York Art Gallery's crude trans appropriation of St Agatha

[escapingthecity]

Couldn't see another thread yet and just saw this in the Times. York Art Gallery has teamed up with a local LGBT group and has fixed a piece of commentary by a trans man next to a painting to St Agatha. She was an early Christian martyr famously tortured by having her breasts cut off (she's often depicted holding a plate with them on like 2 breasty blancmanges). But for York, the religious ecstasy of a tortured saint is apparently like the thrill of wearing a breast binder. I don't even know where to start with this appropriation of a Christian experience and apparent approval of violent torture.

Pictures here: twitter.com/georgewoxford/status/1572566353047097345?s=21&t=hBOADtJYRvIJM4SBW-EK7Q

For me, this thing is, art is a universal property. Anyone can think anything about art and anything can be art (in a manner of speaking. This is clearly art and a well know piece. The exhibition is about queering art (whatever that is) and this dude's opinion is as valid as anyone else else's. We can also be offended, but Huch is our right.

Which is our right

Oh my word. I'm not drunk I promise.

That’s true about art “property” AnuS but he has his facts totally wrong about St Agatha. You can’t change history to fit the art. Indeed, we are on a dangerously slippery slope if we start rewriting it, to fit someone’s “art”. And even that is questionable here. Is it art or is a political positioning being peddled here?

I wonder if she will be considered the patron saint of detransitioners in time to come?

Crying out to God for relief for her suffering of breast removal. Maybe some Christian detransitioners would find that relatable and consoling.

I was unaware of saints Agatha and Lucy and their horrific torture and suffering. I kind of wish I hadn’t read the thread now. Just awful. Human beings have really done things like this in service of ideology- these women were accused of wrong think or wrong belief.

That aside I am not sure how these stories are meant to inspire anyone to want to become or remain Christian! I think it would put me off and send me looking for some warm and fuzzy religion about love and peace or something like that.