The History of Victorian Women in Sports | plus, cycling in a corset!

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There's a pervasive idea that Victorian women weren't active, or that their skirts and corsets prevented them from moving or breathing enough to do so. But the late 19th century saw a massive sports craze, and women were a big part of it! Come learn with me about struggle-ridden history of 19th century women's sports.
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Sources:
Physical education. v.3 (1894-1895) Triangle Publishing Co.
Equal Suffrage by James L Hughes, 1895
Winning ways : a photohistory of American women in sports by Sue Macy
Nike is a goddess : the history of women in sports by Lissa Smith
When the Girls Came Out to Play: The Birth of American Sportswear by Patricia Campbell Warner
The Mechanical Horse: How the Bicycle Reshaped American Life By Margaret Guroff
Wearing the Trousers: Fashion, Freedom and the Rise of the Modern Woman By Don Chapman
Dressed for Freedom: The Fashionable Politics of American Feminism By Einav Rabinovitch-Fox
Throw Like a Girl, Cheer Like a Boy: The Evolution of Gender, Identity, and Race in Sports By Robyn Ryle
More Than a Game: A History of the African American Experience in Sport By David K. Wiggins
Athletic "Womanhood": Exploring Sources for Female Sport in Victorian and Edwardian England By Cartriona M. Parratt
Sporting Females: Critical Issues in the History and Sociology of Women’s Sports by Jennifer Hargreaves
Sport, Gender and Society in a Transatlantic Victorian Perspective by Roberta J park
Play Up! Play Up! and Play the Game! Sport at the Late Victorian Girls' Public School by Kathleen E. McCrone
A Sport-Loving Society: Victorian and Edwardian Middle-Class England at Play
Women and Sport in Victorian America by Roberta Braden Powell
Games of character: team sports, games, and character development in Victorian public schools, 1850-1900 by Gideon Dishon
The Victorian Cult of the Family and the Early Years of Female Sport by Jennifer Hargreaves
Women, Sport and Society in Victorian England by June Arianna Kennard
Bikes and Bloomers: Victorian Women Inventors and Their Extraordinary Cycle Wear By Kat Jungnickel
History from below: Women's underwear and the rise of women's sport by Janet Phillips and Peter Phillips
Out of Bounds: Women, Sport, and Sexuality By Helen Lenskyj
TRAMPLED AUTONOMY: WOMEN, ATHLETICISM, AND HEALTH by Sylvia Burrow
2 L'Escrimeuse : le coeur sur la poitrine by artinexinopere artifexinopere...

[@asstrid_]

... I'm intrigued by the working class women beating the shit out of each other in bar fights

[@ah5721]

Same! Did they lossen their corsets to move better? Did they take off their tops to fight as not to rip them? As a seamstress I'm wondering..

[@Rozdlc]

​@@ah5721 Not working women, but there was an incident where two high society women (A duchess and countess?) Got into an argument and decided to duel. Then someone suggested that they duel topless to not only to avoid ripping their clothes, but so the torn shreds don't infect any wounds. I believe this set off a trend of painting dueling topless ladies.

[@manwhoismissingtwotoenails4811]

@@Rozdlc Oh by heavens, people don't change do they?

[@aimeecentaine]

Heck yeah tits out fists up

[@goblin3359]

"Once again, bigoted art trying to take a dig at masc women and gender nonconforming people backfires and ends up making them look fucking badass..." I adore you, Kaz.

[@dismurrart6648]

"Don't say feel my muscles, don't criticize peoples legs." A small muscled man suggested these

[@angelasmith5019]

Ben Shapiro in a previous life.

[@Enjemnsnens]

People’s “legs”

[@RowanWarren78]

@@angelasmith5019 yup!😆

[@wanderinghistorian]

This was too funny :D

[@KBlo21]

As they're reading the whole list I'm giggling at the idea of Victorian women just throwing their "Wright around" and the men being like 🥴 guess we need to set some "boundaries." 😂 stfu and FEEL HER MUSCLE AND GOSSIP ABOUT OTHER PEOPLES LEGS WITH HER haha

[@lenaeospeixinhos]

Guy: "Ladies belong to a sex which for centuries has not been accustomed to exercise in the open air" Women who've been working in agriculture for generations: "Am I a joke to you?"

[@neroyuffie]

It's so nice to hear about the history of women in fencing. When I fenced in college they never talked about this, only about how fencing came about when fancy men didn't know how to use their rapiers do during drunken duels, no one won and both participants died of infection lol

[@johnforestersworstnightmar3756]

Same! I fenced from middle school through college and I rarely ever heard about fencing’s history. I honestly never heard about women only being allowed to fence saber in the year 2000. That might actually help to explain why there so few women’s saberists.

[@marksadler4104]

I'm nearly 60 and fence with females from teens to my vintage) some are at national level (Spain). We learn from each other, fencers commenting here knows the importance of footwork which I learnt from the most part from female fencers. For the females, as I'm larg-ish and fence at a slower pace, they become more aware of distance and have to be more aware of patience, using psychology...We are learning, having fun and getting medals 😃🤺🤺🤺🤺

[@Infinite_voyager]

It’s insane that this historical context for the XIX century was never explained and detailed on ANY of the many clases I took at uni for psychoanalysis. We spend plenty of time talking about the therapy (torture) used / inflicted by men like Breuer and Freud to their female patients that were “hysteric”, but not one second talking about how gender speciations and patriarchy can destroy your life.

[@Infinite_voyager]

“I wonder why all this women are so hysterical Breuer” “I don’t really care Freud, let’s force them to masturbate and take pictures while they are at it”

[@Knollock]

It's unfortunately super common in history, too. Students are taught an overview of top-down events; wars fought, laws passed, and the people at the very top of the government. But this information is rarely contextualized by social norms, living conditions, and economic pressures.

[@flamingoqueen281]

Worrying about the effects of bicycle seats on women's anatomy is funny to me, because of the two sexes I'm pretty sure men's anatomy is far more likely to be damaged.

[@kitkatboard]

Same with horse riding. While hitting the saddle too hard after jumping hurts as heck for women, at least, they're not going to go sterile from it

[@Riplee]

good, I always thought bikers could use a lil emasculation

[@hblackburn5580]

I've always wondered how that worked. Like does it not, eh, squish things? And I see someone mentioned horseback riding too... imagine you're just chilling in a pasture, eating some fine grass, trying to hook up with that new appaloosa mare, (you have a thing for spots) and then all of a sudden a dude jumps on you and now his stuff is bouncing on your back 😆 🤣

[@russelljohnson7004]

@@hblackburn5580 they sell specialty cups that are molded to bike seats, and jostling the huevos has been bike magazine fodder for at least a century.

[@matthewk2175]

As a man: can confirm through experience- FAR more likely to be damaged indeed 😂

[@AGothNamedWednessday]

"we can't let men know you have a torso and limbs under there" has the same energy as " *If the men find out we can shape shift, they're going to tell the church* "

[@Someonecalledeli]

We can't let the church messing with our plans...

[@ladylucia917]

You mean shape shifting like “putting makeup on”? I mean, many man are even confused by that 😂

[@RavenPeake]

You must not have nostrils.

[@RavenPeake]

You must not have nostrils.

[@RavenPeake]

You must not have nostrils.

[@silversam]

I support a woman's right to be the 'angry, macho angel of the house.' But actually yes, it's pretty amazing that you made that in two days. Kaz got mad skills 😎

[@lucbbb5464]

You have single-handedly convinced my great big queer self to get back to fencing. I miss it so much sometimes, but I've always worried how people will see me since transitioning and that has held me back.

[@sarahwatts7152]

If you like it, do it! (Personally I'm terrible. Pity, because it looks so cool when people know what they're doing.)

[@chimominino5083]

Go for ittttt 😁

[@erichale838]

It's been a while since I fenced, but I don't remember ever raising my sword and seeing anything other than a mask. I have beaten, and been beaten by, every type of human imaginable. Even watching the mask go on, once I raised my épée I forgot the race, sex, everything. We just fenced. If you miss it, please go back.

[@elisaacello592]

Do YOU friend! Celebrate what ever makes you happy! It breaks my heart, hearing someone held back by fear

[@LathosZan]

I want to do so many competitive things post-transition, but I'm terrified at having all of my success stolen away from me by people who want to "protect the position of women in competition" who see the success of a trans woman as robbing cis ("real" as they often say) women of the opportunity. I know, screw them, forget them, but competition is formed best by community, and the leaders of community may have their ears bent by folks I would otherwise ignore. Call me thin-skinned, but I handle enough bullyig in my life, I don't want to invite more.

