Lee Wind, "No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves" (Zest Books, 2021)
Oct 5, 2023
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Lee Wind, author of 'No Way, They Were Gay? Hidden Lives and Secret Loves,' discusses the exclusion of LGBTQ+ stories from traditional narratives. He explores hidden love stories in LGBTQ+ history, reveals Abraham Lincoln's potential queerness, and delves into the intimate relationship between Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickock. The podcast highlights the importance of uncovering alternative narratives and empowering gender non-conforming individuals.
History has often excluded the stories of LGBTQ+ people, with historians biased against or unable to imagine non-heteronormative experiences.
The book 'No Way, They Were Gay' challenges dominant historical narratives by uncovering evidence of queer love and relationships amongst famous figures like Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Deep dives
Shining a Light on Hidden LGBTQ+ History
The author explores how history has often been distorted, leaving out diverse voices and narratives. By examining primary sources, the author uncovers the hidden stories of LGBTQ+ individuals throughout history, including figures like Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt. The author's goal is to empower young people and challenge the false facade of history, debunking misconceptions and celebrating the complexity of human experiences. The author emphasizes the importance of acknowledging nuance and encouraging readers to engage with the primary sources themselves for a more accurate understanding of history. Through their website and podcast, the author provides accessible platforms to share these stories and combat book banning, fostering a more inclusive and empathetic society.
Highlighting LGBTQ+ Figures in History
The author discusses their book 'No Way, They Were Gay,' which explores the lives and experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals throughout history. By shining a light on figures like Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt, the book challenges existing narratives and presents evidence of queer love and relationships. The author emphasizes that history is often simplified and dominated by stories of powerful, cisgender, heterosexual individuals, neglecting the contributions of marginalized communities. The book aims to empower young readers by introducing diverse perspectives and encouraging critical thinking. Through primary sources and detailed analysis, the book provides a more comprehensive understanding of history, liberating both LGBTQ+ individuals and society as a whole.
Disrupting False Narratives of History
The author delves into the importance of challenging false narratives and biases in historical accounts. They discuss their own journey of discovering LGBTQ+ representation in history and how it motivated them to write books for young audiences. By using primary sources and avoiding prescriptive storytelling, the author empowers readers to explore and interpret history for themselves. They highlight influential historical figures like Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt, who had same-sex relationships, and their impact on society. The author also addresses the issue of book banning and censorship, emphasizing the need to create safe spaces for children and teens to access LGBTQ+ literature and history.
Promoting LGBTQ+ Empowerment Through History
The author shares their passion for empowering LGBTQ+ individuals through the exploration of history. They discuss their book 'No Way, They Were Gay,' which aims to dismantle the heteronormative power structure prevalent in historical narratives. By drawing attention to the hidden stories and experiences of LGBTQ+ figures, the author challenges stereotypes and broadens readers' perspectives. They advocate for celebrating diversity and complexity in historical figures like Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt who defied societal norms. The author's website and podcast provide platforms to counter book banning and foster understanding, acceptance, and celebration of LGBTQ+ history among young people and readers of all ages.
Which stories are left out of the history books? What’s in the documents omitted from the “official” record? And what happens when we go in search of people’s hidden lives?
Today’s book is No Way, They Were Gay? Hidden Lives and Secret Loves (Zest Books, 2021), by Lee Wind, in which he reminds us that “history” was crafted by the people who recorded it. And sometimes, those historians were biased against, didn’t see, or couldn’t even imagine anyone different from themselves. That means that history has often left out the stories of LGBTQIA+ people: men who loved men, women who loved women, people who loved without regard to gender, and people who lived outside gender boundaries. Historians have even censored the lives and loves of some of the world’s most famous people, from William Shakespeare and Pharaoh Hatshepsut to Cary Grant and Eleanor Roosevelt. Throughout the text, Lee Wind shares primary sources—poetry, memoir, news clippings, and images of ancient artwork—and explores the hidden (and often surprising) Queer lives and loves of two dozen historical figures. No Way, They Were Gay was honored as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection, and was selected for the Chicago Public Library’s 2021 Best of the Best Books list.
Our guest is: Lee Wind, who writes stories that center marginalized kids and teens and celebrate their power to change the world. Closeted until his 20s, Lee writes the books that would have changed his life as a young Gay kid. His Masters Degree from Harvard didn’t include blueprints for a time machine to go back and tell these stories to himself, so Lee pays it forward with a popular blog with over 3 million page views (I’m Here. I’m Queer. What The Hell Do I Read?) and books for kids and teens. He is the author of No Way, They Were Gay? His day-job is for the Independent Book Publishers Association (as their Chief Content Officer), and for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (as their official blogger).
Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who holds a PhD in history, which she uses to explore what stories we tell and what happens to those we never tell. She is the producer and show-host of the Academic Life podcasts.
Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey--and beyond! Join us to learn from experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 175+ Academic Life episodes? You’ll find them all archived here.
