History Is Gay

We're bringing you a bonus episode as a post-Pride gift! Back in April, Leigh sat down with filmmaker Whitney Skauge (they/them) to talk about their new documentary short, The Beauty President. The Beauty President offers a glimpse into the story of Terence Alan Smith. In 1992, Smith, also known by his drag name, Joan Jett Blakk,  made a historic bid for the White House as an openly queer write-in candidate. In our conversation, we talk about the film, the impact of focusing on historically excluded folks in media, and the importance of visibility and disruption as protest in the midst of the AIDS crisis. Check out the trailer for The Beauty President by clicking here, and learn more about the film, upcoming screenings near you, and more on Breakwater Studios' website.  You can learn more about Whitney Skauge on their website, and follow them on Instagram at @whitneyskauge.

In this episode of History is Gay, Leigh and guest host Aubree Calvin discuss Pauli Murray, an important African American lawyer, and activist who is finally getting the historical attention they deserve. In their time, Murray was a labor rights, civil rights, and women’s rights activist, and broke significant barriers all while facing sexism and racism. In addition to having a brilliant legal mind, they were a writer, poet, and priest, and had time to be friends with Eleanor Roosevelt. Pauli Murray should be in every U.S. History book in every K-12 school. So, if Pauli Murray was so important to so many movements, why has history largely forgotten them? Leigh and Aubree try to answer that in this two-episode series. This first episode looks at their upbringing, many careers, and accomplishments. Later, in part two, we look at what made Pauli queer, and try to get a handle, as best we can, on their gender identity. Our wonderful guest host for this episode, Aubree Calvin, can be found at www.aubreecalvin.com

In this episode of History is Gay Leigh and guest host Amanda Helton discuss Mary Edmonia “Wildfire” Lewis, the first internationally recognized African American and indigenous artist in the United States. Join us while we ponder how exactly a literal 2-ton sculpture goes missing, discuss the merits of lesbian drama in 1800s Rome, and did you know that blister beetles have been used as aphrodisiacs for centuries? Yeah... neither did we….   Our wonderful guest host for this episode, Amanda Helton, can be found at www.amandahelton.com or @oryxbesia on Instagram. You can also hear Amanda in our episode on Michelangelo! Outline0:00 – Introduction7:18 – Socio-Historical Context20:58 – Who were they? Bio Time25:06 – 26:18 — Content warning: racial violence30:29 – Fun Segment: Word of the Week58:27 – Why do we think they're gay? 1:22:52  – Main Takeaways and Final Conclusions1:27:51 – How Gay were They?1:30:53 – Closing and Where to Find us OnlineWe want to hear from YOU! Please fill out our first-ever History is Ga

For today’s episode, Leigh is joined by return guest host, Aubree Calvin, to commemorate Black History Month by telling the stories of some folks who made contributions to the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s whose queerness has been overlooked or erased, and the ways in which the tremendous work done by Black activists was absolutely essential to the evolution of LGBTQ rights actions. Listen to hear about Freedom Rides organizer Rodney Powell’s epic takedown of Rev. Rick Warren, Ernestine Eckstein’s directions for the homophile movement, and Lorraine Hansberry’s thoughts on Eartha Kitt’s legs. Our wonderful guest host for this episode, Aubree Calvin, can be found at www.aubreecalvin.com or on her podcast Southern Queeries. You can also hear Aubree in our episode on Sister Rosetta Tharpe! Outline 0:00 – Introduction 5:12 – Main Topic: Queers in the Civil Rights Movement 5:27 – Socio-Historical Context 13:47 – 14:18 — Content warning: police brutality/violence mention 20:02 – Who were they? Bio Time. 31:13

It's been one heck of a year, huh queerlings? This month, while we're not able to bring you a regular episode of History is Gay, we are treating you to a special delight in the form of our fantastic conversation with the wonderful minds and gayness behind the brand new (or at least it was when we recorded this) Sweetbitter Podcast, all about Sappho! Created by Ellie Brigida, Leesa Charlotte, and Alyse Knorr, Sweetbitter is an investigative podcast that delves into the truth and controversy of Sappho’s life, the Isle of Lesbos and homosexuality in ancient Greece. Was Kerkylas of Andros (translation: “Penis of Mansville”) Sappho’s husband, or a wink to her known love of women? Did she really have a daughter named Kleos or was she her young lover? Collaborating with experts in the fields of poetry, queer studies, theatre and Ancient Greece, Sweetbitter untangles the life of Sappho including the importance of her work and sexuality in modern times. Leigh spoke with Leesa and Alyse back in October while they were

In this episode of History is Gay, Leigh and guest host and art museum professional nerd Amanda Helton discuss Michelangelo Buonarroti. THE Michelangelo. And we'll get into all the juicy deets you didn't learn in art history class-- full of stories of broken noses, the gay art of forgery, big ol’ artist egos, and attempts to answer the question, “what even is a titty”? Buckle up for the extremely gay Italian Renaissance, everyone! Our wonderful guest host for this episode, Amanda Helton, can be found at www.amandahelton.com or on Instagram at oryxbesia.    Outline00:00 – Introduction5:36 – Main Topic: Michelangelo: Besotted with Beefcake 6:34 – Socio-Historical Context 15:14 – Who were they? Bio Time. 48:43 – Why do we think they're gay? 1:22:25  – Main Takeaways and Final Conclusions 1:28:56 – How Gay were They?| 1:34:06 – Closing and Where to Find us Online Want to help us continue to make the show? Support us on Patreon and get awesome goodies, behind-the-scenes access, special minisodes, and more! You can

Get ready to slap on your spurs once more, because we're back with more trans vagabonds of the wild west! In our last full episode, Leigh and guest host Ashten promised more tidbits and tales of transgender trailblazers that we weren't able to cover in our time together, so here's a bonus for you! Strap in to hear the (abbreviated) tales of several awesome folks we just couldn't bear to leave out.  Thank you to Ashten Hope for the additional research provided to make this bonus episode possible! Outline: 0:00 - Introduction and event announcement 2:37 - Joe Monahan 5:58 - John Runk 7:17 - Ray Leonard 8:58 - Bert Martin 10:35 - Joseph Lobdell 15:21 - Jean Bonnet 19:14 - Closing Want to help us continue to make the show? Support us on Patreon and get awesome goodies, behind-the-scenes access, special minisodes, and more! You can get super cool merch in our store! Shirts, hoodies, totes, and other neat things, as well as pages from our History is Gay digital coloring book! If you’d like to help us transcribe th

In this episode of History is Gay, Leigh and guest host Ashten Hope slap on some cowboy boots and head to the wild west to tip our hats to a slew of badass transgender pioneers. We’ll first meet Harry Allen, a handsome horse-stealing and heart-stealing trans man who was both loved and hated by papers and police across the pacific northwest. Then we’ll dance with the dazzling and talented Mrs. Nash, who’s baking and sewing charmed many a soldier boy. Lastly, prepare to be lassoed by the legendary Charley Parkhurst who was known as one of the best “whips” in all the west. Grab your horse and your headphones and get ready to ride into the fantastic lives of these frontier queers. Outline:  0:00 – Introduction 4:12 – Main Topic: Stealing Horses & Hearts: Trans Vagabonds of the Wild West 4:47 – Socio-Historical Context: What was the Wild West and Why do we think its gay? 16:51 – Who were they? Bio Time: Harry Allen 31:40 – 33:04 – Content warning: suicide mention 36:29 – Word of the Week 39:12 –39:31 – Content

Holy crap, y’all! It’s already AUGUST. Somehow this year has simultaneously lasted forever and also gone by way too quickly. We’re back in your podcatchers today with a new episode, this time introducing you all to the Godmother (or Gaymother, if you will) of Rock n’ Roll, the original stadium rockstar, and badass Black woman guitar virtuoso, Sister Rosetta Tharpe! Think Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry invented rock n’ roll? Think again! Sister Rosetta was shredding on guitar way before them, and it’s time she gets the credit she is due. She broke boundaries wherever she went, straddling the line between worldly and chaste, secular and gospel, and loved both men and women. Our wonderful guest host for today’s episode is Aubree Calvin- writer, professor, and podcast host! You can learn more about Aubree and her freelance writing at her website  www.aubreecalvin.com, and check out her brand new podcast Southern Queeries, all about LGBTQ life in the South! 0:00 – Introduction3:49 – Main Topic: Sister Rosetta Tharp

We’re bringing you a bonus episode here on the History is Gay feed today, so get ready for a ride through the history of queers on TV! Leigh got a chance to sit down and talk with Steven Capsuto, author of Alternate Channels: Queer Images on 20th-Century TV, a deep dive into the history of queer representation on radio and the small screen from the 1930s to 2000! We chat about our favorite moments of representation from the era, the impact and role of gay activists in moving the needle forward for narrative depictions of queerness, and more! Check out Steven and his work at www.alternatechannels.net and follow him on twitter @StevenCapsuto for daily “Today in Queer TV History" tidbits and more! Want to help us continue to make the show? Support us on Patreon and get awesome goodies, behind-the-scenes access, special minisodes, and more! You can get super cool merch in our store! Shirts, hoodies, totes, and other neat things. If you’d like to help us transcribe the show for our d/Deaf and hard of hearing fans,

In this episode of History is Gay, Leigh and guest host Maren (@RygarBorgvoss) tackle the father of modern computing, and gay geek hero, Alan Turing! Whether he be sending love-struck letters about astronomy to his high school bestie, riding a bicycle in a gas mask, or completely revolutionizing mathematics and machinery, we’re in awe of Alan. Listen as we talk about his successes and foibles, and how history did this code-breaking, number-crunching badass dirty.  Outline:  01:43 – Introduction6:01 – Main Topic: Alan Turing: Computer Daddy 7:38 – Socio-Historical Context 11:53 – Who were they? Bio Time. 44:55 – 45:23 - Content warning: suicide mention 46:02 – Why do we think they're gay? 1:05:45  – Main Takeaways and Final Conclusions 1:05:49 – 1:08:41 - Content warning: suicide mention 1:19:27 – How Gay were They? 1:20:56 – Closing and Where to Find us Online This episode is sponsored by Hank Green’s new book, A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor. The book is out July 7th in physical, audio, and e-book wherever bo

Instead of a new episode this month, History is Gay is participating in #PodcastBlackout. If you are not Black, we hope you take this opportunity and time to read, educate yourself, and donate to organizations and causes dedicated to the fight for Black lives.  The Black-created podcasts mentioned in this episode that you should check out and financially support:  Black, Queer Podcasts: Category Is... | A Black, Gay Podcast QueerWOC AfroQueer This QPOC Life Black History Podcasts:  Black History Buff Podcast Noire Histoir Code Switch  You can find NPR's Code Switch playlist for Black History here.  Also, 100% proceeds from the new History is Gay coloring book project will be donated to The Okra Project, a collective that seeks to address the global crisis faced by Black Trans people by bringing home-cooked, healthy, and culturally specific meals and resources to Black Trans people wherever they can reach them. You can donate and download the pages at www.historyisgaypodcast.com/coloring-book Places to

Welcome to History is Gay's latest minisode! This time, we're interviewing author and queer historian Sarah Prager again, in anticipation of her new book Rainbow Revolutionaries: Fifty LGBTQ+ People Who Made History. We get into the details of who is featured in this new book, what it was like writing for a young audience, and get some sneak peek details about the illustrations for the book and the upcoming release party! You can follow Sarah's work on her website, www.sarahprager.com and check out her daily queer history app, Quist. You can also follow her on twitter @Sarah_Prager! Rainbow Revolutionaries comes out on May 26, preorder it from your favorite indie bookstore! You can find your local store by going to www.indiebound.com and putting in your location.  Want to help us continue to make the show? Support us on Patreon and get awesome goodies, behind-the-scenes access, special minisodes, and more! You can get super cool merch in our store! Shirts, hoodies, totes, and other neat things. If you’d like

For this very first solo episode, we’re bringing you a whole bunch of history at once, for everyone’s quarantined entertainment! Presented live on Zoom, we revisited a presentation that Leigh originally gave at the GLBT Historical Society Museum about the history of queer symbols before and after the creation of the rainbow flag, and sharing some stories from folks who participated in a flag-making workshop! From 600 B.C. to right now, queer people have used hundreds of symbols to refer to themselves, find community, and create shared language. Learn about just some of them in this episode, and tell us your favorites! What symbols are your favorites? If you were to create a new queer symbol or flag, what would you do? Outline 0:00 – Introduction 3:42 – Main presentation: Beyond the Rainbow 57:31 – Interviews with flag workshop participants 1:09:57 – Closing Announcements and Where to Find us Online Want to help us continue to make the show? Support us on Patreon and get awesome goodies, behind-the-scenes acc

Welcome to Gretchen and Leigh’s annual episode hosted live at TGIFemslash! This is the con where it all began, and what better way to celebrate our origins than with the ‘first modern lesbian’, Anne Lister! Join us as we learn more about her life, her loves, and her extensive diaries that she used to record her sexual escapades, and you can even play along with the games we hosted live at TGI! Outline 0:00 – Introduction 6:11 – Main Topic: Anne Lister 6:37 – Who were they? Bio Time  12:43 – Why do we think they're gay? 25:37 – Fun Segment: Dialogue or Diary? 31:39 – Words of the Week: So You Want to Be a 19th Century Lesbian? 45:39 – How Gay were They? 46:26 – Closing  And as a bonus, check out the super gorgeous and hilarious Sappho Shitpost Generator created by two of our listeners, Annie J. and Laura Galm! Head over to www.historyisgaypodcast.com/sappho for the fun, and share your favorite results with us on twitter using the hashtag #SapphoShitposts! Want to help us continue to make the show? Support us

