Dr Victoria Bateman
@vnbateman • 58,475 subscribers
Author of #Economica: A Global History of Women, Wealth & Power (an FT Best Book 2025). Resident economic historian @BBCRadio4 #UnderstandTheEconomy.
Videos
0:58
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I’m feeling incredibly exposed now, walking naked along this road in central London, but of course what I’m trying to do is to expose the way that #Brexit has left Britain naked and alone on the world stage, just as I am naked and alone here now. I’ve just got to hope that the IEA lets me in quickly, as I don’t really want to be stood out here for long. #BrexitLeavesBritainNaked
Dr Victoria Bateman1,084,877 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
4:58
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Here I am, walking naked through the streets of Bath, in the outfit chosen by the roll of my Brexit Anniversary die: just a comfortable pair of shoes. It’s not what I would have ideally chosen to wear for my #Economica interview today, but the whole point of leaving my clothing decision to the die is to reflect our loss of personal freedom - particularly freedom of movement - since Britain left the EU, and the way Brexit has left Britain exposed and vulnerable on the world stage. I’ve now made it to the cafe for my interview. I’m delighted to say that they have let me in despite the fact that I’m completely naked, and I feel a lot more comfortable in here than I did naked and alone on the streets of Bath. I hadn’t quite realised how long the walk was from my hotel, and how busy the centre would be once I got here, but I’m proud to be spreading my message about the damage that Brexit has done to the UK. I’ve just ordered a cup of tea, and the journalist is arriving now, so I’ll update you again later. #BrexitLeavesBritainNaked
Dr Victoria Bateman534,554 görüntüleme • 29 gün önce
3:30
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Emerging from the comfort of the cafe where I had just enjoyed being interviewed about my book #Economica, the reality of having to walk back to my hotel completely naked suddenly hit me, and as the city was getting busier I took some of the quieter back streets to avoid the hordes of tourists. The closer I got to my hotel, the more not only did I ponder whether Georgian architecture and the female nude clash or complement one another, but also whether the hotel would let me back in like this (or if I might be left naked and alone in Bath with nowhere to go).
Dr Victoria Bateman247,409 görüntüleme • 29 gün önce
2:44
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Can a topless book signing be #feminist? I’ve had so many lovely conversations during my month long protest against #Brexit - to mark the 10th anniversary of the EU referendum - but this is one of my favourites. It was Blackwell's, Oxford’s Bookshop - a conversation that touched on Greek gods and #goddesses (and the double standards goddesses faced), the artistic genre of #nudewithbook (including my own painting by Anthony Connolly), why women are expected to choose between their bodies and their brains, how confidence grows with age - and how my younger self would have been terrified of my older self. With huge thanks to the team at Blackwells Oxford, where you can find signed copies of my book #Economica - the copies I’m signing in the video in fact - in store now. #womenwealthpower
Dr Victoria Bateman113,890 görüntüleme • 14 gün önce
2:08
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What would #JaneAusten think of me? Would she be horrified at the sight of a naked woman walking down the street where she once lived in this historic and beautiful city of #Bath? Or might she actually have approved? On the one hand, when we think of Austen we think of bonnets and ball gowns but on the other, her writing poked fun at British society, highlighting hypocrisies and ridiculing airs and graces, and some of her strongest female characters longed to break free of constraints, challenging the status quo. Which of Austen’s heroines could you imagine ripping off her corset and running wild through Bath? More than anything, I hope - if Austen is looking down on me from above - that she can have a good giggle. After all, she certainly had a good sense of humour.
Dr Victoria Bateman213,026 görüntüleme • 28 gün önce
1:50
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Let me confront this question head-on: Am I damaging the tone of the beautiful city of #Bath by walking naked through its historic lanes and crescents? Does the female nude jar against the Georgian architecture, or is it the perfect counterpoint to the masculine buildings? And just how liberal were the #Georgians? A few thoughts as I meander through the city wearing nothing but a (comfortable) pair of shoes, trying to distract myself from the fact that I’m naked in a city known for the bonnets and ball gowns of #JaneAusten.
Dr Victoria Bateman162,960 görüntüleme • 28 gün önce
1:43
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Latest update… I’m now in central London and in a taxi on the way to the IEA, still in the outfit chosen by the die - a pair of comfortable shoes and absolutely nothing else. It’s even more daunting now I’m amongst the crowds of the capital, but I’m determined to stay true to my word and convey my message, even though it means baring all of my body today. IEA, here I come.
Dr Victoria Bateman309,224 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
1:20
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Well I can’t believe that I’m doing this, but here I go - out into the world leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination. As Margaret Thatcher said, “The Lady’s not for Turning”, and nor am I - as I pledged, I am following the choice of outfit given by the throw of the die, and as I am naked and alone in London, I will be thinking about just how naked and alone Britain is now we have left the EU. Wish me luck today, and if you’re in London and see me (I’ll be hard to miss), do come and say hello.
