40. Real-Life Xenas: Warrior Women Across the World

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Happy 2022 and welcome to another episode of History is Gay! This time, we’re picking up where we left off with Meghan Rose and S.C. Lucier in our discussion of Amazons and real-life warrior women in history! It’s not just the Greco-Roman world that marveled at fierce, strong female fighters, but all over the world! This episode, we’re visiting Benin, Africa to learn about the real-life dora milaje of Black Panther fame, the gender-bending Dahomey Amazons; badass female samurai defending their homesteads in Japan, and Viking shieldmaidens and mythical Valkyries– who may have been a third gender? Strap-in for a whirlwind worldwide tour of gender transgression and badass real-life Xenas we want to see all the movies about!


But first, let me introduce to your fantabulous guest hosts for this episode, Lucier&Rose!

 

S.C. Lucier

S.C. “Luci” Lucier is an SDC director, writer and librettist. A former member of SCDF Observership Class emerging directors, Lucier is a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College’s Theatre Directing program and recently completed a master’s in Theatre/Museology History at The Graduate Center (NYC). Director: HELD: A Musical Fantasy (Fringe 2016, NYMF 2018). Associate Director: Kerrigan-Lowdermilk’s The Bad Years, the new immersive house party musical. Director: multiple Shakespeare at Hip to Hip Theatre Company, Midsummer 2019. Regular collaborator at Jennifer Jancuska’s (Hamilton) The Bringabout, designed at Joyce Theater for Richard Move’s The Show (Achilles Heels) in which Debbie Harry performed, designed at Lincoln Center’s Clark Studio Theatre, toured on the production team of Martha Graham Dance Company, stage-managed Cape Dance Festival (MA), performed at Baryshnikov Arts Center on roller skates, among others. Lucier captains the championship Gotham Roller Derby team, archives Sally Silver’s choreographic work for NYPL, and is the first staff member of American LGBTQ+ Museum (NYC).

Meghan Rose

Meghan Rose is a composer and musician. She is classically trained in piano, taught herself guitar at 16, joined a ska band in college at University of Wisconsin-Madison and has hopped from band to band and genre to genre ever since. Currently she plays bass in NYC bands Monte and LoveHoney, and in various shows around the city, sometimes even impersonating Courtney Love, Janis Joplin, and Lindsey Buckingham. She has acted as a vocal instructor, bass teacher, and band coach for both the Madison and NYC chapters of Girls Rock Camp. Rose was a music director for the Bartell Theater (Madison) for 6 years, and won awards for best music direction for Xanadu and Bare: A Pop Opera. Written scores include Z-Town: The Zombie Musical (Fringe 2012), an original rock musical called Alice based on Alice in Wonderland (Bartell), Held: A Musical Fantasy (Fringe 2016, NYMF 2018).

You can learn more about S.C. Lucier, Meghan Rose, and Xena: Warrior Musical - The Lost Scroll:

You can purchase and download the entire concept album for Xena: Warrior Musical on Bandcamp!


Amazon-Like Women in Africa: the mino/agojie, also known as the Dahomey Amazons!

This fierce military regiment of women warriors of the Kingdom of Dahomey (present-day Benin), originating in the early 19th century, were truly formidable opponents and carry their own impressive stories and legends passed down to current-day Beninese locals!

Illustration of mino women by Chris Hellier

Group of veteran Amazons at a summit meeting held in Abomey, the capital of Dahomey, in 1908

Seh-Dong-Hong-Beh, a mino leader holding the decapitated head of an enemy, illustrated by one of the missionary visitors who wrote 18th and 19th century accounts, Frederick Forbes, in 1851.

Magazine cover depicting the last king of independent Dahomey, Behanzin, flanked by mino attendants and bodyguards.

The Dahomey Amazons around 1890.

A group of Amazons on their trip to Paris, assumed in the late 1800s.

Unknown mino warrior, photographed near the end of the kingdom.

King Gezo, who expanded the female corps from around 600 women to as many as 6,000

Illustration from one of the missionary accounts, depicting a parade of mino after battle displays, severed heads of their enemies displayed on the tops of the walls.

As mentioned in our Pop-Culture Tie-In, Lupita Nyong’o visited Benin in 2019 for a BBC documentary called Warrior Women, in which she went into the entire history of the Dahomey Amazons! It is available online on BBC4’s website, and if you don’t live there, you can use a VPN to check out the full documentary, it’s absolutely worth it! But we have a wonderful clip here for you:

And here’s another video on the Dahomey Amazons that has some great information:

 

Let’s hop over to Japan and take a look at female samurai warriors, the onna-bugeisha and onna-musha!

The image of the samurai that has been taken hold in history and pop-culture is an extremely masculine one, but there were several female warriors in the bushi throughout Japan’s history that were just as significant as the men, with the specific role as defensive fighters (or if you were an onna-musha, going off to fight and joining the samurai)!

An onna-musha named Ishi-jo wielding a naginata, a curved pole-arm sword made specifically for women which allowed them to fight nimbly and take advantage of distance combat. Illustrated by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 1848.

The first onna-bugeisha, the legendary Empress Jingū, depicted when she set forth in Silla (modern-day Korea. Painted by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, 1880. Credit: Waseda University Theatre Museum

Empress Jingū is also the first woman in Japanese history (legend or otherwise) to be featured on a banknote!

Tomoe Gozen, one of the most well-known and respected onna-musha, and considered Japan’s first general. She decapitated an enemy by wrenching his head against the pommel of her saddle! Painted by Kangetsu Shitomi. Collection of Tokyo National Museum

Another onna-musha and contemporary of Tomoe Gozen, Hangaku Gozen. Painted by Yoshitoshi. Credit: US Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Tomoe Gozen at the Battle of Awazu

And then here we have some pictures of Nakano Takeko, and we couldn’t resist showcasing this quote from one report during the siege of Aizu:

With her tied-back hair, trousers, and steely eyes, [she] radiated an intense 'male spirit' and engaged the enemy troops, killing five or six with her naginata.”

