Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society - History Hit

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History of Camp: From Oscar Wilde to James Bond Jun 23, 2023

Show notes

As the old adage goes, attitude is everything. And if there’s one attitude that stands proud above the rest it’s the utterly fabulous, camp.

Whether it’s embodied in Disney villains or Oscar Wilde, there’s a charm and defiance to camp that is both powerful and fun.

In today’s episode, Kate is joined by Paul Baker, author of Camp! The Story of the Attitude that Conquered the World, to discuss the origins of this fantastically outrageous trait.

*Trigger warning: This episode features language which some listeners may find offensive.*

This episode was produced and edited by Stuart Beckwith. The Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.

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Dick Pics: The History Jun 20, 2023

Show notes

Depictions of dicks have been an obsession in art for as long as art has been around, but the act of sending a real life image of ones penis is a cultural phenomenon all of its own.

Additionally, the implications of receiving a dick pic nowadays isn’t just the image itself, but the context of it being one that you maybe didn’t ask for - a form of sexual harassment and violence in and of itself.

So why do men send them? Is there an equal culture of a female equivalent? And what have images of dicks meant to different cultures historically?

Today Kate is joined by Andrea Waling, researcher and author of Exploring the Cultural Phenomenon of the Dick Pic, to look long and hard into all of these questions and more.

Senior Producer Charlotte Long. Edited and mixed by Tom Delargy.

Get 50% off your first 3 months with code BETWIXT. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up at historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards! UK & Ireland listeners please place your vote on the Spotify mobile app here: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa

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Shakespeare's Sex Life Jun 16, 2023

Show notes

The Bard’s work featured many references to sex and sexuality - some more obvious than others. But what does the work reveal about the sexuality of Shakespeare himself?

Despite being married with three kids to Anne Hathaway in the sleepy suburbs of Stratford-upon-Avon, there’s much to suggest he lived a more extravagant life during his visits to London.

Joining Kate today is author of The Life of the Author: William Shakespeare, Anna Beer, to unpick the hints and clues to the playwright’s sexuality that lay within his work.

Produced by Stuart Beckwith & Sophie Gee. Senior Producer Charlotte Long. Mixed by Tom Delargy.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more.

Get 50% off your first 3 months with code BETWIXT. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up at historyhit.com/subscribe.

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Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards! UK & Ireland listeners please place your vote on the Spotify mobile app here: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa

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Anne Lister: The First Modern Lesbian? Jun 13, 2023

Show notes

It’s a rare thing to hear first hand the experiences of marginalised people in history. So often their voices are silenced, and their histories erased.

Which is why Anne Lister’s diaries, which tell us in intimate details what it was like to be a proud lesbian in 19th century Yorkshire, are such an important resource.

What was grobbling? What is Anne Lister’s legacy? And what do her coded diaries tell us about life as a lesbian during the industrial revolution? Join us today as we delve Betwixt the Sheets on the legacy of Anne Lister, with historian Anne Choma, the lead adviser on BBC One’s series of Anne Lister, Gentleman Jack, and author of ‘Gentleman Jack - The Real Anne Lister’.

Produced and edited by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer Charlotte Long.

Get 50% off your first 3 months with code BETWIXT. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up at historyhit.com/subscribe

Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards! UK & Ireland listeners please place your vote on the Spotify mobile app here: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Victorian Pregnancy & Childbirth: The Untold History Jun 09, 2023

Show notes

Why did Victorian doctors recommend women to lie still in solitary confinement for days after giving birth? What was the 'sit up and cough' method of contraception? (not the most reliable) And what was the level of infant mortality in the 19th century?

Today Kate is Betwixt the Sheets with Jessica Cox to talk about the hidden history of maternal bodies in the Victorian era, everything from fertility and contraception, to labour and child loss.

You can find out more about Jessica's book here.

Get 50% off your first 3 months with code BETWIXT. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up at historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards! UK & Ireland listeners please place your vote on the Spotify mobile app here: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Pre-Raphaelites: Art & Sexual Liberation Jun 06, 2023

Show notes

The Pre-Raphaelites: Art & Sexual Liberation

If there’s one thing we like to embrace on this podcast, it’s a slice of controversy. Which is why today’s topic of the Pre-Raphaelites movement is such a joy to explore: this was the swinging 60s of the Victorian era.

