lister
   1791-1840
   Lesbian, entrepreneur, and diarist.
   Took sacrament here, without legal recognition
   to seal her union with
   Ann Walker Easter, 1834

   1. I concur. But make sure there’s a comma after “recognition”…

7. Was she a lesbian? yes. So stick it on the plaque.

8. The alternative wording is a vast improvement reflecting the facts and not leading to confusion (consider, for example, a tourist with no prior knowledge of Ann Lister – they might, understandably, mistakenly think that she was a man who dressed as a woman from the ‘gender non-conforming’ description). Well done on the proposed change.

9. Why can’t they just put Anne married Ann. Without describing their gender !!

10. I prefer the alternative wording. I feel that the original wording obscures Lister.

11. Leave it as it is, no need to spend more money replacing it. I had never heard of her until all this fuss about about the plaque was mentioned.

12. A facinating woman of her times the mention of Shibden Hall should be on the plaque ,the hall is worth a visit also

13. Leave as it is ..too much fuss is about really doing it …do not like wording of the new suggestion

14. Leave the original one

15. Leave the original one ..seems right to me

16. The older wording is more gracious but I prefer the new wording because it is clearer and reflects Anne Listers view of herself. It is also more relevant to the 21st century

17. Leave it as it us but is this funded by tax payers money, if so i disagree with it being oaid for by taxpayers

    1. There is no tax-payers’ money involved. York Civic Trust is an independent charity and received no money from public sources.

    2. There is no tax-payers’ money involved. York Civic Trust is an independent charity and receives no money from public sources.

18. I agree with the suggested alternative plaque wording. Let the two women be celebrated.

19. Celebrate Anne’s true life and actions. Resist lesbian erasure.

    Anne Lister
    1791-1840
    Lesbian, entrepreneur, and diarist.
    Took sacrament here, without legal recognition
    to seal her union with
    Ann Walker Easter, 1834

20. I think the change from ‘gender nonconfirming’ to ‘lesbian’ is a very good one. While the concept of someone being ‘gender nonconfirming’ is a nebulous one, the definition of lesbian as a woman who only loves other women is clear. It is clear that Lister satisfies it, writing in her diary “I love and only love the fairer sex” (January 1821). However, I do not support the removing of the word entrepreneur from the description. I think it is important to commemorate her activities as a businesswoman as a part of her life. Perhaps ‘Lesbian entrepreneur and diarist’?

21. What a colossal waste of everyone’s time, and taxpayers money. Leave it as it is, there are bigger problems to worry about in York.

    1. There is no tax-payers’ money involved. York Civic Trust is an independent charity and receives no money from public sources.

22. Lesbian and diarist is perfect, it’s who she was.

    1. Anne Lister
       1791-1840
       of Shibden Hall, Halifax
       Lesbian Entrepreneur and Diarist
       Her union with Ann Walker was blessed here
       Easter 1834

Comments are closed.