History Is Gay

We're not a fan of nazis around these parts, and not just for the obvious reasons. Did you know that one of the most iconic images of them burning books is from when they burned the library of a gay, Jewish, communist sexologist well known for his research on sexuality and gender, including trans identity? Until this episode, we didn't either! In this first part of a two part series (so far!), we dive into the fascinating life of Doctor Magnus Hirschfeld, the "Einstein of sex." His approach to sexuality, gender, and race was decades ahead of the likes of Alfred Kinsey and Harry Benjamin, and who knows were society would be had his research not been destroyed. So come join us as we say, "Nazi punks, fuck off!"  Outline 0:00 – Introduction 3:38 – Content Warnings 5:40 – Social Context: Taboos and Mores 12:50 – Social Context: White Supremacy 17:43 – Social Context: Romanticism and the German Wilhelmite Period 24:50 – Social Context: Volkish Movements and Nazism 26:47 – Who Were They? Bio Time 31:00-31:53 – Co

  Welcome to a special first here in History is Gay: our first ever minisode! As Gretchen has been busy traveling this month, she and Leigh are filling in with a special guest interview with Sarah Prager, author of Queer, There, and Everywhere and creator of the Queer history app Quist. If you love queer folks from history and learning fun, daily facts about queer history, then this interview should be right up your alley! Outline 0:00 – Introduction 2:15 – Interview with Sarah Prager 37:27– Closing and Where to Find us Online Follow Sarah's work on her website, www.sarahprager.com and check out her app Quist. You can also follow her on twitter @Sarah_Prager! 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 see the show!

R is for Revolutionary War, which is where hosts Leigh & Gretchen are headed in this, the very first episode dedicated to a single person from history: the Publick Universal Friend. The Friend presented as something entirely new: a genderless spirit from God who eschewed gendered pronouns and dressed and spoke in ways that purposefully blurred the lines between male and female in early American society. So come join us as we talk about this most special of Friends; to make things even more interesting, turns out one of our hosts is related to the Friend!   Outline   0:00 – Introduction 2:30 – Corrections Corner: On Egyptian Lettuce 5:22 – Main Topic: Jemima Wilkinson, The Publick Universal Friend 7:54 – Socio-Historical and Religious Context 27:48 – Who were they? Bio Time. 48:42 – Why do we think they're gay? 1:05:08 – Analysis from Queer Historians 1:17:15 – Fun Fact: One of our Hosts is Related! 1:20:40 – How Gay were They? 1:27:10 – Closing and Where to Find us Online   Find our full list of sources a

In today’s episode, Leigh and Gretchen head way back in time to Ancient Egypt. That’s right, get ready to walk like an Egyptian! Take a tour through Egyptian mythology to discuss what Set and Nephthys imply about Egypt having a concept of third gender. Plus, the dancing woman mummy, gender transformation in burial, the gender presentation of women pharaohs like Hatshepsut, and Gretchen’s favorite gay Egyptian tomb! By the end, you’ll see why having 3 genders in Ancient Egypt is more likely than people think! Outline0:00 – Introduction 5:38 – A Note on Mythological Sources 9:44 – Gender Ambiguity in Mythology 30:29 – What Does this Have to do with Gender? 40:00 – Other Evidence of Non-Cisheteronormative Gender 54:58 – Linguistic Evidence of Third Gender 1:07:36 – Two Famous hm Priests: Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep 1:23:52 – Takeaways 1:29:39 – How Gay Were They? 1:36:51 – Closing and Where to Find us Online Find our full list of sources and bonus content at www.historyisgaypodcast.com. Get at us on twitter @his

In this very special episode, hosts Leigh & Gretchen travel to the red carpet and the silver screen to hear stories about queer actors from the golden age of Hollywood. Along for the ride is a room full of queer people who came to listen to the podcast being recorded live at TGIFemslash, a convention dedicated to the queer ladies of media, the ladies who love them, and the fans who love them. Join us and a room full of big gay nerds as we discuss the early years of film, the sexploits of the rich and famous, and other favorite queermos from history! Outline0:00 - Pre-show announcements 2:25 – Introduction 4:44 – Game: Silver Screen Sexploits 10:54 – Word of the Week: Lavender Marriages 12:54 – More Stars of a Bi Gone Era: Why Do We Think They're Gay? 17:15 – How Gay Were They? 22:20 – Group Discussion: Favorite Queermos from History 45:15 – Closing and Where to Find us Online   Find our full list of sources and bonus content at www.historyisgaypodcast.com. Get at us on twitter @historyisgaypod, tumblr at

