Queer Pioneers of History: Historical Gender Benders and Their Secret Lives

We look far and wide to uncover stories of people whose gender or sexuality didn’t fit into their society. How do humans cope with gender? In many, many ways. We’ll dig into the long and proud history of queerness before the 20th century.

Political Bodies - Rulers expressed power through masculinity, femininity, and androgyny. Learn how political leaders used their physical representation to project authority and navigate gender expectations. We’ll explore how Louis XIV, Akhenaten, Elizabeth I, and Victoria used different expressions of gender to solidify their authority.

Eunuchs and Third Genders - Eunuchs, once prevalent in Eastern societies, defied Western gender norms. Learn how eunuchs and other “third genders” created unique positions for queer and intersex people in societies across time and around the world.

Female Men and Social Climbers - AFAB (assigned female at birth) figures lived as men to access societal privileges and power denied to women. We’ll explore figures like the Public Universal Friend and John Barry, who navigated male-dominated society, particularly during wartime, to pursue personal and professional ambitions.

Male Women and Screaming Queens -  AMAB (assigned male at birth) figures embraced femininity, challenging traditional notions of masculinity. We’ll explore individuals like the Chevalier d’Eon, who navigated both male and female societal roles. Learn how feminine male identities evolved and led the earliest gay liberation movements.

Gay or Girl? - We will finish by investigating how the ideas of “sexuality” and “gender” differentiated in the 18th-20th century by examining cultural phenomena like the Mollies, “inverts,” and the Polari language. We’ll explore the persistent tension between societal norms and gender identity, taking inspiration from the resilience of queer pioneers.

About Your Instructor: Peter McGuire is a writer, musician, and history enthusiast. His podcast Unlikely Explanations explores unusual histories that bring much-needed context to modern life. He also wrote the were-llama story “Hot to Trot” in the queer cryptid anthology “We, Cryptids.” Check out his music in the Sexploratorium’s own burlesque troupe.