Dr Victoria Bateman241,004 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
1:40
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2:50
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Going out of this door today and shutting it behind me is going to be one of the hardest things I have done, as the choice of the die was for me to bare every part of my body for an entire day in #Cambridge. I know from being there yesterday in my EU flag dress that Cambridge is incredibly crowded at the moment and - given growing pedestrianisation - requires a long and very public walk in and out of the city. Doing this naked fills me with dread, but I take courage from the fact that however unpleasant what I do today might be for me, I am delivering my message with force: #BrexitLeavesBritainNaked
Dr Victoria Bateman151,794 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
1:54
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6:40
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I’m in #Oxford now, walking to Blackwell’s Bookshop to sign copies of the new paperback release of my book #Economica 📗. As per my pledge to mark the 10th anniversary of the #Brexit referendum, my outfit was chosen by the roll of a die this morning, so I’m here wearing only a skirt, baring my breasts against Brexit. I’ve done the best I can to protect my modesty, but I hadn’t thought through how difficult it would be to cover myself whilst holding a selfie stick and a handbag.
Dr Victoria Bateman103,479 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
2:20
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Thank you to the wonderful team at St Albans Museum for hosting my talk on #NakedFeminism. It was lovely to speak on a topic so close to my heart, with an engaged audience who had so many interesting questions afterwards. Speaking on the history of women’s bodily freedom (the topic of my 2023 📗) was the perfect end to my month long protest against #Brexit. So here I am, for the final time wearing an outfit chosen by the die, leaving the museum in only a skirt, baring my breasts against Brexit. I have been very kindly invited out to drinks with a fellow historian to celebrate the end of my month long protest, so here’s hoping that the bar she has chosen will let in a half-n*ked woman…#BrexitLeavesBritainNaked
Dr Victoria Bateman64,313 görüntüleme • 25 gün önce
0:55
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Follow me to enter the world famous #NorringtonRoom Blackwell's, Oxford’s Bookshop. While it’s probably not every day that a topless woman walks in and browses the book selection before signing books, since this “underground book room” (as it was initially called) opened in the “swinging sixties” - the time of the sexual revolution, the mini skirt and #thekinks - who knows what tales the bookshelves could tell, if only they could talk. With huge thanks to the wonderful staff of Blackwell’s Bookshop, Oxford. Signed copies of #Economica 📗 are now in store.
Dr Victoria Bateman81,687 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
5:27
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Following my #Economica book signing, I’m leaving Blackwell's, Oxford’s Bookshop now to head to a meeting, but couldn’t resist some book shopping before doing so. I’m now realising that carrying a bag of heavy books (as well as a handbag and selfie stick) makes it even harder to stay covered up and, as you can see, even the back streets of #Oxford are busy today (and there are so many builders at work). But, I am keeping to my pledge, wearing just a skirt all day.
Dr Victoria Bateman85,838 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
0:32
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What a week it has been. A huge thanks to everyone for their support of the launch of the paperback edition of my global economic history - #Economica: A Global History of Women, Wealth & Power Islander 📗. Writing about so many important but forgotten women throughout history, from the women plumbers of ancient Rome to the female brewers of medieval London was a privilege, and I’m eager to share their stories with an even broader audience now the paperback has been released. I am very grateful for your kindness - online as well as in person - particularly since the paperback launch coincided with the 10th anniversary of the #Brexit referendum and so my month long protest. I have worn all three of my protest outfits this week - my EU flag dress, just a skirt, and only a pair of shoes - which has been daunting at times, and whilst the warm weather has been appreciated (at least the referendum wasn’t in winter), baring my body against Brexit has been tough. In the near future I will be speaking about Economica at the Buxton Festival and at Waterstones Kensington, and also delivering a special talk at St Albans Museum on the topic of #NakedFeminism, charting the swinging pendulum of female modesty across time and drawing parallels between the puritanism of the past and the modern day backlash against women’s rights. My month long Brexit anniversary protest period ends the week after next, and I am already very much looking forward to being able to talk about the book while wearing my more normal and modest attire, including the green skirt and blouse combination (matching the green and gold book cover) that some of you will have seen me in last year when I was on the road discussing the hardback version. Thank you again for all of your support - it makes a huge difference.
Dr Victoria Bateman81,084 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
1:35
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It’s almost 10 years since Britain voted to leave the EU, when I spent the day completely naked at Cambridge University. A decade on, I’m in Barcelona on #EuropeDay - a time to celebrate Spain’s 40 years in the EU. There’s no doubt that Brexit still leaves Britain (& me) naked.
Dr Victoria Bateman189,500 görüntüleme • 3 ay önce
2:42
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I’m home, after a day baring all of my body against #Brexit. It feels good to have a dress back on but whilst I’m now comfortable, Britain is still naked and alone in the world, and will be until the government starts the process of rejoining the EU. Thank you again to the team at the #IEA today, and if not before I’ll be posting another roll of the die - and the result - on Thursday.
Dr Victoria Bateman105,743 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
3:47
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2:40
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I’m here in the beautiful city of Bath where I have an interview to discuss my book #Economica. We’re meeting in a cafe in the centre, and as it’s an early meeting I stayed overnight in a hotel as it’s too far to travel. But, since I’m still in my month long #Brexit anniversary pledge period, I have to roll my die to decide what I’ll be wearing - my EU dress, just a skirt, or my shoes and nothing else. This is always a daunting prospect, but I realised overnight that I’ll have to leave the hotel through the hotel lobby, passing reception and the concierge - not something you want to have to do in any state of undress. And, of course, I’ll also have to get back into the hotel later - and I worry that they might not let me in if I’m not dressed, so I could end up stranded in the city without any clothes - so I’m definitely hoping for the EU dress today. Let’s see what the die chooses…
Dr Victoria Bateman50,894 görüntüleme • 29 gün önce