[@yonkapala]

That story about receiving a porcelain bowl instead of a gold medal reminds me of a childhood insult: Our basketball team participated in the boys' tournament in the early 2000s, because we were far ahead of teams in our own division at the time. We ended up winning all but the final match, but instead of receiving the silver medal we were awarded gold medals for "the best girls' team in the tournament". We were the only girls' team in the tournament... Sure, the intentions were probably good, perhaps they had an idea of having this ready in case we lost to the Obviously Superior Boys and would thus have our Feminine Feelings hurt (I mean, what if a girl began crying? Utter chaos!), and wanted to have a consolation prize ready or something: But it would've served them- and us - better to just pretend it didn't exist once we fought our way to the finals. I remember being upset despite not really understanding why (oh, the naivety of youth!), but even more clearly I remember my mom being absolutely livid which was a rare occurence indeed. I still go back to that (at least in my head) when people like to pretend that there's no room for improvement in the sports + I'd be very pleasantly surprised if I learned this stuff no longer happens.

[@RavenPeake]

Cishet men have always been the real threat to women in sports.

[@gleann_cuilinn]

I bike a 12 mile round trip to go to class, 5 days a week, and I wear a corset every day. It’s really no more difficult than uncorseted, and I have no more trouble going up the hills. My long skirts really are the biggest issue. Since I don’t have any divided skirts, I often pull the back hem through to the front and fasten it with paperclips, so it becomes a pair of makeshift bloomers.

[@tiffanytrotter4572]

If it fits your aesthetic, wide leg/palazzo pants may be a happy medium. When standing they give the flowing appearance of a skirt but the separation of pants.

[@horseenthusiast1250]

Oh, cool! Might I ask how you wear your hair, if it is long? I wear long skirts and a corset too and have never had issues with them, but I wear my hair in a little 1840s bun style and it is *impossible* to cram under my bike helmet, but I don't just wanna let it be loose or it gets everywhere (and for whatever reason braids always come undone).

[@irinakermong1217]

Me whenever I see a 1890s woman in a novel bemoaning the fact she can't go on adventures because of her corset and skirts: "CYCLING OUTFITS EXIST, AND THEY LOOK SO CUTE 😭"

[@RavenPeake]

There is now no reason why we cannot have a lady superhero movie set in Victorian England.

[@RavenPeake]

There is now no reason why we cannot have a lady superhero movie set in Victorian England.

[@Genesis3Chi]

I was extremely weak for Kaz in this episode. I normally have a little crush on them, but with the addition of a sword I was melting. Absolutely amazing content as per usual!

[@wandanemer2630]

Oh, absolutely!

[@MsDeepAndDark]

Same😅 It feels rather disrespectful to be distracted from the topic they are covering and have spent hours of research on

[@haileyracine3608]

I had assumed their gender which I now feel bad about but anyway I finally checked their bio and see that Kaz's pronouns are in fact they/them, anyways your comment was the first I've seen that used pronouns instead of just saying their name. I really hope I haven't used the wrong pronouns in previous comments, I'll go and check (I'm just commenting to say thanks for using the right pronouns so that I finally noticed)

[@requiembeeblebroxx]

Same tbh. The posing, the sword, the wink... I'm ruined.

[@AmorLux]

I feel this with every video of theirs I watch.

[@foxgloved8922]

Oh man this was great, and the cherry on top was bringing the issue home with regard to still existing arbitrary weirdness in women’s sports. Thank you!!

[@gisela_oliveira]

I remember one time, there was a foto of the olympics, with an arabian team vs the brazilian team on voleibol, and some people here (in brazil, were we are "obessed" with women in short clothes) were talking about how "patriarcal" were the arabian uniformes, because they hat long sleeves and leggings! female "normal" sportsweare are so short and sometimes unconfortable, and I am sure is mostly cause men said it had to be

[@annabeinglazy5580]

@@gisela_oliveira happens Here in Europe as Well. I remember when Adidas or Nike introduced whats basically a Sports Hijab or the "burkini" to enable conservative Muslim Girls to participate in Sports, and Europe went: oh we cant have that it's sexist to Wrap a Girl in all that clothing. Women shouldnt be forced to wear that! Fast Forward to 2021 and See the norwegian beach Volleyball Team find for playing in shorts. Because they didnt want to wear Bikini bottoms. So.... Yh.... Sexism is only when other people do it? Nice Take, everyone.