In this episode, your hosts Leigh & Gretchen take a stroll down Jungle Alley and bring you stories of the vibrant black lesbian and gay subculture of the Harlem Renaissance and the blues legends who sang of its glory. With wild parties, bathtub gin, clandestine orgies, and crooning bulldaggers, the lesbian and bisexual blues legends of the 1920s and 1930s were definitely not as straight as you think. Outline 0:00 – Introduction3:46 – The Harlem Renaissance, Cultural Context, and the Language We Used10:42 – Bio Time!: Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Bessie Smith, Gladys Bentley, Ethel Waters (& Ethel Williams), Alberta Hunter, & Lucille Bogan39:13  – What Do You Mean They're Not Straight? 39:28  – Evidence from Historical/Cultural Context: Queer subculture & performance in Harlem nightlife44:06  – Word(s) of the Week: Rent Party & Buffet Flat 48:56  – Evidence from Their Personal Lives & Music 1:04:41  – Pop Culture Tie-In: Bessie (2015) 1:05:29  – Takeaways 1:07:55  – How Gay Were They? 1:08:31

As your hosts return to examine the unexplored corners of history to highlight overlooked queer ladies, gents, and gentle-enbies, they bring a conversation about homosexuality in Imperial China. They will discuss the unique tradition of male homosexuality present for over 2500 years, what made it possible, and how tragic it’s loss is for modern China. And don’t worry, even though female homosexuality doesn’t have the same strong literary tradition, there are plenty of delightful stories, and a new ‘word of the week’ related to queer lady experience! Outline 0:00 – Introduction 3:55 – Main Topic: Homosexuality in Imperial China       13:38 – Social Context: Confucianism, Daoism, and Conceptions of Sex       22:46 – Social Context: Different Kinds of Sexual Relationships Between Men       23:41-24:36 - CONTENT WARNING: pederasty mention       30:23– Examples!       1:10:30 - CONTENT WARNING: pederasty mention 1:11:50 – Word of the Week: dui shi (“shared eating”) 1:17:33 – Takeaways 1:20:14 – How gay were they?

In this episode, your hosts Gretchen and Leigh continue to examine the overlooked and underappreciated queer ladies, gents, and gentle-enbies in the unexplored corners of history by traveling to the cloisters of Medieval Europe. They’ll uncover unique views of sex and sexuality that made the practice of ‘brother making’ possible both within and outside the monastic community but also made it hard for medieval theologians to understand sex between women. Come slake your thirst for queer poems and love letters because guess what? There are lots of monks and nuns with a strong desire for “special friendship” with each other. Notables include: Alcuin, Two Bavarian Nuns, St. Anselm of Canterbury, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Baudri of Bourgeuil, Aelred of Rievaulx, Benedetta Carlini, and many more! Outline0:00 – Introduction1:31 – Word of the Week: Adelphopoiesis and Affrerement6:30 – What do you mean they’re not straight?      6:40 – Social Context: Medieval Views of Sex & Sodomy      10:15 – Social Context: Se

In our first episode, your hosts Gretchen & Leigh begin their series examining the overlooked and underappreciated queer ladies, gents, and gentle-enbies from the unexplored corners of history with a discussion of the high seas. Meet Anne Bonny, Mary Read, John “Calico Jack” Rackham, and Pierre “the pansy pirate” Bouspet, a quartet of pirates from the golden age of piracy with a flair for the dramatic and some very interesting lifestyle choices. Anne kicking Jack out of his quarters and sharing them with Mary instead? Oh my! Or should we say, ‘arrrghhh’? These pirates may not have been as straight as people think. Outline 0:00 – Introduction2:55 – The Golden Age of Piracy5:33 – Brief Bio: Anne Bonny, Calico Jack Rackham, Pierre Bouspet, and Mary Read28:09 – What Do You Mean They're Not Straight?28:52  – Evidence from Historical/Cultural Context: Gender Code Switching, Situational Gayness, and Piracy vs. the British Royal Navy 43:08 – Evidence from Their Personal Lives53:52 – How Gay Were They?1:02:34  – C

Introducing History is Gay, a new podcast where your hosts Gretchen & Leigh examine the overlooked and underappreciated queer ladies, gents, and gentle-enbies from the unexplored corners of history. Whether shining a light on queer pirate adventures, emo lesbian Sappho, or your other faves from the pages of textbooks you never knew were queer, it’s time to bring our stories out of the shadows. Because history has never been as straight as you think. Get at us on twitter @historyisgaypod, tumblr at historyisgaypodcast, and subscribe to the show, launching January 1! New episodes every other week. www.historyisgaypodcast.com   Outline 0:00 – Introduction 0:50 – What are we doing and why? 4:19 – Discussion of sources, historical context, and projected schedule 6:50 – Sneak peek of Episode 1: “Were Some Pirates Poofters?” 9:10 – Where to find us online