A recreated photo of Nakano Takeko, onna-musha of the Aizu Domain, who fought and died in the Boshin War in 1868. She led a group of female warriors called the joshitai, or Girls’ Army, during a renaissance and essentially last-stand of the onna-bugeisha!

Another image of Nakano Takeko.

A photograph of an unknown onna-musha, often misidentified or attributed to Nakano Takeko. This woman is likely an actress, but she still looks SUPER cool!

Statue of Nakano Takeko at Hōkai-ji shrine in Aizubange, Fukushima. Today, many naginata schools are even named for her.

And finally, were there real life Lagerthas out there in the Norselands? We’ve got some Viking women warrior graves and historical artifacts that say so!

Strong female warriors have shown up for centuries in Norse and Scandinavian Viking sagas, depicting fierce shield maidens and mythical Valkyries who fly on horses and escort fallen men to the halls of Valhalla. And recent discoveries of warrior graves throughout Sweden and other northern European territories are showing that they may have been less myth than originally thought!

An image stone from Sweden shows a female figure bearing drinking horns to a rider on an eight-legged horse (what up, Loki), very well depicting a mythical Valkyrie.

Another picture stone from Stenkyrka Parish (Lillbjärs III), depicting a valkyrie guiding a fallen warrior to Valhalla.

Mythical valkyries Hildr, Þrúðr and Hlökk bearing ale in Valhalla (1895) by Lorenz Frølich

The Norse Sagas and histories, like the Saxo Grammaticus and Gesto Danorum, tell the story of several shieldmaidens like Hervor, depicted here as she retrieves Tyrfing, the magical sword of her dead father, on the island of Angantyr. Painted by Christian Gottliebe Kratzenstein

Silver figure of a woman with a drinking horn, found in Birka, Sweden

Various Viking-age jewelry depicting valkyries!

Figurine found in the village of Hårby, on the island of Funen in Denmark. Thought to be dated around 800 BCE and the Viking age, and this one is unique in that it’s one of the few found that are 3 dimensional! She is thought to depict, obviously, a valkyrie, but other possibilities are a shield maiden or the Norse goddess Freya.

Illustration of the infamous Birka, Sweden viking warrior grave, labeled BJ 581 by Hjalmar Stolpe in 1889. In it, you can see this warrior was buried with not one, but two horses, multiple weapons, and even a gamjng set, indicating that she was an officer! Originally thought to be a male grave, osteological and DNA evidence from 2014 and 2017, respectively, confirmed the skeleton was female!

Weapons found in the BJ 581 Birka, Sweden gravesite.

If you want to learn more about all the various warrior women from this episode, check out our full list of sources and further reading below!

Books and Print Articles:

  • “The Valkyrie’s Gender: Old Norse Shield-Maidens and Valkyries as a Third Gender” by Kathleen M. Self, Feminist Formations, Spring 2014, Vol. 26, No. 1

  • “Ladies with Axes and Spears” by Santa Jansone, Medieval Warfare, 2014, Vol. 4, No. 2, Theme - Queens and Valkyries - Women as warriors (2014, pp. 9-12

  • “The ‘Amazons’ of Dahomey” by Robin Law, Paideuma: Mitteilungen zur Kulturkunde, 1993, Bd. 39 (1993), pp. 245-260

Online Articles/Resources:

Until next time, stay queer and stay curious!

39. The Amazons: Stoner Horse Girl Warriors of Antiquity

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In this episode, we introduced everyone to all the details we could fit about the badass warrior women of antiquity, the Amazons! In this first part of a two-part episode examining warrior women throughout history, we dove full-tilt into the myths, legends, and misconceptions about the all-female militant society that struck fear into the hearts of ancient Greek men – powerful women, GASP! Where did these stories come from? How queer were they? And were they real, or just figments of mythology? Listen to the episode for those answers, and come back here for more bonus material!


But first, let me introduce to your fantabulous guest hosts for this episode, Lucier&Rose!

 

S.C. Lucier

S.C. “Luci” Lucier is an SDC director, writer and librettist. A former member of SCDF Observership Class emerging directors, Lucier is a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College’s Theatre Directing program and recently completed a master’s in Theatre/Museology History at The Graduate Center (NYC). Director: HELD: A Musical Fantasy (Fringe 2016, NYMF 2018). Associate Director: Kerrigan-Lowdermilk’s The Bad Years, the new immersive house party musical. Director: multiple Shakespeare at Hip to Hip Theatre Company, Midsummer 2019. Regular collaborator at Jennifer Jancuska’s (Hamilton) The Bringabout, designed at Joyce Theater for Richard Move’s The Show (Achilles Heels) in which Debbie Harry performed, designed at Lincoln Center’s Clark Studio Theatre, toured on the production team of Martha Graham Dance Company, stage-managed Cape Dance Festival (MA), performed at Baryshnikov Arts Center on roller skates, among others. Lucier captains the championship Gotham Roller Derby team, archives Sally Silver’s choreographic work for NYPL, and is the first staff member of American LGBTQ+ Museum (NYC).

Meghan Rose

Meghan Rose is a composer and musician. She is classically trained in piano, taught herself guitar at 16, joined a ska band in college at University of Wisconsin-Madison and has hopped from band to band and genre to genre ever since. Currently she plays bass in NYC bands Monte and LoveHoney, and in various shows around the city, sometimes even impersonating Courtney Love, Janis Joplin, and Lindsey Buckingham. She has acted as a vocal instructor, bass teacher, and band coach for both the Madison and NYC chapters of Girls Rock Camp. Rose was a music director for the Bartell Theater (Madison) for 6 years, and won awards for best music direction for Xanadu and Bare: A Pop Opera. Written scores include Z-Town: The Zombie Musical (Fringe 2012), an original rock musical called Alice based on Alice in Wonderland (Bartell), Held: A Musical Fantasy (Fringe 2016, NYMF 2018).