[@jamiesmith2384]

It’s really wonderful how you make sure to be clear on topics surrounding genders, sexualities, etc. Thank you for being cautious by saying “gender norms of that time” and different things to make sure no one feels out of place. Great video as always, it’s so important to know the racist, sexist, and homophobic tendencies of the time. So interesting! ❤️

[@MollyPatricia5]

The fencing outfit gave me life! The new seating area gave me life! The well written and researched info gave me LIFE!!! Great job!

[@bohomouse8890]

Omg that fencing outfit, I'd die happily with it

[@RosaGarcia-ir4jv]

I was waiting for some mention of women's uterus' "falling out" as a result of riding a bike, not going to lie. But anyway, very informative and thorough presentation. I really enjoyed learning about this topic.

[@VirusVisal]

Remarcable that you took the time to make outfits and get out there showing it was perfectly fit to use. Not only super well researched (like everything you make) but really cool to actually watch you in action

[@mcjohn5420]

Now I'm wondering if we could get up a petition for the next video to be Kaz fencing in that ultra-extra custom-tailored black-and-white number!

[@VirusVisal]

@@mcjohn5420 I would sign for sure!

[@lenaeospeixinhos]

And it was so funny that the only wardrobe malfunction came from the modern piece of clothing 😂

[@Juiceharlot]

I love that lady was like " bikes, devils stuff." Men bothering women " he gets the umbrella." I love that for her 😂😂😂😂

[@thatssoderek2188]

I always appreciate Kaz's interpretations of gender from the past. I keep looking at what we are like today and it often feels like nothing has changed in all these years. But then again, at least we have the words to talk about these days.

[@SuperSierraful]

Hey Kaz! Love your vids. Have you thought about doing a video on the history of bartending in the US? I work at a bar myself and was required to take a course called BarSmarts, which is supposed to be an all-encompassing history of the cocktail and spirit world in order to prepare you for a career as a bartender. However, I found the history super cis-male-centric and, as a queer woman of color, I found it hard to believe that there were no women or queer bartenders before 1970. I'd love to hear your take because you're so good at condensing things into digestible content! Xoxo keep doin you

[@annastevens1526]

Oh wow! That would be fascinating! There's a lot of historical weirdness that has gone in terms of women being inn-owners and brewers, or just serving in inns (often heavily sexualised or even crossing over with prostitution), but I've never seen any discussion of women & BIPOC in post-1900 bartending.

[@DogWalkerBill]

Funny thing at my church. A 70 years old woman, who was absolutely a female person, married for years and had children and grand children.Decided to get a passpory to travel outside USA. She discovered her original birth certificate identified her as a male, because of a clerical error 70 years ago! She had a lot of trouble correcting it!

[@misssampo]

I am so torn... I love discussions of women's fencing, but... The outfit... IT'S SO FRESH!! HOW AM I TO FOCUS WITH SUCH AN ICONIC LOOK BEFORE ME?!?!

[@tonantzin4977]

May I also recommend Shannon Makes Channel? She is a professional acrobat, and made several videos about sports corsets for women athletes. The video of her performing her act in a corset is amazing!

[@frankie2993]

Great drag name...”welcome to the staggeeee...VOLUMINOUS BLOOMERS”

[@bestbi3587]

OH MY GOSH THE WINK IN THE JULIE D'AUBIGNY COSTUME MY HEART Edit: yeah her outfit is way off for the 17th century, but I believe the reason the painting is associated with Julie D'Aubigny is because it was used as the cover of La Maupin, a book about Julie.

[@emmajay2401]

When I was 12 I started fencing with the influence of my Dad. My fencing school had lots of vintage weapons and posters on the walls, including the "concours des crime" poster that I adored. I love fencing and its history. I wish it could be more accessible to kids and teens today.

[@lunadimoona1755]

The fencing outfit is striking and has you looking like a majestic handsome character from an old school shoujo manga

[@triciahutchins5407]

I want to thank you for recommending the "June's Journey" game on a previous video. I know they were a sponsor, but I am so entranced with this game. It is WAY better than anything I was able to find before. As a matter of fact, I found myself thinking about "Myst" as far as the safety and feel of play go. I enthusiastically second your recommendation. Also, many thanks for all your videos. I think often about J.C. Leyendecker. He was one of my favorites in illustration class. Brilliant video in a series of brilliant videos. Keep up the good work.

