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History is Gay

History is Gay

Leigh Pfeffer

History is Gay is a podcast that examines the underappreciated and overlooked queer ladies, gents, and gentle-enbies that have always been there in the unexplored corners of history. Because history has never been as straight as you think. Follow us on social media! @historyisgaypod on Twitter and Instagram, historyisgaypodcast on Tumblr, and subscribe to us wherever you listen to podcasts!
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Top 10 History is Gay Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best History is Gay episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to History is Gay for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite History is Gay episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Buckle up, folks – this episode contains your hosts doing a lot of swears and yelling at the general AAAAAAAAAHHHHH of the world right now. For this episode, Leigh is joined once again by guest host Aubree Calvin, for a crossover episode with Southern Queeries talking about the rise of the anti-gay Christian right movement and homophobic legislation that swept the United States in the 1970s with Anita Bryant, Save Our Children, and the Briggs Initiative, whose proponents used “parental rights” language to justify their homophobia, in an eerily similar manner as we are seeing today with anti-LGBTQ and specifically anti-trans legislation and arguments. Listen to this episode to hear the history behind all this, as well as some bits of levity we made sure to put in (listen to Anita Bryant get hit with a pie and learn about the glorious protest tactic of glitterbombing), and hear how the LGBTQ community of yesteryear rose up to fight these counter-movements, and what we can learn from them in today’s fight.

Then, when you’re finished with this episode, head on over to Southern Queeries for the second part of our conversation, talking in depth about the current rash of anti-LGBTQ legislation in the country, our reactions and feelings, and how it’s the same conversation and language as back in 1977 and 1978.

Outline 0:00 – Introduction and Announcements Content Warning: References to historical lies tying queer people to child molestation and child pornography are contained in this episode in the following time-codes: 14:23 - 16:59; 59:33 - 59:48; 1:10:54 - 1:11:06; 1:13:44 - 1:15:32 7:39 – Socio-Historic Context 17:16 – Dade County FL, Anita Bryant & Save Our Children 32:06 – LGBTQ Response 51:03 – Word of the Week 57:35 – Spread Across the Country: John Briggs & CA’s Proposition 6 1:17:12 – Main Takeaways and Conclusions 1:24:46 – Pop-Culture Tie-In 1:28:23 – How (Anti) Gay were They? 1:31:28 – Closing and Where to Find us Online

This episode is sponsored by Surfshark VPN, an awesome app and browser extension that not only protects your privacy online, but changes the virtual location of your phone or computer to anywhere in the world, allowing you access to content geoblocked content.

Surfshark VPN is offering 83% off and 3 months free for History is Gay listeners. Just head over to https://surfshark.deals/HISTORYISGAY or go to surfshark.com and enter code HISTORYISGAY to redeem this amazing deal! Plus, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it out risk-free.

Want to help us continue to make the show? Support us on our NEWLY REVAMPED Patreon and get awesome goodies, behind-the-scenes access, special minisodes, and more! We have a brand-new Discord server for everyone to hang out in, exclusive O.G. Lesbian Sappho t-shirts, and some really fun extras coming your way! You can also get super cool merch in our brand new TeePublic store! Shirts, hoodies, totes, mugs, magnets, and other neat things!

If you’d like to help us transcribe the show for our d/Deaf and hard of hearing fans, please head on over to www.historyisgaypodcast.com/transcribe to join the team of volunteers!

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!

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History is Gay - 1. Were Some Pirates Poofters?
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01/01/18 • 64 min

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 – Closing and Where to Find Us Online

Links to 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!

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History is Gay - 8. Nazi Punks Fuck Off, Pt 1: Magnus Hirschfeld
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05/21/18 • 77 min

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 – Content Warning: Discussion of Suicide 55:45-59:00 - (Not So) Fun Segment: Word of the Week 1:06:48 - Why Do We Think They're Gay? 1:11:40 – How Gay Were They? 1:14:30 – 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 hishistoryisgaypodcast, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Don't forget to rate and review so more folks can see the show!

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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, behind-the-scenes access, special minisodes, and more!

Also you can get super cool merch in our store! Shirts, hoodies, totes, and more! We just added STICKERS!

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!

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History is Gay - 23. Bury the Hays Code
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03/04/19 • 44 min

It’s that time of year again, time for the second annual live episode of History is Gay, live-recorded at TGIFemslash, the convention that birthed our little podcast! Join Leigh, Gretchen, and special guest host Morgan as they discuss the origins of queer censorship in the 20th century. They dive into the Hays Code, lesbian pulp fiction, and briefly discuss Patricia Highsmith, author of The Price of Salt---the lesbian pulp fiction novel from 1952 that became the 2015 blockbuster Carol. And don’t worry, this story has a happy ending!