You can learn more about S.C. Lucier, Meghan Rose, and Xena: Warrior Musical - The Lost Scroll:

You can purchase and download the entire concept album for Xena: Warrior Musical on Bandcamp!

A Closer Look at Amazons in ancient Greek art, literature, and myth!

Stories of Amazons show up in multiple places in Greek literature, including the histories of Herodotus, Homer’s The Iliad, and myths around Heracles, the founding of Athens, and more. Check out some excerpts below.

Herodotus, Book IV: Chapter 100:

The history of the Sauromatae is as I will now show. When the Greeks warred with the Amazons (whom the Scythians call Oiorpata, a name signifying in our tongue killers of men, for in Scythian a man is oior, and to kill is pata) after their victory on the Thermodon they sailed away carrying in three ships as many Amazons as they had been able to take alive; and out at sea the Amazons set upon the crews and threw them overboard. But they knew nothing of ships, nor how to use rudder or sail or oar; and the men being thrown overboard they were borne at the mercy of waves and winds, till they came to the Cliffs by the Maeetian lake; this place is in the country of the free Scythians. There the Amazons landed, and set forth on their journey to the inhabited country. But at the beginning of their journey they found a place where horses were reared; and carrying these horses away they raided the Scythian lands on horseback.

Chapter 114:

Now the men could not learn the women's language, but the women mastered the speech of the men;​ and when they understood each other, the men said to the Amazons, "We have parents and possessions; now therefore let us no longer live as we do, but return to the multitude of our people and consort with them; and we will still have you, and no others, for our wives." To this the women replied, "Nay, we could not dwell with your women; for we and they have not the same customs. We shoot with the bow and throw the javelin and ride, but the crafts of women we have never learned; and your women do none of the things whereof we speak, but abide in their waggons working at women's crafts, and never go abroad a‑hunting or for aught else. We and they therefore could never agree. Nay, if you desire to keep us for wives and to have the name of just men, go to your parents and let them give you the allotted share of their possessions, and after that let us go and dwell by ourselves. The young men agreed and did this.

From Homer’s The Iliad:

In ancient time, when Otreus fill'd the throne,
When godlike Mygdon led their troops of horse,
And I, to join them, raised the Trojan force:
Against the manlike Amazons we stood,
And Sangar's stream ran purple with their blood.
But far inferior those, in martial grace,
And strength of numbers, to this Grecian race.

From the Pseudo-Apollodorus Library of Greek Mythology, describing the ninth labor of Heracles and Hippolyte:

[2.5.9] The ninth labour he enjoined on Hercules was to bring the belt of Hippolyte. She was queen of the Amazons, who dwelt about the river Thermodon, a people great in war; for they cultivated the manly virtues, and if ever they gave birth to children through intercourse with the other sex, they reared the females; and they pinched off the right breasts that they might not be trammelled by them in throwing the javelin, but they kept the left breasts, that they might suckle. Now Hippolyte had the belt of Ares in token of her superiority to all the rest…Having put in at the harbor of Themiscyra, he received a visit from Hippolyte, who inquired why he was come, and promised to give him the belt. But Hera in the likeness of an Amazon went up and down the multitude saying that the strangers who had arrived were carrying off the queen. So the Amazons in arms charged on horseback down on the ship. But when Hercules saw them in arms, he suspected treachery, and killing Hippolyte stripped her of her belt. And after fighting the rest he sailed away and touched at Troy.

And here, mentioning Penthesilea:

[E.5.1] Penthesilia, daughter of Otrere and Ares, accidentally killed Hippolyte and was purified by Priam. In battle she slew many, and amongst them Machaon, and was afterwards herself killed by Achilles, who fell in love with the Amazon after her death and slew Thersites for jeering at him.

[E.5.2] Hippolyte was the mother of Hippolytus; she also goes by the names of Glauce and Melanippe. For when the marriage of Phaedra was being celebrated, Hippolyte appeared in arms with her Amazons, and said that she would slay the guests of Theseus. So a battle took place, and she was killed, whether involuntarily by her ally Penthesilia, or by Theseus, or because his men, seeing the threatening attitude of the Amazons, hastily closed the doors and so intercepted and slew her.

And Antiope:

[E.1.16] Theseus joined Hercules in his expedition against the Amazons and carried off Antiope, or, as some say, Melanippe; but Simonides calls her Hippolyte. Wherefore the Amazons marched against Athens, and having taken up a position about the Areopagus19 they were vanquished by the Athenians under Theseus. And though he had a son Hippolytus by the Amazon,

[E.1.17] Theseus afterwards received from Deucalion in marriage Phaedra, daughter of Minos; and when her marriage was being celebrated, the Amazon that had before been married to him appeared in arms with her Amazons, and threatened to kill the assembled guests. But they hastily closed the doors and killed her. However, some say that she was slain in battle by Theseus.


And lastly, the tale of Atalanta in the Apollodorus:

[3.9.2] And Iasus had a daughter Atalanta by Clymene, daughter of Minyas. This Atalanta was exposed by her father, because he desired male children; and a she bear came often and gave her suck, till hunters found her and brought her up among themselves. Grown to womanhood, Atalanta kept herself a virgin, and hunting in the wilderness she remained always under arms. The centaurs Rhoecus and Hylaeus tried to force her, but were shot down and killed by her. She went moreover with the chiefs to hunt the Calydonian boar, and at the games held in honor of Pelias she wrestled with Peleus and won. Afterwards she discovered her parents, but when her father would have persuaded her to wed, she went away to a place that might serve as a racecourse, and, having planted a stake three cubits high in the middle of it, she caused her wooers to race before her from there, and ran herself in arms; and if the wooer was caught up, his due was death on the spot, and if he was not caught up, his due was marriage. When many had already perished, Melanion came to run for love of her, bringing golden apples from Aphrodite, and being pursued he threw them down, and she, picking up the dropped fruit, was beaten in the race. So Melanion married her. And once on a time it is said that out hunting they entered into the precinct of Zeus, and there taking their fill of love were changed into lions. But Hesiod and some others have said that Atalanta was not a daughter of Iasus, but of Schoeneus; and Euripides says that she was a daughter of Maenalus, and that her husband was not Melanion but Hippomenes And by Melanion, or Ares, Atalanta had a son Parthenopaeus, who went to the war against Thebes.

