St. Joan of Arc has been adopted as a patron by some lesbians and transgender people. Joan was born in the French village of Domremy in 1412. At age 13 she began to hear voices telling her that she would lead France in war and help restore the rightful heir to the throne. After convincing Charles VII that she was sincere, Joan led troops to victory in many battles against the English and a rival French faction. She gained the love of the people and the admiration of the soldiers. In May 1430, she was left behind when the drawbridge to a besieged town was hastily raised, and she was captured by the enemy.
In a politically motivated trial marred by irregularities, bribery and threats, Joan was condemned to death. Finding no basis for charges of witchcraft and heresy, her accusers eventually convicted her of wearing men’s clothing. She wore this attire for the sake of practicality in battle and to protect her modesty – so that “the men may not feel carnal desire for me when I live amongst them and that I may guard my virginity by word and deed.” But she did not try to pass as a man, always referring to herself as “the Maiden.” Joan was burned at the stake on May 30, 1431. A quarter-century after her death, the church retroactively declared her innocent of all charges.
Joan of Arc was not the only cross-dressing saint. Several other female saints wore men’s clothes in an attempt to evade marriage or live religious lives as monks. Legend has it that St. Wilgefortis, the Christian daughter of a pagan Portuguese king, asked God to give her a beard to render her unattractive to her intended husband, so that she could maintain her vow of chastity; her father then had her crucified.
