5 Historical Figures Who Were (Probably) Gay | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

5 Historical Figures Who Were (Probably) Gay

History's not as straightforward as they'd like you to believe. It's not as straight, either.

2404
5 Historical Figures Who Were (Probably) Gay
Wikipedia Commons

History books have an unfortunate habit of glossing right over sexuality, assuming all of their major players to be straight. But that couldn't be further from the truth: non-straight sexuality isn't some modern fad. It was swept under the rug for hundreds of years, but it never ceased to be. Here's a look at just a few figures who were a little less straight than your textbooks would like you to believe.

1. Leonardo Da Vinci

Da Vinci was rather famous in Florence for his relationships with his students, having been arrested for sodomy twice (even though same-sex affairs were often overlooked by the Florentine authorities). Perhaps most notable of these was Gian Giacomo Caprotti, nicknamed “Salai” -- meaning “Devil” -- by Da Vinci. Salai lived up to his nickname: he was a cheat and a thief, and Da Vinci had little reason not to send him packing save his personal connection with the young man. He spent nearly twenty years with Da Vinci and appeared as one of Da Vinci’s most frequent drawing subjects, with some art historians arguing that the “Mona Lisa” is, in fact, a composite of of Salai and a Florentine woman.

Da Vinci never showed much interest in women, either, even going so far as to proclaim his disgust of male-female intercourse in his notebooks. He did, however, keep himself surrounded by male assistants -- universally young and beautiful.

2. Eleanor Roosevelt

Despite being most immediately famous as Franklin Roosevelt’s wife, Eleanor’s relationship with her husband appeared to be a purely political alliance, with neither showing much romantic interest in the other. Instead, she preferred the company of a tight circle of female friends, a group that included several lesbian couples. She grew particularly close with Lorena Hickok after spending quite a bit of time with her in New York. The two exchanged nearly 4,000 letters, often permeated with romantic under(and over)tones, like the frequent exchange of the phrase “je t’aime et je t’adore” -- translated to mean “I love you and I adore you.”

3. William Shakespeare

Unbeknownst to many casual readers, several of Shakespeare’s most famous sonnets, including Sonnet 18 (beginning with “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day…”) were addressed to men. They were likely published without his approval and contain quite a bit of homoerotic subtext, often expressed through puns (as in Sonnet 52: “So is the time that keeps you as my chest, Or as the wardrobe which the robe doth hide, To make some special instant special blest, By new unfolding his imprisoned pride.” [“Pride” was an Elizabethan euphemism for an erect penis]). One commends the male subject to sleep with women, but give him his undying love.

4. Abraham Lincoln

Arguably the most nebulous on this list, Lincoln’s sexuality has long been debated by biographers and historians. As a young man, Lincoln frequently shared a bed with male colleagues -- not surprising, given the time period and his lack of wealth. This trend, however, allegedly continued even after he achieved wealth and renown, as he periodically shared a bed with Captain David Derickson when his wife (with whom his relationship was chilly at best) was away, with some reports of Derickson wearing Lincoln’s nightshirt.

Lincoln’s sexuality was really brought to the forefront when several letters -- albeit of stipulated authenticity -- detailing a sexual relationship between Lincoln and Joshua Speed were found under the floorboards of an old store they shared. However, an unambiguous correspondence between Lincoln and Speed shares many of the same affectionate undertones.

5. Virginia Woolf

Woolf’s affair with Vita Sackville-West is, at this point, rather famous. She first confessed to her sister, Vanessa Bell -- who was, for the time, quite accepting, expressing curiosity over rejection. She and Sackville-West kept up a written correspondence, with one letter even asking Sackville-West to “throw [her] man” and join her instead, and later readings of her diary revealed expressly romantic feelings toward Sackville-West.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

436
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

270
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

199203
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

20268
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments