Queer as Fact
159 episodes - English - Latest episode: 14 days ago - ★★★★★ - 506 ratingsQueer history podcast covering content from around the world and throughout time.
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Episodes
Frida Kahlo: Part 1
March 14, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 64.5 MBToday's long-awaited episode is on the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Join us for the first of two episodes on Frida, while we discuss pyrotechnic pranks, the first of many self-portraits, and the complicated politics behind Frida's famous style of dress. Note: We are aware of and apologise for the audio issue at 41:23. It continues only until 41:31. Check out our website, where you can find out everything there is to know about Queer as Fact. If you enjoy our content, consider supporting u...
Sexuality in Pompeii
February 28, 2021 23:46 - 1 hour - 48.7 MBToday we're looking at sexuality in Pompeii through the lens of the so called "Two Maidens", found embracing in their final moments. Join us as we discuss how toxic masculinity skews our views of the past, read some sexy graffiti, and discover what may be the only surviving piece of female-female love poetry in ancient Rome. Check out our website, where you can find out everything there is to know about Queer as Fact. If you enjoy our content, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking ...
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Part 2
February 15, 2021 00:08 - 1 hour - 51.8 MBWelcome back to our two-part mini-series on the 19th-century Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. In this episode, we'll be talking about how to score yourself a wealthy patron, the rumours surrounding Pyotr's death, and understanding sexuality through the metaphor of asparagus. Check out our website, where you can find out everything there is to know about Queer as Fact. If you enjoy our content, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Twitter,...
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Part 1
January 31, 2021 23:52 - 56 minutes - 43.3 MBToday's episode is the first of our two-part series on Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, 19th century Russian composer and the most handsome boy at his high school. Join us to learn about abandoning your public service job for a career in the arts, and scolding your dog through song. Check out our website, where you can find out everything there is to know about Queer as Fact. If you enjoy our content, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Twitter, Tumblr a...
The Boys in the Band
January 14, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 39.8 MBIt's back to back episodes featuring recent Netflix films as we discuss Mart Crowley's 1968 play, twice adapted into film, The Boys in the Band. Join us for a discussion of "turning on" and other 60s language, mining the death of your parents for dialogue and the controversial place the play has held in gay culture throughout the 52 years of its existence. Check out our website, where you can find out everything there is to know about Queer as Fact. If you enjoy our content, consider sup...
Ma Rainey
December 31, 2020 23:00 - 1 hour - 47.8 MBHappy New Year! 2021's first Queer as Fact is on the Mother of the Blues, Ma Rainey. We'll be talking about the blues and Black identity in the Great Migration, the new Netflix film Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, and a possible lesbian orgy. Check out our website, where you can find out everything there is to know about Queer as Fact, including source posts for each episode of our current season. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following...
A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge
December 14, 2020 22:12 - 1 hour - 43.2 MBToday's episode is on the 1985 slasher film A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge. Join us as we discuss the slasher genre's complicated depictions of gender, finger knife fellatio, and what a better, gayer draft of the script might have looked like. Check out our website, where you can find out everything there is to know about Queer as Fact. If you enjoy our content, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook.
Yoshiko Kawashima
November 30, 2020 23:05 - 1 hour - 49.2 MBWelcome to the first episode of Queer As Fact season 6! Today’s episode is on Yoshiko Kawashima, a queer Chinese-Japanese spy and public figure. Join us for rituals to commemorate queer life milestones, smuggling an ex-Empress in the boot of a car, and no less than four pet monkeys. NOTE: This episode contains a brief discussion of sexual assault from 24:30 - 27:10. Check out our website, where you can find out everything there is to know about Queer as Fact. If you enjoy our content, co...
Interview with emily m danforth
November 15, 2020 00:30 - 33 minutes - 22.2 MBIn today's bonus episode, Alice and Irene interview author emily m danforth, the author of queer YA novel The Miseducation of Cameron Post about her new book, Plain Bad Heroines. Tune in to hear us discuss uncovering our hidden histories, Emily's experiences researching and writing queer historical fiction, and openly bisexual early 20th century writer Mary MacLane. Check out our website, where you can find out everything there is to know about Queer as Fact. If you enjoy our content, cons...
