What is a sword lesbian, who was Julie D’Aubigny, and what has this got to do with Chappell Roan?

Lesbian pop star Chappell Roan appeared at the MTV Video Music Awards this week, delivering a fiery performance that drew comparisons to Joan of Arc – and caused the phrase “sword lesbian” to trend in Google.

Chappell Roan was named best new artist at the ceremony after being nominated in four categories and performed her hit single “Good Luck, Babe!”, which had been up for song of the summer.

Wearing a knight’s armour, she walked through the gates of a medieval castle before firing a burning bolt from a crossbow, like a medieval Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

She was quickly compared to historic heroine Joan of Arc, who led the French army to victory over the English at Orléans in 1429. However, many viewers think she and her sword-brandishing dancers could also have been a nod to Julie d’Aubigny – another famous French woman.

Who was Julie d’Aubigny?

Julie d’Aubigny, also known as Mademoiselle Maupin, was a sword-wielding opera singer in 17th-century France, who is widely believed to have been queer.

Little is known for certain about her life, although she was often the subject of gossip and rumour – particularly in regard to her sexuality and relationships, and some historians believe d’Aubigny was LGBTQ+.

At some stage, she was definitely in love with a young woman – her first experience with someone of the same sex – who was sent away to a convent in Avignon to prevent the relationship developing.

But, d’Aubigny wasn’t deterred and joined the convent herself to save her lover from a life as a nun. The couple set a room on fire and left the body of a dead nun behind in the hope it would be mistaken for the young woman. Basically, they tried to fake her death.

So, it’s fair to theorise that Roan’s fiery performance might have been recreating that scene.

Although d’Aubigny was a renowned opera singer, it was her sword-wielding and action-packed life that many know her for now.

Are Julie d’Aubigny and Chappell Roan sword lesbians?

So, with all that in mind: what is a sword lesbian?

Simply put, it is a lesbian interested in swords or other similar weapons. They might want to own and wield these themselves or they might simply admire other women or non-binary people who use them.

This is a largely online term, with subreddits dedicated to the subject and discussions circulating across other social media platforms.

Many historical figures, such as Joan of Arc and d’Aubigny, are considered to be queer in hindsight, and they were both sword-wielding icons. Also, powerful female warrior characters on film and in TV are often queer coded – or are out and out LGBTQ+ icons in their own right, such as 90s heroine Xena: Warrior Princess.

A newsletter exploring the subject quoted one Reddit user as saying that “part of the sword lesbian trope is the result of historical lesbians… being invisible to history” or doing something that “commanded the respect of men” such as joining the military.

Of course, given that this is a modern term, we can’t know for sure if d’Aubigny would have identified as such but she did have lesbian relationships and carried a sword, so make of that what you will.

Similarly, Roan has not described herself as a sword lesbian in those exact words, however she has previously expressed interest in swords or similar weapons.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.