Irene Villa holds a PhD in Human Sciences and Political Philosophy from the University of Verona with a dissertation entitled The Lavender Menace. The Lesbian in Feminist and Queer Theory. Villa is interested in the political history of gender and sexuality, with a particular focus on the lesbian milieu and the theoretical intersections between feminist, queer and trans theory. In recent years Villa has published articles in scientific journals on the history of the politicization of lesbian sexuality in Italy and the United States and divulgative contributions on the history of butch identity.