100th Episode: Q&A
November 12, 2020 22:39 - 49 minutes - 32.9 MBTo celebrate 100 episodes of Queer as Fact, we asked our listeners to submit questions, and now we have answers! Join the whole Queer as Fact Qrew for answers to questions like how we got started as a podcast, our thought process when dealing with the pronouns of historical figures and, perhaps most importantly, whether Patroclus was a pineapple on pizza kinda guy. Look out for another bonus episode coming soon, and Season 6 starting on December 1st! Please note the following content wa...
Paris is Burning
October 14, 2020 23:46 - 1 hour - 39.4 MBWelcome to the final episode for Season 5, where we are discussing Jennie Livingston's 1990 documentary Paris is Burning. Join us as we explore the creation, critical response and legacy of the film, featuring cameos from Madonna and Ru Paul. Stick around until the end for an exciting announcement about our upcoming 100th episode! Check out our website, where you can find out everything there is to know about Queer as Fact, including source posts for each episode of our current season. If...
Kapaemahu
October 01, 2020 00:30 - 1 hour - 46.9 MBIn today's episode, we discuss Kapaemahu, a Hawai'ian sacred site commemorating four non-binary individuals. Join us to learn about gender in Kānaka Maoli culture, how the story of these stones has survived four centuries, and the logistical difficulties of moving large rocks. Check out our website, where you can find out everything there is to know about Queer as Fact, including source posts for each episode of our current season. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patre...
Roberta Cowell
September 14, 2020 21:54 - 1 hour - 63.4 MBToday's episode is on transgender pioneer, Roberta Cowell. We'll be covering everything from her career as a race-car driver and her time flying Spitfires in WWII, to her battle to access medical transition in the 1950s and the complexities on how she presented her story to the public. Check out our website, where you can find out everything there is to know about Queer as Fact, including source posts for each episode of our current season. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us...
Gladys Bentley
September 01, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 60.3 MBToday's episode is on American blues singer Gladys Bentley. Join us for our first venture into the Harlem Renaissance, where you'll find eight hour piano marathons, explicitly queer lyrics, and legally recognised weddings between women. Check out our website, where you can find out everything there is to know about Queer as Fact, including source posts for each episode of our current season. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following...
Achilles and Patroclus in Modern Media
August 15, 2020 00:20 - 1 hour - 54.9 MBToday's Queer as Fiction episode is a follow-up to our episode from earlier this season talking about the mythological figures, Achilles and Patroclus. This time, we're here to talk about modern depictions of the pairing. Join us as we compare and contrast Wolfgang Petersen's 2004 film Troy, Madeline Miller's 2011 novel The Song of Achilles, and the 2018 BBC mini-series Troy: Fall of a City. Check out our website, where you can find out everything there is to know about Queer as Fact, in...
The Old Guard
August 01, 2020 00:04 - 41 minutes - 25.6 MBToday's Queer as Fiction episode is not on modern adaptations of the Iliad, but it does still feature a character named Andromache! Join us as we discuss the recently released Netflix film, The Old Guard, from its refreshingly upfront gay representation to the promise of an even gayer sequel. Check out our website, where you can find out everything there is to know about Queer as Fact, including source posts for each episode of our current season. If you enjoy this episode, consider...
Audre Lorde
July 14, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 87.3 MBToday’s episode is about Audre Lorde, in her own words, “black, lesbian, mother, warrior poet”. Learn about Audre's travels from Mexico to Benin, how she navigated her multifaceted identity over her lifetime, and the names of not one but two queer pets! Check out our new website, where you can find out everything there is to know about Queer as Fact, including source posts for each episode of our current season. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out ...