A time when a group of artists, including Dante Rossetti and John Millais, refused to conform to the artistic norms at the time, and instead embraced sexuality and nature in a style that was more luscious and medieval than modern.

What exactly did they stand for? Who were the women that inspired them? And why did the establishment’s feathers become so ruffled?

Today, Kate is Betwixt the Sheets with legendary art historian Jan Marsh to find out.

Senior producer: Charlotte Long. Producer: Sophie Gee. Mixed by Stuart Beckwith.

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Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards! UK & Ireland listeners please place your vote on the Spotify mobile app here: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A History of Queer Women Jun 02, 2023

Show notes

One thing’s for certain, queer people have always been a part of society. The language may not have always been there to describe them in all of their wonderful forms, and the history books may not have always told their stories, but they have always been there.

To celebrate the start of Pride month, Kate is joined by author Kirsty Loehr, who’s book A Short History of Queer Women is here to shine a spotlight on some of the marvellous people and their lives.

From the woman who’s thought to be the OG lesbian in Ancient Greece, to more modern intersectional gay black feminists via a runaway lesbian pirate in the 18th century, it’s important their stories are heard.

Produced and edited by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer Charlotte Long.

Lyre music provided by Michael Levy: https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelLevyMusic

Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards! UK & Ireland listeners please place your vote on the Spotify mobile app here: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Rise of Celebrity Culture May 30, 2023

Show notes

Any of us who have happened to see a celebrity in the wild can admit to the strange thrill you get.

It doesn’t matter if it’s C, D, or Z-list celebrities, even, they all count!

But why are we as a society so obsessed with celebrities? From Ancient Greek Gods to Kim Kardashian, our obsession has endured. And what does it say about us, when most young people just want to be famous when they grow up? Without a thought for what they might be famous for.

Kate is joined by Landon Jones, former managing editor of People Magazine and author of Celebrity Nation: How America Evolved Into A Culture Of Fans And Followers. He’s here to take us back through history to where it all began, speculate what the future of celebrity may hold, and share tales of his own, such as why Princess Diana refused to dance with him.

Produced by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer Charlotte Long. Mixed by Stuart Beckwith.

Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards! UK & Ireland listeners please place your vote on the Spotify mobile app here: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Giggling Granny serial killer May 26, 2023

Show notes

Picture a serial killer in your mind’s eye. What do you see? More often than not it will be a man.

Statistically that’s accurate, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. Whilst it’s perhaps not the most worthy feminist cause to jump behind, the issue of gendered narratives is a fascinating one - and what better way to look at it than through the lens of serial killers?

Kate is joined by Tori Telfer, author of Lady Killers: Deadly Women Throughout History to explore the story of one of America’s most notorious female serial killers: Nannie Doss, aka the Giggling Granny. She killed 11 people, four of which were husbands, leading to her also being known as the Lonely Hearts Killer, due to her supposed search for love.

Nannie Doss interview clip courtesy of Pea Hicks. View the full interview and more on their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@peahix

Produced by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer Charlotte Long. Mixed by Stuart Beckwith.

Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards! UK & Ireland listeners please place your vote on the Spotify mobile app here: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Real Queen Charlotte May 23, 2023

Show notes

Queen Charlotte is back in the spotlight, thanks to the new Bridgerton spin-off series looking into her life and marriage to King George III.

We know Bridgerton uses a lot of creative license when it comes to historical accuracy (just in case you didn't know, people in the Regency period did not dance to orchestral covers of Beyonce) so today Kate thought she'd get Betwixt the Sheets with historian, Catherine Curzon to find out who the real Queen Charlotte was.

What was her early life like? How was her relationship like with her husband before and after his mental health problems? How did other members of high society view her?

You can find out more about Catherine Curzon's work here.

WARNING: There is adult content and explicit words in this episode.

Senior producer: Charlotte Long. Producer: Stuart Beckwith. Mixed by Siobhan Dale

Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.

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Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice Award at this year's Podcast Awards! UK & Ireland listeners please place your vote on the Spotify mobile app here: https://open.spotify.com/s/xhg6PJa

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.