453 Everyday LGBTQ+ Experiences in the American Revolution

All year, we’ve explored the American Revolution from many vantage points, from its politics and battles to the experiences of women, enslaved and free people of color, Native Americans, and Loyalists. In this episode, we’re going to take an LBGTQ+ lens to the Revolution. Three historians, Rachel Hope Cleves, Jen Manion, and John McCurdy bring together different stories to explore how everyday LGBTQ+ people took part in the American Revolution and how its legacy shaped LGBTQ+ lives in the new United States. Rachel’s Book | Jen’s Book | John’s Book Show notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/453 EPISODE OUTLINE 00:00:00 Introduction 00:05:02 Meet Our Guest Historians 00:06:51 LGBTQ+ Lives and Language in the Revolutionary Era 00:14:21 Finding a Same-Sex Marriage in the Archives 00:24:16 A British Army Chaplain Under Suspicion 00:28:33 Reading Through the Bias of Trial Transcripts 00:35:37 Fluid Identities and Historical Erasure 00:37:57 Military Service as a Path to Reinvention 00:47:40 War, Upheaval, and New Possibilities 00:54:24 LGBTQ+ People and the Culture of the New Nation 01:10:10 Final Thoughts RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES 🎧 Episode 004: Sex and the Founding Fathers: The American Quest for a Relatable Past 🎧 Episode 013: Charity & Sylvia: A Same-Sex Marriage in Early America 🎧 Episode 278: Polygamy: An Early American History 🎧 Episode 359: Trans-ing Gender in Early America 🎧 Episode 414: Robert Newburgh’s Trials: Queerness & Reputation in Revolutionary America SUPPORT OUR WORK 🎁 Make a Donation to Ben Franklin’s World REQUEST A TOPIC 📨 Topic Request Form 📫 [email protected] WHEN YOU'RE READY 🗞️ BFW Gazette Newsletter 👩‍💻 Join the BFW Listener Community 🌍 Join the History Explorers Club TAKE THE QUIZ 🧭 Discover How You Explore History (under 2 minutes) 👉 https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/quiz LISTEN 🎧 🍎 Apple Podcasts 💚 Spotify 🎶 Amazon Music 🛜 Pandora CONNECT 🦋 Liz on Bluesky 👩‍💻 Liz on LinkedIn 🛜 Liz’s Website SAY THANKS 💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 💚 Leave a rating on Spotify *Book links are affiliate links. Every purchase supports the podcast.