Achilles and Patroclus
June 30, 2020 23:30 - 1 hour - 41.2 MBToday's episode deals with the Ancient Greek mythological figures Achilles and Patroclus. Join us as we unravel two and a half thousand years of scholarship, compare the Trojan War with the Vietnam War and discuss whether one word can change the whole meaning of a text. Check out our new website, where you can find out everything there is to know about Queer as Fact, including source posts for each episode of our current season. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patreo...
Wonder Woman (1941-1948)
June 15, 2020 00:44 - 1 hour - 60.1 MBWelcome to the first Queer as Fiction episode for Season 5! Today we'll be talking about the DC comics superhero, Wonder Woman. Join us for a wide-ranging discussion covering everything from the suffragist movement to kinky sorority party rituals and find out exactly how a disgraced Harvard professor came to be writing a comic book that he described as "psychological propaganda for the new type of woman who, I believe, should rule the world.” This episode includes references to a series...
A message for a listener
June 14, 2020 13:04 - 3 minutes - 2.34 MBThis audio is a message for a listener who recently emailed us and is not an episode. We will be releasing an episode tomorrow as per our regular schedule. The following hotlines are available to help LGBTQ+ young people in need of support. Please reach out to them if needed and know that you are valuable and loved. The Trevor Project Phone 1-866-488-7386 Online chat and other resources at https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ Text START to 678-678 LGBT National help Centre Phone their ...
Frederick the Great
May 31, 2020 21:48 - 1 hour - 51.7 MBWe're kicking off Season 5 of Queer as Fact with our most-requested episode topic - 18th-century Prussian monarch Frederick the Great. Tune in to hear about Frederick's relationship with the philosopher Voltaire, more queer art than you can possibly have bargained for, and plenty of dogs. We're also very excited to be launching our new website today! If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook.
Queer as Fact Blooper Reel
April 30, 2020 22:03 - 8 minutes - 6.65 MBWe all need some entertainment right now, so here's snapshot of what goes on behind-the-scenes on Queer as Fact, featuring hairy babies, impromptu singalongs, and live bees. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook. Content warnings: this podcast includes swearing, and mentions of race riots, cannibalism, and harm to infants.
Shah Hussayn
April 14, 2020 23:00 - 1 hour - 56.5 MBToday's episode is on Sufi poet Shah Hussayn! Join us to hear a poetic description of sex, discover how to memorise the Quran effortlessly, and meet the most beautiful man in the Mughal Empire. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook.
Ruth Ellis
March 31, 2020 23:45 - 54 minutes - 41.5 MBIn today's episode, we're talking about lesbian centenarian Ruth Ellis! Ruth's life spanned three centuries, and features loud sex, dating at 99, and 101 years of proud lesbianism. Sources If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook.
Samuel Steward
March 15, 2020 05:24 - 1 hour - 61.3 MBToday's episode is on Samuel Steward, the English professor turned tattoo artist and sex researcher. Join us to learn about Sam's collaborations with sexologist Alfred Kinsey, what it's like to tattoo the Hells Angels, and a questionable substitute for egg. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook.
Alice Anderson
March 01, 2020 10:54 - 1 hour - 61.4 MBToday's episode is on Alice Anderson, the owner of the first all-female garage in Australia. Join us for cross-country adventures, daring cliff-top driving, and an ingenious way of keeping your soup hot. Sources
Madchen in Uniform
February 14, 2020 23:24 - 49 minutes - 32.1 MBToday's episode of Queer as Fiction dives into the 1931 German film, Madchen in Uniform. Join us for a discussion of young women getting drunk off one cup of punch, performing male roles in plays and dealing with the looming threat of authoritarianism.
Tell It To The Bees
February 01, 2020 00:58 - 44 minutes - 31.9 MBThis week's Queer as Fiction episode talks about the 2019 film and 2009 novel Tell It To The Bees. Tune in for discussions of lesbian romance in post-World War II Scotland, bee-wrangling and the realism of attack bees, and unreliable narrators. If you've enjoyed this episode, please follow us on Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook as Queer as Fact, and if you'd like to support us financially you can do so via our Redbubble store or our Patreon. Note: There is a bit more background noise than nor...