[@amberalert451]

Maybe

[@victoriadiesattheend.8478]

Hey, I played Myst also! Riven as well. I love finding another fellow player 😊 I haven't tried June's Journey but since you like it and we seem to have a favorite game in common your comment has inspired me to try it. Thanks 💜

[@astreaward6651]

Look up Prior Attire here on KZbin! She's done many videos showcasing sportswear and sport specific corsets. I think she has a few earlier period sports-related videos too but I know she has many Victorian era ones. (And she covers how to make some of the undergarments and outfits in her books.)

[@evilinc333]

To cite my experience as a dancer of moving and performing athletic feats in corsets, ballet tutu bodices, especially lace-up models are often modelled after the corset and fit quite tightly so they don't move around and are often boned for support and structure. Despite modern improvements, full platter tutus can still be quite heavy due to the layers of the net and the steel hoop inside. Because classical ballet was while very moving was designed to be danced in a sort of modified corset when you are actually in these costumes not only does the tightness of the bodice provide some nice support, but the structure lifts some of the weight of the costumes off your body and makes moving somewhat easier.

[@noexpensespentstudios]

Side-saddle bicycles are frankly terrifying contraptions.

[@kikiki10103]

I think it’s so funny how the padded jacket and bloomers combo has a silhouette reminiscent of tudor men’s wear

[@alexchapman3995]

Me: “you know as much as I might like them, I really can’t justify buying a sword. It’d be an impractical use of my limited resources. And besides, I don’t want to become a sword guy.” My brain: “yO tHoSe ARe sOme frikeN sWeeT SwoRds They’Ve got RIghT THere riGhT TheRe!”

[@Nacanaca12]

It was great to hear some new fencing history! I started fencing in the early 2000s and became captain of my high school's women's epeé team in the mid 2010s. In that time, foil has remained very much the woman's weapon, with most sabreists and epeeists being men. Due to how competitions are divided by gender, it is at times impossible to fence anything but foil if one is shoehorned into the women's section. Today, fencing is still very much a sport for the upper class and upper-middle class. Due to how class and race are entwined in the United States, the elitism in competitive fencing is often expressed through racism. Most fencers of color who I know (myself included) only gained access to the sport through public university teams or graduates of those universities who worked to offer affordable access to the sport. In the same way men have historically feared being bested by women, white people may fear being bested by people of color. Sports can be an incredible way to gain confidence in one's abilities. It's no wonder why athletics have been so closely gatekept by those in power over the centuries.

[@manwhoismissingtwotoenails4811]

I love the androgynous yet clearly victorian/rococo-esque style you have. It also looks very comfortable. Amazing video as always.

[@bloomnights]

Madge Syers, the first woman to compete at the figure skating world championship, in 1902, was able to do so because despite figure skating being considered an all-male sport, there where no rules that explicitly banned women from competing. She won the silver medal, although, supposedly, at the time many experts and fellow skaters thought she should have won. Ulrich Salcow, the gold medalist that year and the man that later dominated the sport for a decade, was apparently so impressed that he offered her his medal.

[@cathulu7975]

As a female fencer, I am so happy that someone is discussing the history of women in fencing 🥰

[@manwhoismissingtwotoenails4811]

I'm 17 and always wanted to do fencing, am i too old to get into it?

[@cathulu7975]

@Man who is missing two toenails not at all! I only started fencing when I was 16. A lot of the best fencers at my club that I know started as adults, so 17 is a great age! Because fencing isn't the most common sport, it's not like the majority of people who have been playing do it sense elementary school, like soccer or lacrosse. I really hope you pursue fencing! I know at my club we always need more fencers- especially in foil, like me lol. I wish you the best of luck!

[@marksadler4104]

I started fencing at 52 years old, currently training with a lot of females from teens to my vintage (59). From the female fencers, I learnt footwork. The females learn about distance, timing, tempo when fighting me. We are all getting medals, even me😊 So you are never too old to learn....No excuses, do fencing🤺🤺🤺🤺

[@ComptonCreations]

Amazing content, yet again! It's amazing how true these women were to themselves back then. That takes a lot of bravery, especially with the social expectations they faced.

