To celebrate LGBT History Month, we’ve gathered a list of some queer podcasts that teach us about some lesser-known queer history. When choosing your next listen, be sure to consider some of these podcasts full of fascinating LGBTQ+ history stories. From unsolved cases to queer villains and historical venues, this list has something for everyone.
Memories From The Dancefloor just launched this week! Hosted by Damian Kerlin, a Derry-born journalist, and publicist, this podcast celebrates the history of LGBTQ+ venues and the queer chaos, joy and community within them.
Whether their history has threads connected to the AIDS epidemic, trans inclusion, political undertows, or queer music, Damien will explore these venues through a series of first-hand accounts and on-the-ground reporting. Come meet the founders, party boys, dykes, and drag queens who lived and loved in these incredible spaces that, today, remain under threat.
Season 2 of Inside the Crime investigates the murder of Charles Self, an extraordinarily talented RTÉ set designer who was killed in his south Dublin home in 1982 when he was only 32 years old.
Born in England and raised in Scotland, Charles Self had settled well into his new life in Dublin. Homosexuality was classified as a crime in the 1980s, but Self was a familiar face around Dublin’s gay-friendly bars and was well-liked by those who knew him.
So many questions remain surrounding his death: Did he know his attacker? Was this a homophobic crime? And why has his murder remained unsolved? Listen to interviews with Charles’ friends and colleagues and a cold case team that delves into the sequence of events that happened on the night of the murder, as well as the investigation that followed.
As far as history podcasts go, The Log Books gives us one of the most intimate glimpses into LGBTQ+ life from decades ago. Since 1974, volunteers at Switchboard, the LGBTQ+ helpline, have written notes in the charity’s logbooks. Hosts Tash Walker and Adam Zmith are re-opening these pages today, to explore untold stories from Britain’s queer history.
Each episode explores a different logbook entry and dozens of voices describe their memories and have conversations about being queer today.
This podcast was also the recipient of the Best New Podcast (Gold) award at the British Podcast Awards 2020.
Making Gay History invites us to learn about the personal portraits of both known and long-forgotten LGBTQ+ champions, heroes, and witnesses to history brought to you from rare archival interviews.
The most recent episode shares a story about Kathleen Boatwright who fell in love with a woman in her staunchly anti-gay church. Things were particularly challenging considering that she had never before been in a relationship with a woman and she was married to a man with whom she shared four children.
Bad Gays is a podcast about the evil and complicated queers from history. Hosted by Huw Lemmey and Ben Miller, this podcast asks the question, “Why do we remember our heroes better than our villains?”
Together, they profile the amusing, disturbing, and fascinating queer villains whose lives have been overlooked as historical icons. From Alexander the Great to J. Edgar Hoover, the podcast explores everyone from emperors to criminals who have one thing in common: they all engaged in some form of same-sex or gender non-conforming behaviour that, in the context of today’s society, would label them as ‘gay’ or ‘queer’.
One From the Vaults is a podcast that explores trans history, from the dirt to the glamour. It is written and presented by Morgan M Page, a Canadian writer, performance, and video artist based in the UK.
Through extensive research and thoughtful commentary, Page explores the lives of trans people throughout history, highlighting both their struggles and their accomplishments.
Hoodrat To Headwrap
Hoodrat to Headwrap is hosted by sexuality educator and Black queer femme activist, Ericka Hart, alongside their partner Ebony Donnley – a writer, performance artist, and audio engineer.
Together, the two use their platform to explore a variety of topics that impact Black queer folx, with a specific focus on dismantling white supremacy and oppressive ideology.
Vintage Lesbians
Vintage Lesbians is queer podcasted hosted by two friends, Shan and Alison, who discuss a range of LGBTQ+ history with a particular focus on historical lesbians.
Their episodes cover figures from mid-century authors, to pop culture icons, and they reference LGBTQ+ history that travels all the way back to Sappho of Lesbos. They also have an important episode available with must-know information for allies and families of queer kids.
History is Gay
History is Gay is a monthly podcast where two self-described queer nerds challenge us to imagine a different world.
The hosts regularly ask the question: “How many queer kids would feel more empowered to live authentically and truthfully if they knew stories like their own in history?” Together they use their passion for social justice, LGBTQ+ history, and storytelling to examine the overlooked and under-appreciated queer ladies, gents, and gentle-enbies from the unexplored corners of history.
Queer as Fact is a podcast developed by four Melbourne-based queer people with a background in history and a passion for sharing queer stories. Together, they explore a variety of topics from around the world and examine their place in the wider context of queer history.
Their latest episode discusses how women became the backbone of the West African Dahomean army as well as two kinds of same-sex marriage!
Each season contains ten episodes, and their content is well-researched and covers a diverse range of topics every year. Each host has studied history, loves podcasts, and they even offer a pen pal program to connect fans with other LGBTQ+ history buffs!
Last but not least, this episode of the Dublin history podcast tells the story of Christopher Robson who personally took over two thousand photographs of Dublin Pride and gay rights activism in Ireland beginning in 1992.
Some of his work is now on display in the National Photographic Archive. His photography includes iconic Dublin faces like Thom McGinty – the Diceman – and a city in a time of transition and change.
These amazing podcasts delve into LGBTQ+ history in an educational and entertaining way, celebrating the queer community’s past and honouring all of the struggles that these historic heroes encountered along the way. Happy listening!
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