Albanian Sworn Virgins
January 15, 2020 00:33 - 1 hour - 77.5 MBIn today's episode, we will be talking about Albanian sworn virgins, a traditional Albanian custom that allowed someone assigned female at birth to assume a male gender role by taking a vow of chastity. Tune in to learn how sworn virgins live as men with the respect of their communities, as well as meeting a few rogue Franciscan missionaries and nuns with guns. We also have an announcement at the start of the episode featuring a special guest! Alexandra Amerides is an operatic contralto & a...
Sally Ride
January 01, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 49.5 MBToday's episode is on Sally Ride, the first American woman in space! Join us for the space race, catching jellybeans in zero gravity, and how Sally's lifelong partner Tam is carrying on her legacy. Extra thanks to Eli for putting this together at the last minute while Jason was unwell.
Njinga of Ndongo
December 15, 2019 00:00 - 1 hour - 59.8 MBToday, we bring you Queer As Fact's first African episode! Njinga ruled the nations of Ndongo and Matamba during the 17th century; was described by Portuguese colonists as "the most powerful adversary that has ever existed in Africa"; and is viewed as hero in modern-day Angola. Source list available here
Harry Allen
November 30, 2019 23:39 - 1 hour - 51.5 MBWelcome back to Season 4 of Queer as Fact! Today we're talking about Harry Allen, a trans man who was the subject of a sensational newspaper campaign in early 20th century Seattle. Join us to hear about biting cops, flaming neckties, and the parallels between Harry's life and issues faced by modern trans youth. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook.
We'wha
October 14, 2019 23:05 - 1 hour - 54.1 MBIn celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day, today's episode is on the 19th-century Zuni craftsperson and ambassador, We'wha. Join us as we discuss We'wha's lhamana gender, their meeting with President Grover Cleveland, and how they single-handedly forced 27 US soldiers into retreat. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook.
The Chevalière d'Éon: Part 2
October 01, 2019 00:31 - 1 hour - 50.9 MBToday we bring you the second half of our discussion on the 18th century French spy, the Chevalière d'Éon. Join us to hear about a narrow escape from the French Revolution, queer takes on Christian theology, and how to do better trans history. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook.
The Chevalière d'Éon: Part 1
September 15, 2019 01:09 - 1 hour - 57 MBToday's episode is the first part of our discussion on the 18th century French spy the Chevalière d'Éon. Join us as we discuss their complicated relationship with gender, how not to invade England, and the absolute limit of how much wine the French government will pay for. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
September 01, 2019 00:01 - 1 hour - 40.4 MBToday we have our final Queer as Fiction episode for the season, as Jason and Eli talk about Stephan Elliott's 1994 roadtrip comedy 'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'. Join us for a discussion about magic buses, friends of varying quality and depictions of race in Australian cinema. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook.
Golden Orchid Societies
August 14, 2019 22:43 - 1 hour - 54.4 MBToday's episode is on Golden Orchid Societies in southern China. Listen to learn about how mulberries led to female independence, marriage resistance in the Pearl River Delta, and how to propose to your girlfriend using peanut candy. Image: Liang Jieyun, 85, and Huang Li-e, 90, two of the last surviving Golden Orchid sisters
The Epic of Gilgamesh
August 01, 2019 00:00 - 47 minutes - 34.8 MBToday Queer as Fiction dives deep into the past as we discuss the Mesopotamian poem, the Epic of Gilgamesh. Join us for a riveting discussion featuring ancient gods, axe-based sexual metaphors and research findings so good they make you take your clothes off. Image Source: http://tiny.cc/qy6iaz
Emperor Nero
July 15, 2019 02:59 - 1 hour - 63.2 MBIn today's episode, we're continuing our Roman emperors series with Nero. Get five emperors for the price of one as we come to the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and start the tumultuous Year of the Four Emperors! Featuring a suspicious fire, terrible jam sessions, and at least two same sex weddings.