Check out some of the depictions of mythical Amazons we have on ancient Greek vases:

An ancient Greek Attic white-ground alabastron, depicting an Amazon wearing pants, wielding a bow. Image credit: British Museum

Atalanta wrestling Peleus. Chalcidian black-figure hydria, ca 6th century BCE. Staatliche Antikensammlung collection, Berlin, Germany.

Check out the geometric patterns and hat on the figure on the right, depicting an Amazon warrior!

Amazonomachy on a vase ca. 420 BCE— check out the similar patterns as above!.

Amazons battling the Athenians, Theseus in the center. It may be Hippolyte or Antiope on the horse. Terracotta red-figure volute-krater, ca 450 BCE, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY

Amazonomachy frieze on the mausoleum at Halicarnassus.

Heracles battling the Amazons, Hippolyte wearing Ares’ war belt in the center — Attic black-figure neck amphora, ca. 510-500 BCE.

Another vase depicting Heracles battling the Amazons and killing Hippolyte.

And here’s a different version of the myth depicted on a vase— this time Hippolyte freely offering Heracles the war belt. Red-figure bell krater, Campania, Italy, ca. 4th-5th century BCE. Whitworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester.

Achilles killing Penthesilea on an amphora

Look at the contrast between the vases depicting Amazons and this one, showing the more demure, domestic life of Greek women.

Enough with the myths, show me the real deal! A Closer Look at Scythian Warrior Women:

The areas we’re dealing with when talking about Amazons generally consists of the lands surrounding the Black Sea, where various nomadic tribes lived— including the Thracians, Scythians, and Sarmatians:

Artist D V Pozdnjakov’s impression of a Scythian woman warrior on horseback.

Drawings of Scythian tattoos, illustrated by Elena Schumakova, from the Institute of Archaeology and Ethography, Russian Academy of Sciences.

Tattoos of the 13 year old “Ice Princess” Ukok mummy, discovered by Natalya Polosmak on the Ukok Plateau in Siberia.

A 2500 year-old Iranic Scythian woman mummy, showing the stag tattoo on her arm.

Some Scythian tattoo designs seen on a mummy found in 2017 - State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.

Scythian woman wearing a ceremonial headdress. Institute of Russian Archaeology, Academy of Sciences

Golden Scythian warrior from the Issyk kurgan. Image credit: Derzsi Elekes Andor

Preserved Scythian women’s boots, leather, cloth, tin and gold, excavated from the Pazyryk kurgan area, ca. 300-290 BCE.

Two Scythian warrior women’s graves excavated at a cemetery called Devitsa V in Siberia, which contains 19 burial mounds. Look at the bowed position of the bottom graves’ legs, as if she were riding a horse! Institute of Archaeology RAS.

Mythical Amazon queen Penthesilea being presented with a love-gift of a rabbit by Thracian huntress Theraichme, one of the few pieces of visual evidence we have of possible wlw relationships between Amazons. white-ground alabastron, Pasaides Painter, ca. 525-500 BCE

Small metal plaques depicting Scythians drinking, most likely fermented mares’ milk — State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia, 2017.

Amazon terracotta figures, ca. 300-280 BCE. South Italian Canosan

Detail from a Karagodeuashkh kurgan headdress, showing the Scythian goddess Tabiti surrounded by priestesses and androgynous enarei shamans (shown on the right).

Cannabis burning equipment found in a Scythian grave.

Some gold vessels found in another grave — the Scythians really knew how to make fancy blinged-out bongs!

Check out author of The Amazons: Lives & Legends of Warrior Women Across the Ancient World, Adrienne Mayor, presenting a TED Talk!


And another talk by Adrienne Mayor, for the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology!


If you want to learn more about Amazons and Scythian warriors, check out our full list of sources and further reading below!

Books and Print Articles:

  • The Amazons: Lives & Legends of Warrior Women Across the Ancient World by Adrienne Mayor

  • “Amazons: Warrior Women of the Ancient World”, National Geographic History, January 2020 issue

  • The Library of Greek Mythology by Apollodorus, translated by Robin Hard

Online Articles/Resources:

Until next time, stay queer and stay curious!

38. Trans-sister Radio: Synth Icon Wendy Carlos

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For the first time on the pod we’re covering someone who is still among us: Synth pioneer Wendy Carlos. This computer nerd and classical music enthusiast helped create electronic music the way we know it today. Her friend Robert Moog might be the one whose name is attached to the different kinds of synthesizers, but according to Moog himself Wendy Carlos deserves all the credit. From The Beatles to Donna Summer, from The Shining to Daft Punk— none of them would have sounded the way we know them now. Even classical artists like Bach and Beethoven were completely redefined because of Carlos’ work. Get ready for a deep dive into the achievements of this transistor trans sister!


But first, let me introduce to you our guest host for this episode, Hannah van Rhee!

hannah photo.jpg

Music plays a huge role in queer life. With so many memories, anecdotes and other stories that have songs attached to them, it would be a shame if no one would ever share them. Through the QueerSounds podcast, Hannah van Rhee (they/them) hopes to give queer folks a break from all kinds of activism by creating a space where they can just talk about their favourite songs and have a laugh. From obscure Indonesian movie soundtracks to the biggest pop divas in the world, Hannah and their guests cover it all.

They're born a Pisces and raised in the Netherlands. They're close to getting a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a minor in music marketing and management. Hannah is a stereotypical vegan, yoga-practicing, thrift-shopping brand of queer with some of their favourite types of music being Punk and Disco.

