Historical Homos

Welcome to The Hanky Code, aka Grindr for Boomers.Following on from our cruise through history last week, we've delved deeper into the notorious handkerchief code.The code was a form of flagging, which used different coloured bandanas to signal sexual / kink preferences.In this bonus Quickie episode, Bash unpacks the extremely colourful history of flagging—from gay Gold Rush cowboys to scrappy leather entrepreneurs in San Francisco. Along the way, we learn:How a 1923 law in New York basically criminalized the gayest activity in history (loitering)The surprising role of the BDSM community and their business cards in spreading the codeInventive twists and additions for the lesbians (white lace for Victorian kink , anyone?).And just how absurdly complicated it got—aka how to distinguish lemon from mustard yellow at 1AM in Central Park? Spoiler alert: you can't.The hanky code wasn’t just about getting off—it was about queer ingenuity, solidarity, and desire in a hostile world.Today it may be more relic than reality, but it still reminds us of the brilliant, horny creativity of our queer elders.We'll be back on September 4 with our next full episode on the history of Queer Georgian homemakers. So stay tuned!Till then, enjoy this bonus episode and get ready for some exciting announcements from us when we all go back to school...🎧 Listen now on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, or wherever you pod. Fluid-stained bandanas sold separately.📱 Follow Historical Homos on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and do ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign up to our newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ if you care about gay people, like, at all.Most importantly, if you like what you hear, please do leave us a ⭐ FIVE STAR ONLY ⭐ review.Episode CreditsWritten and hosted by Bash. Edited by Alex Toskas. Produced by Dani Henion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You know the feeling: when you lock eyes and the look lingers just a little too long. His hand brushes over his fly. And boom! A small smile confirms it: You're about to be cruising, my king!And all it took was a public park, centuries of sexual shame, and a little bit of courage to get you there...Now it's no surprise that the elegant and much-envied act of Fucking in Public has been around for thousands of years.But how did the "radical pastime" of modern-day cruising develop? Why did men start having sex with men in public parks and bathrooms? And why, in an allegedly sexually liberated world, do we still cruise today?Join Bash and his guest this week, Professor Alex Espinoza, as they chart over 4,000 years of men getting it off with men. From the Roman bathhouse to Paris' first urban parks, this is a steamy, rushed romp through history designed to be enjoyed from your very own public bathroom stall.You're welcome.We will cover:Why cruising needs cities, strangers, and the thrill of getting caught to really thriveThe ancient rules of cruising the Roman bathhouseHow policing and persecution actually helped cruising thrive, creating the modern "homosexual"Cruising as class-conscious RESISTANCEThe rise of cottaging in London's public bathroomsAl Pacino's absurdly terrible 1980 film CruisingWhether the eroticism of "looking" can survive Grindr's Era of Headless Torsos🎧 Listen now on ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠, or wherever you pod. Grindr Unlimited subscription sold separately.📚 Grab a copy of Alex's book ⁠⁠Cruising: An Intimate History of a Radical Pastime⁠ on Bookshop.org (NEVER Amazon!)📱 Follow Historical Homos on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and do ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign up to our newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ if you care about gay people, like, at all.Most importantly, if you like what you hear, please do leave us a ⭐ FIVE STAR ONLY ⭐ review.Episode CreditsWritten and hosted by Bash. Guest: Alex Espinoza.Edited by Alex Toskas. Produced by Dani Henion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

For early access to episodes and bonus content, join our Patreon. Our community awaits with open arms (and legs) 🤤www.patreon.com/historicalhomos–Honey, I'm sure you've heard of the Kamasutra. But did you know it's not just a sex manual for hipster white couples who are ready to graduate to doggy?This episode goes past the schoolboy giggles the Kamasutra typically provokes to investigate what this fascinating compendium of erotic philosophy can tell us about ancient Indian queer life (and perhaps our own!). The real Kamasutra was not just a sex manual. It is a Sanskrit treatise on kama ("desire") – which includes sexual desire, yes, but also means desire for friendship, art, music, play. All the things that make life sexy and fun, and have the potential to make you desirable to others.Written by Vatsyayana during the Gupta empire, the text treats desire as one of life's four core aims. Kama, along with dharma (duty/morality) and artha (wealth), was seen as one of the chief aims of a well-lived life. A life that was lived in the hope of eventually achieving moksha (liberation) from the endless cycle of reincarnation.For ancient Indians, there was no concept of "sin" – and therefore relatively little interest in policing hetero, homo, or gender-nonconforming behaviour. Certainly there was no consensus that anything their medieval compatriots in Europe were burning people at the stake for was "unnatural" or contrary to fixed laws of sexual behaviour.This episode is a fascinating dip into what our sexual ancestors knew and did in the sack, but it's also a reminder that homosexuality has not only been around for millennia, it's been theorised over, philosophised, and incorporated into profound systems of thought that are still teaching us how to live.So here's what you can expect:A dramatic reading of the text's 8-step guide to a good gay blowjob (spoiler alert: mango-sucking is a transferable skill!)A 14th-century doctor's explanation of female orgasms, which had a LOT to teach Bash about the clitoris and something called the "G Spot"...An examination of the Victorian English response to the Kamasutra (more complicated and potentially less hateful than you'd expect!)And, of course, our eminent scholarly guest's recommendations for how we might want to look at desire, sex, and gender in our own lives given what the Kamasutra has to say about themOur guest this week is Ruth Vanita, eminent scholar of India's queer history and author of Love's Rite, on same-sex marriage in India.Stay tuned for our next episode in 2 weeks, with a surprise appearance from everyone's favourite lesbian American poetess. Not telling you which one.🎧 Listen now on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or wherever you pod. Blowjob mangoes sold separately.📱 Follow Historical Homos on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to our Patreon if you care about gay people, like, at all.⭐ Most importantly, if you like what you hear, please leave us a ⭐ FIVE STAR ONLY ⭐ review on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify.Episode CreditsWritten and hosted by BashProduced by Dani HenionEdited by Alex ToskasGuest: Ruth Vanita© Sebastian Hendra 2026 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

