History Extra podcast Public vs private: history behind closed doors
32 snips
May 1, 2025 
Tiffany Jenkins, a writer and cultural historian known for her book "Strangers and Intimates," dives into the blurred lines between public and private life. She discusses the rigid separations in ancient Athens and how figures like Diogenes challenged societal norms. Jenkins explores the evolving roles of women in the public sphere, the transformation of intimacy in the 18th century, and how Georgian homes reflected new privacy concepts. She also addresses the community's enforcement of morality and the growing value placed on personal privacy over time.
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Ancient Athens: Sharp Public-Private Divide
- In ancient Athens, public and private realms were sharply separated and gendered. - Women and slaves existed only in the private, while men dominated the public sphere.
Diogenes' Public Protest
- Diogenes openly masturbated and defecated in public as a protest in the Athenian Agora. - He challenged the sacredness of the public realm by bringing private acts into public view.
18th Century Gender Norms on Privacy
- Women in 18th-century Britain were expected to remain in the private realm despite political influence. - Public campaigning by women like the Duchess of Devonshire was harshly criticized as a breach of gender norms.
