Queer as Fact

Today'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...

Welcome 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...

This 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  http...

We'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...

We 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, ca...

Today'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 .

In 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 .

Today'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  Faceb...

Today'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

Today'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. 

This 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...

In 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...

Today'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.

Today, 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

Welcome 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...

In 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...

Today 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 .

Today'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 ,  Tumb...

Today 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 follo...

Today'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 

Today 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

In 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.

17th-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...

Today'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 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 favou...