[@Nwmguy]

Thanks Kaz! I've loved your channel since your Green Knight video. I had literally seen that movie the day before. Frankly, I was struggling to put it together but I knew I liked it. Your video definitely made me understand it a bit better

[@yensid4294]

Considering any woman who went out in public alone had to fend off being groped by "mashers" by literally using a hat pin as a weapon, I think fencing was probably an appropriate sport to partake in.

[@wherefancytakesme]

"People were quickly developing a grave mistrust of medical men in general, while simultaneously somehow believing most of the ideas that many doctors promoted." Sounds like our relationship with Victorian doctors now, and uh, *ahem* certain myths against specific undergarments.

[@New_Wave_Nancy]

PriorAttire's channel has also featured sport corsets from the 19th century. Also ,I had never heard about side-saddle bicycles before this video. How strange!

[@christopherseivard8925]

Thanks for the fascinating story. I am straight. I fenced at the college level, and was a competitive cyclist & tri-athlete. As if this wasn’t enough, I am currently recovering from a stroke, (I lived) so please excuse my errors in phrasing. As I am dying to comment, let me add that while training / cycling in Brooklyn, NY, I often encountered a nuance of an experience un-addressed. The training ride in Prospect Park often included an Orthodox Jewish woman; hair braided, despite her helmet, and wearing a denim skirt, wrapped appropriately. her Hasidic rules undoubtedly fulfilled. From a cyclist’s standpoint, “she could motor”. The struggle, for her, was real, and no less brave. Thanks!

[@caitlynskiff2001]

I know I am late to this video but as someone who loves gymnastics I would love a video on it. Specifically how a sport that was at one time a men's sport has now turned to a sport we associate with women.

[@chameleonhrt]

I recognizedthe painting of Chevalier d'Eon fencing you used when first talking about women fencing.

[@VerluxUA]

It's lovely to hear you point out repeatedly about the misconceptions people have about biological sex and how it's absolutely not binary

[@brockjazz8838]

I like your "somber" note at the end, it was helpful to hear a clear argument on the continuum of sexual identity.

[@RaphaelleLD]

I was sooo excited for this video ever since you posted about the fencing suit and I have to say, you exceeded my expectations! Thank you so much for another amazing video, I hope you're keeping well!

[@niamh7047]

Hopefully we will finally move away from the myths surrounding corsets sometime soon. Loved this video and your final points about how discrimination in sports effects us all. Would be nice to live in a world where we can all get outside and exercise just as we are. Just accepted and encouraged. I also always find the arguments that refer to nature or going 'against nature' so ridiculous because nature itself is so fluid and diverse.

[@marahenao6417]

The bicycle debacle is so silly and It’s funny to see that cycling stills has some of these silly ideas on the male vs female bike designs such as the type of saddles and the middle bar location

[@marahenao6417]

I have had men mess up my bike when i just take it in to get a flat fixed… someone switched my bike from single speed (and back peddling to break) to regular brakes it was so annoying

[@rd6203]

@@marahenao6417 Wait, what? Why?

[@dorkatarmsetcetera9468]

i friggin love this. breaks the stereotypes we hold about a historical era, and opens my eyes to what sports we can enjoy today in reenactment/costume!!

[@fullcapsethan]

Fun fact : until a few years ago, it was technically still illegal for women to wear pants in the capital, *unless they were riding a bike or had one with them*

[@mothgirl_exe]

The sound effect at "evil practices" sent me into the stratosphere

[@StraysoftheBeyond]

Holy shit victorian era working women "stripping down to the waist and beating the shit out of each other" made me laugh so hard. I am devastated it took me this long in life for someone to plant that visual into my head.

[@Mesmina]

A someone who bikes every day to work an back in skirts and either corset or stays I find it endlessly amusing how many myths are still alive today.

[@Vibrationofbunni]

Kaz!! I love when you drop a new video!! You are seriously one of my favorite KZbinrs. This one is great. Loving the longer time as well 🖤

[@Lady_Chalk]

>listens and reads to that list “Oh for fuck’s sake.” >cue head desk moment

[@Lets_Talk_About_Hockey]

Fun fact, one of the first accounts of an ice hockey goalie wearing a face mask in a game was when Elizabeth Graham wore a wire fencing mask while playing goalie for the Queens University hockey team on February 7, 1927. Great video! I love all of the well researched information you presented. Cheers!

