'Anne Lister (1791-1840) – the First Modern Lesbian' by Helena Whitbread

Helena Whitbread is a historian and the editor of the diaries of Anne Lister, a wealthy, independent, nineteenth century lesbian landowner.

Three decades ago Helena elected to study and translate the journals of Anne Lister, which were written in a secret code of Anne's own design. At that time Helena was completely unaware of the journals’ explosive contents.

Only gradually did the truth of Anne’s lesbian sexuality begin to reveal itself. By publishing the first volume of Anne’s journals in 1988, then entitled I Know My Own Heart, Helena Whitbread made lesbian history. Such detailed and candid expression of lesbian love and sex that took place two hundred years ago had never previously been known.

In 1993, Helena published a second volume of Anne Lister’s diaries, No Priest But Love, which boldly includes more revelations of Anne’s romantic and sexual intrigues than the first. Anne Lister's diaries have been called the 'dead sea scrolls of Lesbian history'.

The lesbian world owes a great deal to Helena Whitbread for her ongoing committed study of the life and diaries of Anne Lister. Helena is currently working on Anne Lister’s biography.

You can follow Helena at @HelenaWhitbread 

---

Read More