For early access to episodes and bonus content, join our Patreon. Our community awaits with open arms (and legs) 🤤www.patreon.com/historicalhomos–ROCK. HUDSON. The name itself kind of gives your fanny the flutters, doesn't it?Although, if you haven't heard of Rock, you would be forgiven, as he's one of those mid-20th century celebrities who's been almost entirely forgotten today.But back in the 50s and 60s, he was a major heartthrob and a household name.Rock was one of the lucky Hollywood actors who worked his way up through the studio contract system after World War II – despite having zero acting training and a famous inability to remember lines.He was, however, extremely hot, and many have (rightly) seen that as a talent of its own.A Navy vet, Rock arrived fresh off the bus in Los Angeles around 1946, met some gay guys, got recruited by a scuzzy (also gay) agent, and the rest...was gay history.Extremely closeted history, however. Because while Rock's penchant for peen was no secret to the industry, his studio, agent, and inner circle rigorously managed his heterosexual image to "protect" his lucrative career. This gambit worked, and eventually landed him roles opposite the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Doris Day, and Jimmy Dean.But the question is: how much did Rock himself resent this closet? Despite all the fabulous gay pool parties, great friends, and gorgeous lovers, he was loath to discuss his private life with anyone. A not uncommon approach for actors, but especially in the tight-lipped 50s when one's life "behind closed doors" was supposed to remain out of sight and out of mind, even amongst friends.Long after the studio relinquished Rock from his contract and their publicity machine, and even as public opinion about homosexuality had begun to change, Rock guarded the doors of his closet scrupulously. (Wow, good use of "scrupulously"!!!!)It was only in the depths of his final, tragic illness that he was forced to reveal his sexuality to the world. The extremely public scandal that followed would alter the course of queer history.Join Bash and his brilliant guest, Alonso Duralde, this week as they delve into the deep and complicated closet Hollywood erected around Rock, reviving one of Hollywood's gayest and most deliciously handsome talents from Hollywood's Silver Age.Make sure to grab a copy of Hollywood Pride, Alonso's wonderful survey of queer cinema history. It will give you so many amazing new films to watch and show you just how deeply our queer roots run in American film. 🎧 Listen now on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or wherever you pod. Pack of cigarettes and ill-fitting 50s swimsuit sold separately.📱 Follow Historical Homos on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to our Patreon if you care about gay people, like, at all.⭐ Most importantly, if you like what you hear, please leave us a ⭐ FIVE STAR ONLY ⭐ review on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify.Episode CreditsWritten and hosted by BashProduced by Dani HenionEdited by Alex ToskasGuest: Alonso Duralde© Sebastian Hendra 2026  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

For early access to episodes and bonus content, join our Patreon. Our community awaits with open arms (and legs) 🤤www.patreon.com/historicalhomos–Josephine Baker (1906 - 1968) is one of the most alluring, inspiring, and charismatic figures we have ever covered on this podcast.Her career spanned decades and continents, and on THE Continent, she was the highest paid Black entertainer for most of the 1920s and 1930s. As a dancer-singer-actress triple threat, she was in some ways the precursor to megastars like Beyoncé in our own day.Unlike Beyoncé, she built her career not only through her own talent (and Jay-Z's influence), but by taking advantage of one of the most racist, colonialist, imperialist periods in Western history: the aftermath of World War One.Josephine became famous because she created a sensual, wild, "sauvage" style of dance, which the Jazz-frenzied denizens of gay Paree scarfed down like a good soupe à l'oignon. In their 20th century terror of what it meant to be "modern," Josephine represented a return to something raw and wonderfully original. Her nudity, her brazen dancing, her uninhibited artistry were all examples of "true" art – an instinct-driven Fuck You to modern civilisation.They were of course racist bastards for thinking all of this – but they also genuinely loved Josephine. And Josephine loved to use their racist bullshit not only to line her pockets, but to feel their genuine love in return.Like many (gay) performers, she lived to be loved.Throughout her wild and successful career, Josephine presented a completely new vision of what it meant to be a woman, to be Black, and to be an unapologetic diva.And yet, we barely remember Josephine today. BUT THAT STOPS NOW.Strap yourselves in and or on, because this episode is another 90 minute doozy (sorry for doing such interesting research and talking to such interesting scholars! so sorry!)All our gay thanks to Michell Chresfield for bringing her insight and brilliant research to this episode.And now it's time to dive on in, because the water is an absolutely divine... human temperature.🎧 Listen now on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or wherever you pod. Pet cheetah and sequin nipple tassles sold separately.📱 Follow Historical Homos on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to our Patreon if you care about gay people, like, at all.⭐ Most importantly, if you like what you hear, please leave us a ⭐ FIVE STAR ONLY ⭐ review on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify.Episode CreditsWritten and hosted by BashProduced by Dani HenionEdited by Alex ToskasGuest: Michell Chresfield© Sebastian Hendra 2026 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★