Cross-dressing, gender identity, and sexuality of Joan of Arc
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Joan of Arc (French: Jeanne d'Arc), a celebrated French historical figure who was executed by the English for alleged heresy in 1431, is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. Joan was accompanied by an army during the Hundred Years War, then adopting the garb of a soldier, which ultimately provided a pretense for her conviction and execution. A number of contemporary commentators including some scholars have described her wearing of armor including certain articles of men's clothing most notably as described by priests and officials of the Catholic Church leading up to and during her trial, as crossdressing. Whether her so-called crossdressing, and that beyond which has been misconstrued regarding her lifestyle, have implications for her sexuality or gender identity is a matter of debate among historians and queer theorists.[citation needed]