I’m excited to announce the eighth in the Freethinker’s series of free online seminars for all those interested in freethought history and its enduring relevance. The webinars, hosted by me and lasting around one hour, will feature expert guest speakers, to whom you’ll have a chance to ask your questions. There is no set schedule for these webinars; the best way to stay informed about when they are happening is to sign up for our free fortnightly newsletter, which will also keep you updated on all other things Freethinker.
The webinars will be recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel. (This post will be updated and the video of the webinar—on which more in a moment—will appear below once the recording is available. All posts about these webinars will be accessible here, and all such posts will also be updated in due course when the webinar recordings are available, thus forming a complete catalogue of the series).
Register for Freethought History Webinar #8: Annie Besant, Secularist and Feminist. With Lucie Lemieux.
The webinar will take place on 3 March 2026 at 7 pm UK time via Zoom.
About the webinar: The webinar will provide a brief overview of Annie Besant’s contribution to freethought, secularism, and feminism, while she was a member of the National Secular Society (NSS), stressing her agency and activism. Examples will be taken from her conferences, essays, and actions related to Freethought and to reforms put forward by the NSS, as well as to her positions on some of the issues Victorian feminists tackled in those years, positions which were not unanimously shared by secularists—or indeed other feminists. Her determination, her courage, and her capacity to act in coherence with her convictions and in spite of ‘mainstream’ beliefs and cultural expectations can make her a relevant example for modern progressives.
About the speaker: Lucie Lemieux is a retired health professional with experience in women’s health and international health, currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in History with a Concentration in Feminist Studies at the Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada. Her subject is Annie Besant’s contribution to freethought while she was one of the vice-presidents of the National Secular Society, from 1875 to 1890.
You must register to secure your place at the webinar. To do so, click here or on the image below. I can’t wait to see you there.
With thanks to Bob Forder for suggesting these seminars and helping to organise them.
Your email address will not be published. Comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Required fields are marked *
Donate