[@claudiaelodie]

I honestly have never felt more comfortable than when I wear my historically accurate corset. Thank you so much for giving so much amazing information on this part of history that is rarely discussed.

[@emmamcginley5121]

“We can’t let men know you have a torso and limbs under there” is my favorite line. I love the way you articulate information in your videos!!

[@Swaggersquirrel]

You riding that bike was kinda cute 🥰 thank you for putting so much effort in your videos! Well done once again 💕

[@sofialima4521]

Somber yet necessary ending! I mean, we are clearly not far enough from these issues, sadly. And the sooner we realize how much it affects all of us the sooner we can do something about it. And on that note, thank you for the video! 🖤✨

[@maryeckel9682]

Another great job! You really hit all the important points. And you looked snazzy af and not at all out of shape in the cycling sequence!

[@LynnHermione]

No you cant mention freeboobing bar fights and then move on! Isnt safer to fight with your corset on? XD

[@KazRowe]

Probably not thinking much about safety when starting a bar brawl 😂😂

[@amrys_argent]

Maybe they were trying to avoid wrecking their clothes.

[@Nellipusen]

"amoebas blob of undefined energy" Guys, a new gender just dropped, and it's a good one!

[@bens1cultist405]

Claiming saber is a more advanced weapon than foil is ludicrous, a valid strategy is literally just swinging wildly and hoping to brake your opponents defense. Saber also allows you to use the entire blade while foil requires you to hit with the tip and usually center mass.

[@czarwonica687]

ive been waiting for someone to bring up this topic! as someone who loves historical fashion, its so interesting to see :)

[@tomiebaby4484]

I would love it if you made a video on Sylvia Plath, including her infamous stay at the psychiatric ward

[@emilyrln]

"A woman can't do sports! Her uterus might fall out!" 😂

[@catsaregreat6314]

Reminds me of when trains were invented they thought uteruses would fall out. I’m like 95% sure trains at that time could barely go over if even come close to 20km/h

[@sashaespinoza2907]

i just love your videos, you explain things in an easy to understand way that doesn't feel patronizing, your voice is soothing but it keeps me interested in what you're saying (you should do audiobooks), your background and your look are always on point and the fact that you always present the topics from bipoc points of view in history which are rarely ever mentioned at all makes my heart swell, honestly you are one of my favorite content creators even if your content is very niche and deals with topics that i didn't even realize i was curious about before reading the titles, i always look forward to your uploads, i hope you are doing well, keep up the good work❤️

[@FunSizeSpamberguesa]

Sadly I know from personal experience how dangerous even large baggy pants can be on a bicycle: I was a teenager in the 90s, when those really huge JNCO jeans were in style. They were just about as wide as the legs of a split skirt would have been, and more than once they got tangled either in the back wheel or in the chain (which was nice and embarrassing as well as painful, since I inevitably fell over). I'm not surprised that specific cycling outfits with bloomers/trousers were developed.

[@leopardshadow333]

And the low rise flare jeans of the early 2000s weren't much better in that way- a lot of my pants at the time ended up with one hem all chewed up from catching in the chain.

[@mystery1317]

Great video! Karolina Zebrowska also made a video where she tries on turn of the century sportswear and goes rock climbing. Yes. Rock climbing. (Spoiler alert, she’s fine.)

[@emmadoyle3990]

As some who studied The Yellow Wallpaper in English, hearing the name S. Weir Mitchell in this context almost stopped my heart

[@seraphjohanson3402]

Ah yes…. Sports. The art of… sportsing. Life is Balls or whatever. Joking aside, thanks for more great content! 🌈

[@jurassicdragon4989]

I must say, I've watched the last 10 videos on your channel so far and it has been amazing. Please keep up with it, your work is amazing. Especially since im a truck driver they really help pass the time and I'm learning a LOT!

[@frugalhousewife9878]

Hey nice shout out to my alma mater, Mount Holyoke College (Female Seminary). I've seen that photo of the calisthenics class many times :) great vid!

[@adkin0023]

"and this is the 1800's so we're not quie there yet" if only this weren't still true lol

[@signeermegasejxD]

Only one problem with this video: you didn't wear a helmet when riding your bike! It's very important, even if it isn't period! lol, I was genuinely anxious during that part, but in all seriousness, this is an awesome and really informative video

[@panqueque445]

10:00 and the sweat. So many layers, so much fabric, those things were personal saunas in the summer.