Locate Hannah and QueerSounds upon the internet:

A Closer Look at Wendy Carlos

Robert Moog with his Moog Synthesizer in 1970. Jack Robinson/Getty Images

Robert Moog with his Moog Synthesizer in 1970. Jack Robinson/Getty Images

Wendy in 1972.

Wendy in 1972.

Wendy in 1979 at her Moog synthesizer.

Wendy in 1979 at her Moog synthesizer.

Another 1979 photo. Image from Len Delessio/Corbis/Getty Images

Another 1979 photo. Image from Len Delessio/Corbis/Getty Images

Wendy in her studio in 1992, flanked by her three Siamese cats.

Wendy in her studio in 1992, flanked by her three Siamese cats.

Wendy in her studio in the early 1990s

Wendy in her studio in the early 1990s

Blueprints for Wendy’s studio in her NYC apartment, lovingly nicknamed “The Spaceship” by her and friends.

Blueprints for Wendy’s studio in her NYC apartment, lovingly nicknamed “The Spaceship” by her and friends.

Listen to some of Wendy Carlos’ music!

First up, check out the transition from Beethoven’s original composition “Ode an die Freude/Ode to Joy”:

And below, Wendy’s synthesizer version arranged for Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange in 1971:

And another clip from A Clockwork Orange, this time Beethoven’s Ninth.

Below, the opening sequence to Wendy’s return to Kubrick with The Shining, one of the two tracks produced by Carlos and Elkind that ended up in the final film:

And music from Tron:

Some video interviews featuring Wendy

Before Wendy had come out publicly, here she is demonstrating her Moog in 1970, with the pasted-on sideburns and wig, dressing in drag for this BBC feature.

And here’s another from BBC, this time in 1989

Here’s one with her and Robert Moog!

We’re not usually fans of Amazon around here, but considering you can’t get Wendy’s music anywhere online other than the few bits we linked to above, they will be the best resource for purchasing her albums! You can check them all out here.

If you want to learn more about Wendy Carlos, check out our full list of sources and further reading below!

Books and Print Articles:

Online Articles/Resources:

Until next time, stay queer and stay curious!

36 & 37. The Life of Pauli Murray

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For this two-part episode, Leigh is joined by return guest host, Aubree Calvin to do a deep dive into the story of 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 across two episodes — the first, looking at their upbringing, many careers, and accomplishments, then in part two, discussing their multfaceted queerness and try to get a handle, as best we can, on their gender identity.

Aubree, or Bree to her friends and enemies alike, is a black, queer trans woman on the edge of turning 40. A southerner for most of her life, Aubree has family roots across the south. She loves studying politics, history, and learning about all aspects of queer culture. Aubree started her podcast, Southern Queeries, because she’s tired of society ignoring the south's diverse communities. Professionally, Aubree is a community college government professor and part time writer. When not talking, teaching, or writing, Aubree’s spending her free time with her wonderful wife and daughter.

We also got the opportunity to speak with amazing activist, lawyer, and reproductive justice advocate Preston Mitchum, previously Policy Director at URGE (Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity) and current Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs at The Trevor Project, on his own personal history coming to Pauli Murray’s story, how they influenced him as a Black queer man, and continues to inspire and influence current and future generations of queer civil rights attorneys all across the country.

Preston Mitchum is a Black and queer civil rights advocate, writer and public speaker who uses critical thinking and intersectionality in his writing and analyses. In his role as Policy Director at URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, he shaped state and federal strategies and policies that center the voices and leadership of young people in the South and Midwest. Prior to joining URGE, Preston served as senior legal and international policy analyst with Advocates for Youth. Preston is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center teaching LGBTQ Health Law and Policy, is the co-chair of the board of directors for the Collective Action for Safe Spaces and was also the first openly LGBTQ chair of the Washington Bar Association Young Lawyers Division.

Preston Mitchum.jpg

Preston can be found online at:

A Closer Look at Pauli Murray

PauliMurray1.jpg
Pauli presenting their family biography, Proud Shoes, presents the first edition of their book to Lloyd K. Garrison, former president of the National Urban League.

Pauli presenting their family biography, Proud Shoes, presents the first edition of their book to Lloyd K. Garrison, former president of the National Urban League.

Pauli in Ghana, where they taught law briefly in the 1960s.

Pauli in Ghana, where they taught law briefly in the 1960s.

Pauli after earning their JSD from Yale in 1965.

Pauli after earning their JSD from Yale in 1965.

Pauli with Betty Friedan and others who would be influential in founding NOW

Pauli with Betty Friedan and others who would be influential in founding NOW

A Little Glimpse into Pauli’s Gender Journey

“Why do I prefer experimentation on the male side, instead of attempted adjustment as a normal woman?”

Pauli’s various “identities” they tried out and modeled in a 1930s photo album they titled “The Life and Times of an American Called Pauli Murray”:

Pauli in New Hampshire, Nov 1955. They sent this photo to Eleanor Roosevelt, describing it as “It’s my most natural self, I think”. Source: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library

Pauli in New Hampshire, Nov 1955. They sent this photo to Eleanor Roosevelt, describing it as “It’s my most natural self, I think”. Source: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library

Some of Pauli’s Loves

Pauli’s longtime partner Irene “Renee” Barlow

Pauli’s longtime partner Irene “Renee” Barlow

Pauli with their girlfriend Peggy Holmes, who they met at the New Deal Women’s Camp. LOOK HOW CUTE THIS IS!

Pauli with their girlfriend Peggy Holmes, who they met at the New Deal Women’s Camp. LOOK HOW CUTE THIS IS!

Pauli with their dog, Doc, at Benedict College, SC in 1967.

Pauli with their dog, Doc, at Benedict College, SC in 1967.

Pauli with another of their dogs, Roy, in 1976

Pauli with another of their dogs, Roy, in 1976

Pauli with their BFF for life, Eleanor Roosevelt, in 1962 on a trip to Val-Kill Cottage, Hyde Park.

