Gone Medieval Medieval Beauty Standards with Kate Lister
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Aug 5, 2025 
In this engaging discussion, historian Kate Lister, a prominent voice on the history of sex and the body, explores the quirky world of medieval beauty standards. She delves into how the Black Death influenced fashion and whether baldness was seen as attractive. The conversation covers the obsession with pale skin, the complexities of beauty and virtue, and surprisingly effective medieval dental care. Humor mingles with historical insight as Lister and her co-host unravel the many paradoxes of beauty and attraction from the past.
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Beauty Linked to Spirituality
- Medieval beauty standards were tied to spirituality, where beauty symbolized righteousness and closeness to God.
- Natural beauty was equated with spiritual perfection, linking physical appearance to moral virtue.
Innocence in Medieval Beauty
- Medieval women were expected to be beautiful yet unaware of it, embodying innocence alongside attractiveness.
- Sexual awareness was discouraged; the ideal was a natural, unmade-up look resembling purity.
Eyebrow Plucking and Damnation
- A monk's ecstatic vision revealed a beautiful woman in hell because she plucked her eyebrows, a taboo cosmetic practice.
- This story highlights medieval fears around makeup as deception and moral corruption.