Christina of Sweden
July 01, 2019 01:51 - 1 hour - 61.2 MB17th-century monarch Christina of Sweden's sexuality and gender has been a topic of debate for close to four centuries. Tune in to learn more, along with coded love letters, political intrigue, and what to put on your CV to become a European king. Sources If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook.
Stonewall in the Media
June 22, 2019 00:00 - 57 minutes - 42.4 MBToday's episode is on depictions of the 1969 Stonewall Riots in the media. Join us as we discuss Roland Emmerich's 2015 film, Crissle West's 2016 Drunk History segment, and how we choose to frame our stories. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook.
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
June 15, 2019 00:00 - 1 hour - 47.9 MBThe Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras began as a commemoration of the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, and has blossomed into the biggest queer festival in Australia. This episode will discuss the origins of the event, and some of the issues which have coloured its history. Tune in to learn about the Australian Dykes on Bikes, what may be the world's most in-demand archive, and host Eli's favourite ever Mardi Gras parade float! (NOTE: There is a graphic description of police violence in ...
Gilbert Baker and the Rainbow Flag
June 08, 2019 01:53 - 26 minutes - 19.7 MBThe rainbow flag is the most recognisable symbol of queer pride and community. Listen to the second of our Pride Month episodes to learn about the origins of the flag and the life of its designer, self-described “gay Betsy Ross”, Gilbert Baker. If you enjoy this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook.
Stonewall
June 01, 2019 01:32 - 1 hour - 82.7 MBIn honour of the 50th anniversary this month, we're covering New York's 1969 Stonewall Riots. Tune in for a story of queer resistance, featuring chorus lines, Molotov cocktails, and the birth of the modern gay rights movement. Sources
Hear ye, hear ye!
May 26, 2019 02:39 - 4 minutes - 3.74 MBSeason 3 of Queer as Fact will be starting on June 1st! Listen to this announcement episode to learn about the special content we'll be bringing out to celebrate Pride Month, new and exciting ways to support the podcast, and the winner of our book giveaway! Visit our Patreon to learn about the rewards we're offering or visit our Redbubble to check out new Queer as Fact merch!
Chavela Vargas
April 14, 2019 22:05 - 1 hour - 50.4 MBToday's episode is on Mexican singer Chavela Vargas. Listen to learn about her influence over the traditional Mexican music scene, her relationship with the famous artist Frida Kahlo and how it's never too late to start an international music career. Sources
Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire
March 31, 2019 23:10 - 1 hour - 55.2 MBToday's episode is on George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire and its TV adaptation Game of Thrones. Listen in as we discuss how queer representation changed from page to screen, the ways medieval fantasy interprets historical reality, and what the deal is with that shaving scene anyway... Please note that this episode contains swearing, mentions of sex, sex work, sexual violence and rape, slavery, incest, pedophilia, and suicide. Future episodes will contain recorded content warnings a...
Marsha P Johnson
March 15, 2019 00:00 - 1 hour - 55.3 MBToday, we're talking about the life of Marsha P Johnson, a trans activist most famous for her involvement in the Stonewall Riots. We touch on topics including STAR, an organisation supporting homeless queer youth which Marsha co-founded, the possibility that Marsha was asexual, and what queer fashion looked like in the 1960s! Sources
Fanny Park and Stella Boulton
February 28, 2019 23:00 - 1 hour - 62.3 MBToday we are talking about Fanny Park and Stella Boulton, two transfeminine people who were the subject of a sensational trial in Victorian England. Tune in to hear about drag balls, whether pornography counts as an academic source, and the intersection of trans and gay history.
The Handmaiden & Fingersmith
February 15, 2019 00:00 - 1 hour - 42.2 MBToday's episode of Queer as Fiction covers the 2002 novel Fingersmith, written by famed queer author Sarah Waters (three time nominee for the Man Booker prize), as well as its 2016 film adaptation The Handmaiden, directed by South Korean mastermind Park Chan-wook. Join us as we discuss the differences and similarities between 1930s Japanese-occupied Korea and Victorian England, depictions of lesbian sex and problematic cephalopods.