Pauli with their BFF for life, Eleanor Roosevelt, in 1962 on a trip to Val-Kill Cottage, Hyde Park.

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Pauli, The Reverend and Poet

Pauli in their Virginia apartment, 1977, after becoming a reverend.

Pauli in their Virginia apartment, 1977, after becoming a reverend.

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Pauli’s portrait at Yale Law, unveiled in November 2018.

Pauli’s portrait at Yale Law, unveiled in November 2018.

Listen to Pauli read the entirety of Dark Testament:

Pauli reading from their epic poem, “Dark Testament”

Pauli reading from their epic poem, “Dark Testament”

“Rediscovering Pauli Murray”, a panel discussion from 2017 at the Radcliffe Institute at Harvard, featuring panelists Patricia Bell-Scott, Brittney Cooper, Rosalind Rosenberg, and Kenneth W. Mack.

If you liked hearing our episode on Pauli, you might also you might also enjoy these Pop-Culture Tie-Ins:

If you want to learn more about Pauli Murray, the 14th Amendment, and more, check out our full list of sources and further reading below!

Online Articles & Resources:

Books and Print Articles:

  • Proud Shoes: The Story of an American Family by Pauli Murray

  • Song in a Weary Throat: Memoir of an American Pilgrimage by Pauli Murray

  • Jane Crow: The Life of Pauli Murray by Rosalind Rosenberg

  • Dark Testament: and Other Poems by Pauli Murray

  • The Firebrand and the First Lady: Portrait of a Friendship by Patricia Bell-Scott

  • “Poetry, Ethics, and the Legacy of Pauli Murray” by Christiana Z. Peppard in Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics, Vol. 30, No. 1 (Spring/Summer 2010).

  • “Boy-girl, Imp, Priest: Pauli Murray and the Limits of Identity” by Doreen M. Drury in Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, Vol. 29, No. 1 (Spring 2013).

Films/Audio:

Until next time, stay queer and stay curious!

26. A Royal Troublemaker in King Kristina of Sweden

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What better way to start off the cold, wintery season than with a new episode of History Is Gay and a trip to, as Rene Descartes said, the land of rocks and ice and bears? For this episode, Leigh is joined by fantabulous guest host V Silverman to explore 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. Follow our hosts as they track Kristina’s claiming of power, conversion to Catholicism, cavorting around Europe, and countercultural influence, with a few pit stops and power-grabs along the way.

Hey look, a guest host!

Meet V!

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V is awesome. Friend of the pod, they are the fantastic artist behind our Geographic Queers gear designs, and joins us for the most delightfully genderqueer episode chock full of they/thems. V is also the co-host of the fantastic podcast Fuzzy Logic, an educational-ish, comedy-ish podcast where the hosts know very little about a whole lot. Listen, learn, and LOL! You can find more things from V at their website, or check them out on twitter @nikeagxy!

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A Closer Look at King Kristina of Sweden

A rare portrait of a young Kristina, by Jacob Heinrich Elbfas, at 14 years old and uncharacteristically in a wig and feminine clothing.

A rare portrait of a young Kristina, by Jacob Heinrich Elbfas, at 14 years old and uncharacteristically in a wig and feminine clothing.

A portrait of Kristina, by Sébastien Bourdon

A portrait of Kristina, by Sébastien Bourdon

Christina of Sweden by Sébastien Bourdon, 1653. This was Kristina’s favorite painting and hung in their bedroom to the end of their life.

Christina of Sweden by Sébastien Bourdon, 1653. This was Kristina’s favorite painting and hung in their bedroom to the end of their life.

The maidenly Belle, and Kristina’s intimate lady-in-waiting, Ebba Sparre.

The maidenly Belle, and Kristina’s intimate lady-in-waiting, Ebba Sparre.

Kristina and the Saumais playing a prank on poor Ebba Sparre, making her unwittingly read from a raunchy novel aloud. The GUFFAWS!

Kristina and the Saumais playing a prank on poor Ebba Sparre, making her unwittingly read from a raunchy novel aloud. The GUFFAWS!

Axel Oxy-boy!

Axel Oxy-boy!

Kristina (on the left side of the right table), in an argument with Rene Descartes, in a romanticized painting by Nils Forsberg (1842-1934), after Pierre-Louis Dumesnil the Younger (1698-1781)

Kristina (on the left side of the right table), in an argument with Rene Descartes, in a romanticized painting by Nils Forsberg (1842-1934), after Pierre-Louis Dumesnil the Younger (1698-1781)

A portrait of Kristina in their later years, circa 1685.

A portrait of Kristina in their later years, circa 1685.

And lastly, Kristina again in their elder years, rocking that badass androgynous style.

And lastly, Kristina again in their elder years, rocking that badass androgynous style.

A Selection of Kristina’s Maxims:

  • “We should be more miserly with our time than with our money”

  • “It is more difficult to do evil than to do good”

  • “Custom makes us insensible to almost everything”

  • “We should never believe anything we have not dared to doubt”

  • “A prince must think of himself a slave crowned by the people”

  • “Happiness does not lie in the opinions of others”

  • “Life is too short for love”

  • “It requires more courage to marry than to go to war”

  • “Patience is the virtue of those that lack either courage or force”

If you want to learn more about Kristina of Sweden, check out our full list of sources and further reading below!

Online Articles:

Books and Print Articles:

  • Christina, Queen of Sweden: The Restless Life of a European Eccentric by Veronica Buckley

  • Queer, There and Everywhere by Sarah Prager

  • Surpassing the Love of Men by Lillian Faderman

  • Who’s Who in Gay & Lesbian History ed. Robert Aldrich & Garry Wotherspoon

  • “Two Portraits of a Queen: Calderón and the Enigmatic Christina of Sweden” by Deborah Compte, Hispanic Journal, Vol. 27, No. 1

  • “Christina of Sweden's Patronage of Bernini: The Mirror of Truth Revealed by Time” by Lilian H. Zirpolo, Woman’s Art Journal, Vol. 26, No. 1

  • Beneath the surface: the portraiture and visual rhetoric of Sweden's Queen Christina” by Nathan Alan Popp, University of Iowa

Until next time, stay queer and stay curious!