Happy Valentines’ Day, loves! We’re here today with a special treat bonus episode for you with a very special guest! You may know her from Xena: The Warrior Princess as the patron god of Sappho, the goddess of love, Aphrodite: it’s Alexandra Tydings! You heard her voice briefly in our last episode on Sappho, but we had so much fun talking with Alex about the Poetess, gay feelings, hysteria, and more, that we created a whole episode for it. Want to find more info on Alexandra and her work? Go to www.alexandratydings.com or follow on twitter @alextydings or instagram @atydings! Want to help us continue to make the show? Support us on Patreon and get awesome goodies, behind-the-scenes access, special minisodes, and more! You can also get super cool merch in our store!  Find our full list of sources and bonus content at www.historyisgaypodcast.com. Get at us on twitter @historyisgaypod, tumblr at historyisgaypodcast, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Don't forget to rate and review so more folks can s

At long last, hosts Gretchen and Leigh are going back to the beginning, to the OG lesbian: Sappho herself. Despite the dearth of information about her life and history, your hosts still find plenty to say about Sappho, her poetry, her legacy, and all the debate that’s circled around her for years. Find out what Leigh and Gretchen think about the many questions about Sappho and listen to fragmentary poetry filled with queer longing and other relatable feels like fire burning beneath flesh, wind crashing through mountain oaks, and…celery.  Outline 0:00 – Introduction 4:57 – Main Topic: The OG Lesbian Sappho  5:08 – Socio-Historical Context 13:02 – Who were they? Bio Time. 23:42 – Sappho’s Poetry 56:12 – Fun Segment: Word of the Week  1:16:40 – Why do we think they're gay?  1:30:12 – How Gay were They? 1:33:48 – Closing and Where to Find us Online Want to help us continue to make the show? Support us on Patreon and get awesome goodies, behind-the-scenes access, special minisodes, and more! You can get super cool

Welcome to winter! Join Leigh and guest host V Silverman as they dive into the fascinating history of King Kristina of Sweden. A probably nonbinary, most likely asexual, definitely biromantic monarch of 17th century Sweden, Kristina was known for their aesthetic tastes, insatiable hunger for knowledge, and absolutely atrocious spending habits. Obviously this episode has all the queer kingly content your heart could desire, but did you know it also has: Coffin Time With Daddy (Deceased), dramatic French executions of Italian noblemen by Swedish royalty, BFFing with Bernini, no fewer than 4 bids for a throne (not all the same one), and how to kidnap your favorite philosopher? Get ready for the incredible story of the jam-packed life of Kristina of Sweden on this episode of History is Gay! Outline 0:00 – Introduction 5:22 – Main topic: King Kristina of Sweden 7:45 – Socio-Historical Context: 17th Century Europe 11:38 – Who Were They? Bio Time 39:10 – Why do we think they're gay? 1:13:08 – Fun Segment: Pop Cultur

That’s right, Leigh and Gretchen are back with another delightful look at the history of homosexuality in East Asian history! Episode 3 explored homosexuality in Ancient China but this time, they’re heading over to Japan to take a closer look at Buddhism, samurai tradition, and the economy-shaped homosexuality in the Tokugawa shogunate. But it’s not all context, you’ll laugh along with us at some of the monks’ exploits, swoon over romantic queer poetry, and peer into the delights of the floating world. So strap in for an exciting look at the rich history of male and female homosexuality in Japan! Outline 0:00 – Introduction 6:37 – Main Topic: Male/Male Homosexuality in Pre-Modern Japan 6:52 – Socio-Historical and Religious Context 15:47 – Fun Segment: Word of the Week 25:25 – Earliest References to Male Love in Japan 28:47 – The Monastic Tradition 42:40 – The Samurai Tradition and Undying Devotion 48:44 – The Rise of Kabuki and Commercialized Nanshoku 1:03:00 – Male Love in Popular Tokugawa Literature and Art

Leigh and Gretchen are back from hiatus with an extra special episode! Recorded live at the Dallas Museum of Art on June 21st as part of the museum’s Pride events, your friendly neighborhood queer history nerds sat down to chat about gender diversity in art and mythology. Come take a tour through Mesopotamian, Hindu, and Norse mythology, then dive into two modern artists who questioned and transcended gender norms in their lives and art: Anton Prinner and Frida Kahlo. So pull up a chair and hang out with a couple of gayvenclaws to, retroactively, celebrate pride and art beyond the binary! Outline 0:00 – Introduction 8:02 – Gender Diversity in Mythology: Inanna/Ishtar 16:19 – Gender Diversity in Mythology: Hapi 23:24 – Gender Diversity in Mythology: Hindu gods 30:32 – Gender Diversity in Mythology: Loki 36:43 – Anton Prinner 46:12 – Frida Kahlo 52:44 – How Gay Were They? 53:40 – Closing and Where to Find us Online   Want to help us continue to make the show? Support us on Patreon and get awesome goodies, behin