This is the Season of Roan, loves, and were lucky to live in it!From her fierce red carpet entrancenot to mention her fiercer clapback to a photographerto her blazing performance at Wednesdays MTV's VMA Awards, Chappell Roan didnt just make a splash, she caused a tidal wave. And the cherry on top? When she stepped up to accept the award for Best New Artist, she dedicated it to her beloved queer community.It was an exclamation point on a night that was nothing short of a crowning achievement for Roan, who has embraced her identity with the kind of unapologetic boldness a gal like me only dreamt of at her age.But the looks were the gag of the century, and Im still recovering. Not content with just showing up, Roan arrivednot just on the VMAs red carpet, but her own. Draped in a grey-and-black floor-length gown by Y/Project, layered beneath a green cape, and accessorized with a sword, cuffs, and some deadly nails, Roan served medieval regality like no one else.Once again, she defended her sartorial kingdom, ruling the nights fashion game from her high castle.Roan gave us Joan of Arc realness, but on her terms. She took the stage to perform Good Luck Babe in full-on medieval armor. And in true shoot another shot, try to stop the feeling fashion, she shot a flaming arrow from a crossbow to her makeshift castle on the stage while dancers decked out in their suits of armor spun around her wielding swords. The performance was practically a medieval fantasy come to life, with Roan firmly at the center of the blazing trails.Figuratively and literally.For her final look of the evening, Roan slipped into a hooded chainmail dress from Paco Rabannes Spring/Summer 2024, accepting her award bedecked like a queer 'Maid of Orleans' reborn for the 21st century. It was bold. It was during. And above all, it was a powerful nod to the past and the future: a reminder that queer warriors have always existed, from the battlefield to the theater stage.While many commentators were quick to draw comparisons to Joan of Arcand rightfully sotheres another historical figure that came to mind for me. Picture this: a 17th-century opera singer who swung swords, defied norms by wearing mens clothing, and was known for her romantic escapades with both men and women.Julie dAubigny was the original swashbuckling diva.And though Roan hasnt confirmed that her looks were a direct homage to dAubigny, Im willing to bet that if she could time travel, Julie would be her bestie.So lets take a little trip back in time, shall we?Julie dAubigny, or La Maupin as she was sometimes called, lived in a world that didnt know what to do with a woman like her. Born in 1673 to a minor noble, Julies father ensured she got an education usually reserved for menfencing lessons included. And thus began her legend.By her teens, she was already married, though her husband was shipped off to work in southern France, leaving Julie to mostly her own devices.Julie quickly fell in with a fencing master, becoming his lover and partner-in-crime: literally, they had to flee Paris after he killed someone in an illegal duel. Together, they romaned the countryside, performing fencing demos at traveling fairs. But it was Julies first love affair with a young woman that truly cemented her place in queer history. When the young womans parents sent her to a convent, Julie was not having it. She followed her into the convent, concocted a wild escape plan involving a dead nuns body (yes, really), and set her lovers room on fire as a distraction.I love a dame who makes a dramatic exit!The pair were on the run for a few months before Julies lover eventually returned to her family, but Julie wasnt one to slow down. She soon embarked on a career as a singer, eventually making her way to the Paris Opera, where she performed for years under the name of Mademoiselle Maupin. During her time on stage, she was said to have had several love affairs with both men and women and even dueled men in between performances, always ensuring her sword was around.She was a true original: a queer rebel with a fashionable cause.The tragedy of her last lover, a French noblewoman, passing away in 1703 convinced Julie to retire from public life and enter a convent. She died two years later, aged only 34. Though her story was cast into the shadows of history, her life has recently been brought to life through a hit comedy play, retelling the life of the queer swashbuckling opera singer.While Roans VMA looks may have been inspired by Joan of Arc, I like to think theres a bit of Julie dAubigny in her too. After all, both womencenturies apartknew how to command a stage, fight for what they believed in, and how to live authentically, society be damned.In the end, what Chappell Roan gave us was more than just a show: its a reminder that queer history is full of fierce fighters, rule-breakers, and iconoclasts who paved the way. Whether its Joan, Julie, or Chappell herself, the message is clear: were here, were queer, and weve been setting the world on fire for centuries.And loves, its not going out anytime soon. Marie-Adlina de la Ferrire is the Community Editor at equalpride, publisher of Pride.com. Voices is dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and impactful opinions from the LGBTQ+ and Allied community. Visit pride.com/submit to learn more about submission guidelines. We welcome your thoughts and feedback on any of our stories. Email us at voices@equalpride.com. Views expressed in Voices stories are those of the guest writers, columnists and editors, and do not directly represent the views of PRIDE.com or our parent company, equalpride.