24. Transcestor Artists, A Look At Art Beyond the Binaries

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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. Love mythology? Think that heteronormativity shouldn’t apply to deities? You’re in luck! Take a brief tour through gender diversity in Mesopotamian, Hindu, and Norse mythology—and it’s just scratching the surface! Leigh and Gretchen round off their conversation with a look at 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!

A Closer Look at Trancestor Artists: Watch Our DMA Slide Show

Transcestors: A Look at Art Beyond the Binary

Gretchen and Leigh Find Gay Things at the DMA!

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So Excite!

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Holy cow…

So official!

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Etruscans

Their underworld was gay.

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Because they’re Hapi

Clap along if you feel like a god with two genders.

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Our favorite communist, bisexual, anti-colonialist, Picasso hating artist, Frida!

That’s it for History is Gay live from the DMA!

If you want to learn more about the differently gendered deities in mythology, Anton Prinner, or Frida Kahlo, check out our full list of sources and further reading below!

Mythology

Anton Prinner

Frida Kahlo

Until next time, stay queer and stay curious!

20. More Than Meets the Eye(brow): Frida Kahlo

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In this episode, Gretchen and Leigh talk about Frida Kahlo, a Mexican artist best known for her many self-portraits and for works inspired by nature and the culture and artifacts of Mexico. She may be known for her unibrow, but that’s far from the most important aspect of her art or her story or her art. In keeping with her self-exploration of identity in her paintings, we’re going to explore one of the things least well known about her: that she had relationships with men and women! That’s right, this famous postcolonial, multiracial, disabled artist was bisexual!

A Closer Look at Frida Kahlo

Frida, age 6, 1913. For this and other rare photos of her childhood, Click here.

Frida, age 6, 1913. For this and other rare photos of her childhood, Click here.

Frida (right), age 9, and her sisters. photo taken by her father, 1916.

Frida (right), age 9, and her sisters. photo taken by her father, 1916.

Frida (center) with her sisters and a younger male cousin, 1926. For this and other rare photos of Frida in the 1920s, click here.

Frida (center) with her sisters and a younger male cousin, 1926. For this and other rare photos of Frida in the 1920s, click here.

Mural for the ministry of education, by Diego Rivera, 1929, featuring Frida Kahlo (bottom left, front).

Mural for the ministry of education, by Diego Rivera, 1929, featuring Frida Kahlo (bottom left, front).

Here you can see why Frida’s father called them, “The Elephant and the Dove.” Frida and Diego Rivera, 1932.

Here you can see why Frida’s father called them, “The Elephant and the Dove.” Frida and Diego Rivera, 1932.

A photo from Toni Frissell’s vogue shoot of Frida, 1937.

A photo from Toni Frissell’s vogue shoot of Frida, 1937.

Frida (Left) with Josephine Baker (Right) in paris, 1939.

Frida (Left) with Josephine Baker (Right) in paris, 1939.

Frida Kahlo (center) with Nayantara Sahgal and Rita Dar, 1947.

Frida Kahlo (center) with Nayantara Sahgal and Rita Dar, 1947.

MIguel n. Lira’s Tabla con Diferentes Frasas y Firmas signed by friends, including frida kahlo, fellow member of “los Cachuchas,” 1948.

MIguel n. Lira’s Tabla con Diferentes Frasas y Firmas signed by friends, including frida kahlo, fellow member of “los Cachuchas,” 1948.

Close up of frida’s note to Miguel n. lira: “hermano de siempre no te olvides de la cahucha no 9, Frida Kahlo”— “Forever brother, do not forget la Cachucha no. 9, Frida Kahlo.” Alongside it is her doodle of herself wearing the cap for which the grou…

Close up of frida’s note to Miguel n. lira: “hermano de siempre no te olvides de la cahucha no 9, Frida Kahlo”— “Forever brother, do not forget la Cachucha no. 9, Frida Kahlo.” Alongside it is her doodle of herself wearing the cap for which the group was named, 1948.

Kahlo and Chavela Vargas by Tina Modotti, 1950.

Kahlo and Chavela Vargas by Tina Modotti, 1950.

Chavela Vargas performing “La Llorona” in Frida starring Selma Hayak as Frida Kahlo!

Frida in her garden with two fo her dogs, by gisle Freund, circa 1950. For this and other photos by Gisle Freund, Click here.

Frida in her garden with two fo her dogs, by gisle Freund, circa 1950. For this and other photos by Gisle Freund, Click here.

Frida’s studio with her wheelchair and adjustable easel, on display at La Casa Azul museum in Mexico.

Frida’s studio with her wheelchair and adjustable easel, on display at La Casa Azul museum in Mexico.

Frida Kahlo’s death mask, also on display at La Casa Azul museum in Mexico.

Frida Kahlo’s death mask, also on display at La Casa Azul museum in Mexico.

A Selection of Frida Kahlo’s Paintings

Henry ford hospital, 1932.

Henry ford hospital, 1932.

Two nudes in a forest, 1939.

Two nudes in a forest, 1939.

Self portrait with cropped hair, 1941.

Self portrait with cropped hair, 1941.

Self portrait with monkey and parrot, 1942.

Self portrait with monkey and parrot, 1942.

The broken column, 1944.

The broken column, 1944.

The Love Embrace of the Universe, the Earth (Mexico), Myself, Diego, and Señor Xolotl, 1949.

The Love Embrace of the Universe, the Earth (Mexico), Myself, Diego, and Señor Xolotl, 1949.

still life (dedicated to samuel fastlicht), 1951.

still life (dedicated to samuel fastlicht), 1951.