[@euansmith3699]

Yet another wonderful and informative presentation. Thank you for sharing this. Secret Habits and Evil Practices? Both sound more exciting than plain old self pollution. That Fencing Suit looks so cool. Bloomers look fabulous. "Voluminous Bloomers" sounds like a great name for a heroine. 38:53 FREE WHEELING!?? Are you QUITE mad?! You earlier informed us of the inherent danger of this pernicious practice! 😍😂

[@ancientandbored]

I had a horrible day and it was so nice to have a notification saying there was a new video!!! You saved my day! ❤️

[@howardjohnson2138]

Thanks for all the hard work and study of this subject.

[@rrrosecarbinela]

This was a tour de force! Thank you for educating us. Here's to more growth.

[@yikesjustyikes473]

This is such a fascinating topic!! Coming into this video I had only ever known about cycling bloomers from blips of fashion history I've come across, I had no idea how much womens sports and physical activity has changed the social climate!! Yet another excellent video, I always come away from your content with so much more knowledge and broader interests!! Can't wait to see what else you have in store!! 😊😊😊

[@Sonicsis]

Perscribe me to stay in bed for weeks? SIGN ME THE FUCK UP!

[@friend_trilobot]

Biblically accurate Angels: *are loveceaftian horror monsters* Victorians: women should be the angels of the house Lol

[@anceptus]

Husband: Doctor, I am deeply concerned about my wife. Her physical form has morphed into an amalgamation of light, giant floating rings, many wide open eyes and several wings. I tried communicating and her response was "do not be afraid". Doctor: Don't worry, it's just hysteria. She'll need to rest for six weeks, that's all.

[@friend_trilobot]

@@anceptus this is fantastic 😁

[@hypotermiababy3980]

i love this person so much i’m so happy that their videos popped up on my feed, every single video is amazing and have so much wonderful information

[@ElliRoseCecilia]

The end of this video was *chefs kiss* so perfectly said.

[@BupiDoodles]

The new setup up gorgeous 💕 It makes it look like you live in a museum.

[@cookinwiththelizzard]

Well, I just hollered at the top of my lungs while in the shower, "I AM A MASCILINE AND AGRESSIVE ANGEL OF THE HOUSE AND YOU CANNOT STOP ME!" and I think I broke my girlfriend, she can't stop laughing.

[@alexandria3583]

when i finally make a pair of well fitting stays i want to try going biking in them. my posture is always terrible when im riding a bike and i wonder how id feel after doing it in stays. im not going to make a corset, at least for a while, because im more interested in 18th century costuming

[@talasumii6234]

Hey Kaz! I found your channel a while back, but only recently started to watch your videos. (binge watch tbh) I want to applaude you for making such educational and curiosity sparking videos! It shows how much effort and thought you put in every single one. Discovering your videos lit up a long lost passion for history in me. I've been watching your videos while drawing, inspired by anything and everything you talk about. So thank you for lighting up that spark again!

[@carapaced8138]

As someone who wears a corset almost every day for back support: they are not very restricting once you are used to it. Mine just feels like a nice grounding hug around my ribs.

[@bridgetblanchard3289]

had to pause and freak out a bit at 18:20 cause look it’s my beloved d’eon!! not exactly what this videos about but i HIGHLY recommend looking into her if ur a fan of 18th century transgender french spies and soldiers turned feminist book collecting christians (spent like months writing about her for my history class)

[@tjshapiro2677]

As a female-adjacent (gender is complicated wahoo) sabre fencer, the fact that Olympic women's fencing only included sabre events starting 4 years before I was born is absolutely mind-boggling to me. Also the idea that epee is one of the "more advanced and complicated" weapons is really funny because at my former club, epee is the weapon that they would start newbies out with, because it doesn't have as restricted target area and doesn't include right of way, so it was easier to teach to newcomers to the sport (not to say epee is like...less respectable than foil/sabre, just that in my experience it's the easiest to grasp when you first encounter fencing)

[@donutsuego]

I was having a really rough time feeling awake today for various reasons, but 'champlions' and 'spoitswear' made me laugh enough to get some energy going, so thanks for that Kaz.

[@AnnaWillo]

I'd love to see someone mention, in one of these talks about corsets, how many men wore them

[@flanigan_a-go-go]

Mad respect for anyone cycling in a skirt🤘🏾 (Women are so punk rock)