J.D. Sargan

J.D. Sargan, a book historian and Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia, dives into the intersection of trans studies and medieval book history. He explores the political nature of archival spaces and how historical narratives often exclude queer and trans experiences. Sargan discusses his 'experiment in bibliography,' offering innovative methodologies to uncover diverse premodern gender identities. He also introduces Eleanor Reichner, a medieval trans figure, and examines how tactical readings can recover agency in hostile records, proposing new models for understanding manuscript transmission.