Living Nature, 1952.

Living Nature, 1952.

7. F is for Friend Who Did Not Have Gender

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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. Born Jemima Wilkinson, after suffering from Typhoid fever and experiencing a visionary death, the Publick Universal Friend, also called the Friend, arose and began preaching a message of repentance. 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. Their preaching may not have been as innovative as others from their time, but the Friend did something even more unique by embodying genderlessness as an aspect of resurrected life and creating a religious society marked by genderless linguistic forms. 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!

A Look at The Friend

A portrait of the friend done after moving to new york, available to see at the Scherer Carriage House Museum.

A portrait of the friend done after moving to new york, available to see at the Scherer Carriage House Museum.

Drawing of the Friend.

Drawing of the Friend.

REcreation of the friend's personal seal with star, cross, and initials.

REcreation of the friend's personal seal with star, cross, and initials.

The Friend's CarrIAge, which can also be seen at the Scherer carriage House museum along with the Friend's Bible, Side Saddle, and other items.

The Friend's CarrIAge, which can also be seen at the Scherer carriage House museum along with the Friend's Bible, Side Saddle, and other items.

Photo of the friend's house in Jerusalem, New York. It still stands but is not available to the public.

Photo of the friend's house in Jerusalem, New York. It still stands but is not available to the public.

Sketch of the Friend's house in Jerusalem.

Sketch of the Friend's house in Jerusalem.

Another Sketch of the friend's house in Jerusalem.

Another Sketch of the friend's house in Jerusalem.

The Friend's home still stands today! photo courtesy of waymarking.com

The Friend's home still stands today! photo courtesy of waymarking.com

the sign outside the friend's home in jerusalem, ny. Photo courtesy of waymarking.com

the sign outside the friend's home in jerusalem, ny. Photo courtesy of waymarking.com

Title Page from David Hudson's defamatory "Memoir" of the friend that sought to present them as deluded and a fraud.

Title Page from David Hudson's defamatory "Memoir" of the friend that sought to present them as deluded and a fraud.

Drawing of the friend from Hudson's "memoir".

Drawing of the friend from Hudson's "memoir".

Act of Incorporation that established the Society of universal Friends in 1791, as seen on History Detectives and now currently in the Communal Societies collection at Hamilton College.

Act of Incorporation that established the Society of universal Friends in 1791, as seen on History Detectives and now currently in the Communal Societies collection at Hamilton College.

Excerpts from the Death Book of the Society of Universal Friends.

The death book was kept by Ruth Prichard, and records the death names, last words and other relevant information, and the date when the member of the society "left Time". The following are entries, as found in Wisbey's book (see resource list); note just how many times the Friend was present at the death and/or the funeral, which is not at all unusual for the rest of the death book:

“Susannah Porter, left Time, 19th of the 5th Mo 1780. 22 yeas of age. She died in the Arms of the Friend.”
“Lucy Holmes, left Time, 11th of the 8th Mo 1790: She found the Lamb of God. Believing in the Day of her Visitation. She went away rejoicing; giving glory to God and the Lamb. This departed Saint, as the avenues of mortal life were closing, lifted up her hands in Prayer, said Glory to God in the highest, and unto the Lamb forever and ever! Saying (with an emphasis no mortal language can describe) Looking at the Friend, My dear Redeemer; I love; I love; I love”
“Eunice Manswer Departed this life 13th of the 9th Mo 1793: It appeared She was prepared in a short time to fulfill a long time: the Friend attended the funeral”
“Sara Friend, or Sarah Richards, left Time 30th, and last of the 11th Mo 1793. Seventh Day of the Week which is the Sabath (sic), at Eve 7n on the clock She Expired! And left Her weeping friends to mourn for themselves! Seventeen weeks She patiently endur’d one fever after another, till at last — These scenes of grief and Sorrows inexprest; Did waft her soul to everlasting Rest! 4th of the 12th Mo. The Friend attended Her Funeral, and Preach’d a very great Sermon. The exhortatoin began thus, It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to heart; And the Text was, The Righteous perisheth, and no may layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the Righteous is taken away from the evil to come; They shall enter into peace, They shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. She was aged 36.”
“Armenia Potter 15th of the 2d Mo of 1794. The Friend was with her in her last moments, and had Satisfaction in her death; 18th, the Friend attended Her Funeral, held Meeting at Holmes’s, Text was in Micha VII. 18. Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage; For He retaineth not His Anger forever because He delighted in Mercy. She was aged 2[?]”

If you liked "F is For Friend Who Did Not Have Gender", you'll probably like: 

If you want to learn more about the Friend, check out our full list of sources and further reading below!

Online Articles:

Books and Print Articles:

  • Saints, Sinners and Reformers: The Burned-Over District Re-Visited by John H. Martin: Chapter 5 Jemima Wilkinson Celibacy and the Communal Life The Re-Incarnation of the Divine in Female Form, 1758-1819

  • Pioneer Prophetess: Jemima Wilkinson, the Publick Universal Friend by Herbert A. Wisbey, Jr. (misgenders the Friend)

  • The Public Universal Friend by Paul B. Moyer

  • History of Jemima Wilkinson by David Hudson (the smear campaign “biography,” misgenders the Friend)

  • Women Who Were Called by Joel Whitney Tibbetts (misgenders the friend)

  • “‘Indescribable Being’: Theological Performances of Genderlessness in the Society of the Publick Universal Friend” by Scott Larson, Early American Studies Vol. 12 no 3 (2014).

  • “Demogogues or Mystagogues? Gender and the Language of Prophecy in the Age of Democratic Revolutions” by Susan Juster, American Historical Review 104, no. 5 (1999).

  • “The Political Threat of a Female Christ: Ann Lee, Morality, and Religious Freedom in the United States” by Adam Jortner, Early American Studies vol 7, no 1 (2009).

Until next time, stay queer and stay curious!