2. Cloistered Queers
/In this episode, your hosts Gretchen and Leigh continue to examine the overlooked and underappreciated queer ladies, gents, and gentle-enbies in the unexplored corners of history by traveling to the cloisters of Medieval Europe. They’ll uncover unique views of sex and sexuality that made the practice of ‘brother making’ possible both within and outside the monastic community but also made it hard for medieval theologians to understand sex between women. Come slake your thirst for Jesus queer poems and love letters because guess what? There are lots of monks and nuns with a strong desire for “special friendship” with each other.
Outline
0:00 – Introduction
1:31 – Word of the Week: Adelphopoiesis and Affrerement
6:30 – What do you mean they’re not straight?
6:40 – Social Context: Medieval Views of Sex & Sodomy
10:15 – Social Context: Sex Between Women in the Middle Ages
26:00 – Social Context: Escaping Heteronormativity through Monastacism
33:35 – Homoeroticism Among Female Mystics
40:40 – The Lives and Love Letters/Poems of Gay Monks and Lesbian Nuns
1:10:00-1:19:21 – CONTENT WARNING for discussions of sexual violence
1:23:17 – How gay were they?
1:26:40 – Where to find us online
For a full list sources and bonus content for this episode, visit our Notes page!
