Being Human Festival: How accessories became queer coded in Victorian Britain - and why they still matter today

On Saturday 8 November, the public is being invited to explore our county’s history of using fashion as subversive speech with Transgressing Lines: Decoding Queer Fashion History – an interactive exhibition and walking tour. The event is hosted at New House Arts Space (Guildford, GU1 4SQ) and starts from 2 until 4pm. 

The event is part of the Being Human Festival 2025 – the UK’s national humanities festival. Tickets are limited and available here: Ticket Tailor 

Dr Lena Mattheis, Lecturer in Contemporary Literature at the University of Surrey, said: 

“We should never shy away from having vigorous public debates about identity, expression and inclusivity – and this event offers a historical perspective on how fashion has been - and still is - a tool for personal and political statements. 

Dr Danielle Dove, Lecturer in English Literature at the University of Surrey, said: 

“There is a long history of queer-coded fashion and we see many of these codes and trends reappear in the way people dress today. The dialogue between clothing and identity never really goes out of style.” 

From 2pm, meet with lesbian fashion historian Eleanor Medhurst (aka Dressing Dykes) and Victorian dress specialist Dr Danielle Dove, who’ll decode queer-coded items around the gallery - from a fan to a flower accessory - and talk through their hidden histories. 

From 3pm, attendees can trail a one-hour audio-guided walking tour of Guildford via the ListenQueer app, tracing the stories of local queer and trans figures through their sartorial footprints. Prefer to stay put? The immersive audio is also available back in the gallery’s café. 

ENDS

Note to editors:

• For media enquiries, please contact: mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk
• Tickets are limited and available here: Ticket Tailor