The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast

Christina Rosetti’s “The Goblin Market” (reprised) The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 328 with Heather Rose Jones This is an analysis and recitation of the poem “The Goblin Market” by Christina Rossetti, with special attention to its homoerotic themes. A transcript of this podcast is available here. Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog...

On the Shelf for November 2025 The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 327 with Heather Rose Jones Your monthly roundup of history, news, and the field of sapphic historical fiction. In this episode we talk about: Setting up context for this month’s fiction episode Additions to the website Progress on the Lesbian Historic Motif Project book Recent and upcoming publications covered on the blog...

Speculative Fiction and Sapphic Plots The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 326 with Heather Rose Jones In this episode we talk about: Historic “speculative fiction” as a context for neutral depictions of sapphic characters A transcript of this podcast is available here. Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpennia.com/blog RSS:...

On the Shelf for October 2025 The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 325 with Heather Rose Jones Your monthly roundup of history, news, and the field of sapphic historical fiction. In this episode we talk about: Recent and upcoming publications covered on the blog Bray, Alan. 1996. Homosexuality in Renaissance England. Columbia University Press, New York. ISBN 9780231102896 Downing, Christin...

Emma Stebbins Exhibition Interview The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 324 with Heather Rose Jones In this episode we interview Heckscher Museum curator Karli Wurzelbacher about her upcoming exhibition of the work of American sculptor Emma Stebbins: Stebbins’ background and biography Genres that Stebbins worked in Technical process of creating sculptures Rome as a magnet for the internati...

On the Shelf for September 2025 The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 323 with Heather Rose Jones Your monthly roundup of history, news, and the field of sapphic historical fiction. In this episode we talk about: My new book: Skin-Singer: Tales of the Kaltaoven A Worldcon report Recent and upcoming publications covered on the blog Donoghue, Emma. 2007. “Doing Lesbian History, Then and Now”...

An Encounter With a Lady by Catherine Lundoff The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 322 with Heather Rose Jones This quarter’s fiction episode presents “An Encounter With a Lady” by Catherine Lundoff, narrated by Heather Rose Jones. A transcript of this podcast is available here. Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpennia.com/b...

Our F/Favorite Tropes Part 18: Mutually Oblivious The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 321 with Heather Rose Jones In this episode we talk about: The “mutually oblivious” trope in f/f historic romance A transcript of this podcast is available here. Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpennia.com/blog RSS: http://alpennia.com/bl...

On the Shelf for August 2025 The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 320 with Heather Rose Jones Your monthly roundup of history, news, and the field of sapphic historical fiction. In this episode we talk about: Upcoming travel and events My new book Skin-Singer: Tales of the Kaltaoven by Heather Rose Jones Recent and upcoming publications covered on the blog Klein, Ula Lukszo. 2021. “Busty B...

Sexology Changed Everything: or, Why the LHMP Ends Around 1900 The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 319 with Heather Rose Jones In this episode we talk about: The historic context of the rise of sexology Sexological models and major names in sexology Gendered consequences of sexology How sexology infiltrated popular and professional culture References Bauer, Heiki. 2009. “Theorizing Female...

On the Shelf for July 2025 The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 318 with Heather Rose Jones Your monthly roundup of history, news, and the field of sapphic historical fiction. In this episode we talk about: TV series: The Buccaneers Recent and upcoming publications covered on the blog Faderman, Lillian. 1978. “Female Same-Sex Relationships in Novels by Longfellow, Holmes, and James” in The...

Charity and Sylvia The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 317 with Heather Rose Jones In this episode we talk about: The lives of two women in early 19th century Vermont whose marriage-like relationship was accepted and even celebrated by their community Sources mentioned Cleves, Rachel Hope. 2014. Charity & Sylvia: A Same-Sex Marriage in Early America. Oxford University Press, Oxford. I...

On the Shelf for June 2025 The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 316 with Heather Rose Jones Your monthly roundup of history, news, and the field of sapphic historical fiction. In this episode we talk about: Recent and upcoming publications covered on the blog Bronski, Michael. 2012. A Queer History of the United States (ReVisioning American History). Beacon Press. ISBN 978-0807044650 Rouse...

