609: Gay-ncient History with Kirsty Loehr

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Are you a card carrying Daughter of Bilitis? This week Leigh (@lshfoster) and Ellie (@elliebrigida) hang out with writer and English teacher Kirsty Loehr (@KirstyLoehr) to talk about her book, A Short History of Queer Women, which teaches readers about the women throughout history that were very much not “just friends” in a way that is both informative and incredibly funny.

Although the historical stories of queer women tend to be depressing, Kirsty imbues her work with humor that really helps to showcase who these women were rather than focusing on the tragedy of their circumstances. If you’ve ever wondered where some of the lesbian stereotypes and jokes we use today originated from, this book is one you need to pick up.

Queer women have been around forever. We didn’t just disappear after Sappho and reappear with Ellen, and yet much of our history is ignored or purposefully re-written to be less queer than it was.

For example, the Daughters of Bilitis invented the idea of the card-carrying lesbian. Not only did they invent the very first lesbian magazine, but they also had membership cards and a manifesto and everything! They were very dedicated to the cause.

Queer people have always been incredibly inventive and creative. Going back all the way to Sappho, she literally invented the guitar pick so that she could cut her nails to pleasure women while maintaining her ability to play the guitar. Ingenious! On behalf of musical queers everywhere, thank you Sappho.

If you enjoyed Gentleman Jack, you won’t want to miss us talking to Kirsty about Anne Lister and the way the show captured the experience of being a lesbian in that time period where most people could not even conceive of the idea of two women being anything but friends.

We also talk about former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and the incredibly romantic letters she used to exchange with her “friend” Lorena Hickok (whom she nicknamed Hick). They were clearly having a love affair and yet people still deny it to this day. We mourn for the more explicit letters that Hick actually burned rather than choosing to expose Eleanor. Surely if those letters had not been burned, there would be less of a debate around whether they were actually a couple.

It is important to look back on the history of queer women and to learn about the sapphics who helped us get to where we are today. They could never have even imagined a world where they could marry and have a family with another woman and to forget their contributions would be a disservice to queer women everywhere.

Follow along on Twitter: Lez Hang Out (@lezhangoutpod) and answer our Q & Gay at the end of every episode. Leigh Holmes Foster (@lshfoster) and Ellie Brigida (@elliebrigida). You can also join us on Facebook.com/lezhangoutpod and follow along on Instagram (@lezhangoutpod).