Medieval Times

deadcatwithaflamethrower:

misadventures-of-teenage-life submitted:  

So every year my school has a trip for all the band and choir kids, and this year, we’re going to Washington DC. While we’re there, we’re going to go to Medieval Times. Now, I loved going to Medieval Times as a kid. It was my favorite place. But recently, it has come to my attention that they only employ males as Knights or Squires. They claim that it’s okay because they’re only being historically accurate, even though there were famous female Knights. There was even an entire order of knights that consisted only of females.

You may be thinking, “why does this matter?” Growing up, I never really fit into society’s gender norms. At my first Halloween party, everyone there was dressed as a princess, or a fairy, or a fairy princess, but I showed up as a pirate. Medieval Times was a place where I would imagine myself in the shoes (or more accurately, armor) of a knight, but even then I was always told that I should buy the tiara or the light up rose rather than a sword and a shield. That I should act like a princess rather than a knight. And it weighed on me. I would think that there was something wrong with me because I didn’t act like little girls “should”. I don’t want any little kid to feel the same way I did. I want a little girl to be able to go to Medieval Times and imagine herself as a knight, and have that be validated rather than shut down.

So I’m asking for your help with any information on female Knights (source texts and things I can bring with me) or any stories of your own. I plan on talking to the managers of the “castle” there and trying to get them on our side. Maybe they’ll pass our stories along and soon enough Knights of any gender identity can battle in the tournaments.

Fuck YES I will hand you links for this!

Medieval Female Warriors and their Armors

Women in the Templar (including noted historical examples)

Women Knights in the Middle Ages

Basic Knight/Dame title (with links to historical figures)

Women Fighters in Folklore (which is often truth in story form)

Yes, that is a lot of European examples, but you asked specifically for Knights. You may find it easy to expand upon the list from there for other examples.

Good luck!