The House of the Women by Jeannelle M. Ferreira The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 315 with Heather Rose Jones This quarter’s fiction episode presents “The House of the Women” by JEannelle M. Ferreira, narrated by Violet Dixon. A transcript of this podcast is available here. Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpennia.com/blo...

Benedetta Carlini, Lesbian Nun The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 314 with Heather Rose Jones In this episode we talk about: The historic and religious context of Benedetta’s life Benedetta’s sexual encounters Sources mentioned Brown, Judith C. 1984. “Lesbian Sexuality in Renaissance Italy: The Case of Sister Benedetta Carlini” in Signs 9 (1984): 751-58. (reprinted in: Freedman, Esteele...

On the Shelf for May 2025 The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 313 with Heather Rose Jones Your monthly roundup of history, news, and the field of sapphic historical fiction. In this episode we talk about: Retirement Financing the podcast Expanded analysis projects A new policy affecting the new book listings Recent Lesbian/Sapphic Historical Fiction The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet by...

Our F/Favorite Tropes Part 17: The Governess The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 312 with Heather Rose Jones In this episode we talk about: The dynamics of the “governess romance” F/f possibilities for governess romances A transcript of this podcast is available here. Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpennia.com/blog RSS: h...

On the Shelf for April 2025 The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 311 with Heather Rose Jones Your monthly roundup of history, news, and the field of sapphic historical fiction. In this episode we talk about: A special announcement about your host Recent and upcoming publications covered on the blog Ragan, Bryant T. Jr. 1996. “The Enlightenment Confronts Homosexuality” in Homosexuality in M...

A Falling Star and a Flying Bird by Rhiannon Grant The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 310 with Heather Rose Jones This quarter’s fiction episode presents A Falling Star and a Flying Bird by Rhiannon Grant, narrated by Heather Rose Jones. A transcript of this podcast is available here. Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpenn...

Lesbians and Sex Work The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 309 with Heather Rose Jones In this episode we talk about: Four motifs that connect women loving women and sex work in historic sources Sources used Bennett, Judith and Shannon McSheffrey. 2014. “Early, Erotic and Alien: Women Dressed as Men in Late Medieval London” in History Workshop Journal. 77 (1): 1-25. Beynon, John C. 2010. “...

On the Shelf for March 2025 The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 308 with Heather Rose Jones Your monthly roundup of history, news, and the field of sapphic historical fiction. In this episode we talk about: The 2025 fiction line-up Recent and upcoming publications covered on the blog Blackmore, Josiah and Gregory S. Hutcheson. 1999. “Introduction” in Queer Iberia: Sexualities, Cultures, a...

Our F/Favorite Tropes: Sword-Lesbians and Horse-Girls The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 307 with Heather Rose Jones In this episode we talk about: The trope of the horse-girl The trope of the sword-lesbian How these tropes are negotiated between story setting and reader expectations This topic makes reference to the following episodes: Bluestockings and Amazons Female Knights Only One B...

On the Shelf for February 2025 The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 306 with Heather Rose Jones Your monthly roundup of history, news, and the field of sapphic historical fiction. In this episode we talk about: Submissions for the 2025 fiction series are closed and results will be announced shortly Recent and upcoming publications covered on the blog Turton, Stephen. 2022. “The Lexicograph...

Lesbians and the Law The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 305 with Heather Rose Jones In this episode we talk about: Evidence for how romantic and sexual relations between women were treated in legal systems in western culture References Benbow, R. Mark and Alasdair D. K. Hawkyard. 1994. “Legal Records of Cross-dressing” in Gender in Play on the Shakespearean Stage: Boy Heroines and Female...

On the Shelf for January 2025 The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 304 with Heather Rose Jones Your monthly roundup of history, news, and the field of sapphic historical fiction. In this episode we talk about: Recent and upcoming publications covered on the blog Turton, Stephen. 2024. Before the Word Was Queer: Sexuality and the English Dictionary 1600-1930. Cambridge University Press, Cam...