Outline0:00 – Introduction2:58 – The Hays Code22:39 – Lesbian Pulp Fiction35:32 – Patricia Highsmith and The Price of Salt41:56 – 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!

Also now you can get super cool merch in our store! Shirts, hoodies, totes, and more! 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!

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Welcome to our first Letters & Queeries minisode, where we hear from our listeners and share stories! In this inaugural bonus, we're sharing with you the fabulous haunting calling cards of several History is Gay listener ghosts. We also have an announcement regarding a schedule change for regular History is Gay episodes.

Submission to Letters & Queeries episodes is exclusive perks for our $10 and above Patreon supporters! 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!

Also now you can get super cool merch in our store! Shirts, hoodies, totes, and more! Get your loved ones some cool queer swag for the holigays.

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!

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Hello again, guys, gals and ghouls, and welcome to a fun Halloween minisode! This week, Leigh & Gretchen bring you an interview with our second Queer Ghost Hunter of the month, Shane McLelland! Shane is one of the co-founders of the Stonewall Columbus Queer Ghost Hunters group, and he had lots to say about the paranormal, queer entities, and his favorite spooky stories growing up.

You can learn more about their work at www.queerghosthunters.com!

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!

Also now you can get super cool merch in our store! Shirts, hoodies, totes, and more! New merch coming November 1, just in time for holiday shopping!

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!

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History is Gay - 18. Girls Gone Wilde

18. Girls Gone Wilde

History is Gay

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11/06/18 • 92 min

What would an exploration of the Wilde family be without taking a closer look at Oscar Wilde’s ‘virulently lesbian’ niece Dolly Wilde? Gretchen and Leigh take you on a journey to learn more about this elusive personality. Unlike her uncle, Dolly left little written work behind and is best known from her letters and from what other people have to say about her. Come join the ouroboros of gay that is the Sapphic ‘sewing circle’ of 1920s Hollywood and Paris.

Outline

0:00 – Introduction 5:02 – Main Topic: Dolly Wilde 5:23 – Socio-Historical Context: Paris and London in the 1920s 10:20 – Who were they? Bio Time. 48:53 – Why do we think they're gay? 58:50 – Fun Segment: Word of the Week 1:26:21 – How Gay were They? 1:28:44 – 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! Also now you can get super cool merch in our store! Shirts, hoodies, totes, and more! 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!

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History is Gay - 17. He's a Real Wilde One
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10/15/18 • 91 min

In honor of his 164th birthday, Leigh and Gretchen talk about the life and times of Oscar Wilde with special guest K. W. Moore from the blog “A Scholar of No Importance.” Wilde’s unwillingness to conform to Victorian sensibilities regarding keeping his private life private and the famous trials that resulted from it changed the shape of Western discussions of sexuality thereafter. His writing, too has left its mark both on the world, and on all three of our hosts this episode. So come join us as we pay homage to the Wilde man himself, the man who sought to live up to his blue china and worried he might fall short.

Outline

0:00 – Introduction 5:30 – Socio-Historical Context: 19th Century England, Male-Male Intimacy, and the Criminal Amendment Act of 1885 15:11 – Who were They/Why Do We Think They’re Gay: The Early Life, Loves, and Scandals of Oscar Wilde 20:50 – Fun Segment: Word of the Week 41:03 - 43:17 – Content Warning for mentions of child abuse & suicide 46:45- 51:12– Content Warning: Discussion regarding ephebophilia and pederasty 51:12 – The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, Exile, and Death 1:20:19 – Fun Segment: Pop Culture Tie-In 1:25:47 – How Gay were They? 1:28:04– 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!

Also now you can get super cool merch in our store! Shirts, hoodies, totes, and more!

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!

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Welcome to September, queerlings! No new episode of History is Gay today, instead this bonus drop is us sharing a wonderful new podcast called Transcripts with you! 

Transcripts is a new podcast that puts the transgender movement in context. Using oral histories from the Tretter Transgender Oral History Project at the University of Minnesota, hosts Andrea Jenkins and Myrl Beam introduce listeners to the trans activists who are changing our world.

Please enjoy this first episode, "I'm Seeing My Liberation Right Now" and go subscribe!

https://transcriptspodcast.dash.umn.edu/

 

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FAQ

How many episodes does History is Gay have?

History is Gay currently has 75 episodes available.

What topics does History is Gay cover?

The podcast is about Lgbt, Bisexual, Society & Culture, Transgender, History, Lgbtq, Lesbian, Podcasts, Gay and Queer.

What is the most popular episode on History is Gay?

The episode title '1. Were Some Pirates Poofters?' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on History is Gay?

The average episode length on History is Gay is 67 minutes.

How often are episodes of History is Gay released?

Episodes of History is Gay are typically released every 20 days, 3 hours.

When was the first episode of History is Gay?

The first episode of History is Gay was released on Dec 19, 2017.

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