34: Super Special: Before We Were Trans (with Kit Heyam)

November 9, 2022

As soon as I read Kit Heyam’s new book “Before We Were Trans” I knew I had to try and get them on the podcast. And happy day, Kit agreed! We talk in this chat about the messiness of trans and queer history, women in sexy lady pants, the gender of hats, Njinga, Catalina de Erauso, Kristina of Sweden and MUCH MORE!

Learn more about Kit and their work at kitheyam.com and follow them on Twitter @krheyam

Purchase “Before We Were Trans” from bookshop.org

Also, as mentioned in the episode, some organizations to consider donating to in support of the women of Iran:

Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI)

Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran

Amnesty International

United for Iran

Support Vulgar History on Patreon

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Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History.

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33: Manuela Sáenz, part two

November 2, 2022

Doña Manuela Sáenz de Vergara y Aizpuru was the illegitimate daughter of Spanish nobility in Quito (in modern day Ecuador). Side by side with Simón Bolívar, she was instrumental in Spanish colonies emancipating themselves from Spain. Following Simón’s death, Manuela wound up with money problems in Perú. Since the 20th century, South American feminists have reclaimed her legacy and today, she is widely beloved all over South America as their beloved Manuelita.

Support Vulgar History on Patreon

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References:

Wikipedia

For Glory and Bolivar by Pamela S. Murray

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32: Manuela Sáenz, part one

October 26, 2022

Doña Manuela Sáenz de Vergara y Aizpuru was the illegitimate daughter of Spanish nobility in Quito (in modern day Ecuador). After a political awakening, she became involved in the patriot revolution seeking to emancipate South America from Spanish control. And that’s just the beginning.

Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter

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—

References:

Wikipedia

For Glory and Bolivar by Pamela S. Murray

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31: Lola Montez, part two (with Allison Epstein)

October 19, 2022

Part two of our exploration of Ireland’s most scandalous heroine covers the second part of Lola Montez’s life. Can’t mention any details here, it’s all best experienced as guest Allison Epstein (A Tip for the Hangman) did, by just vibing out while I tell the tale.

Learn more about Allison at allisonepstein.com and subscribe to Dirtbags Through The Ages at rapscallison.substack.com/

** I forgot to announce Lola’s total scandilicious score in the episode, scroll to the bottom of these notes to see what it is **

—

Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOUT10 for 10% off your order

References:

Wikipedia

The Irish History Podcast

Queens of the Mines podcast

Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast

The Lonely Empress by Joan Haslip

Lola Montez: A Life, by Bruce Seymour

https://decider.com/2021/02/19/dickinson-season-2-spider-dance-lola-montez-anna-baryshnikov-pico-alexander/

https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/montez-lola-4226

https://allthatsinteresting.com/lola-montez

** Lola Montez got a 23. Here is where that puts her on the overall scale:

Catalina de Erauso 23.5

Lola Montez 23

Boudica 23

Christopher Marlowe 22.5

Empress Sisi 21

–Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History: bookshop.org/shop/vulgarhistory

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30: Lola Montez, part one (with Allison Epstein)

October 11, 2022

Lola Montez is such a groundbreakingly dirtbaggy grifter and icon, we had to invite friend of the pod Allison Epstein (author of A Tip for the Hangman) to share this wildly bananas saga. The saga is truly internationale as well, as part one travels along with Lola from Ireland to India, England, Scotland, Spain, France, and finally Bavaria. And it’s just part one of two!! Enjoy!!

Learn more about Allison at allisonepstein.com and subscribe to Dirtbags Through The Ages at rapscallison.substack.com/

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Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOUT10 for 10% off your order

—

References:

Wikipedia

The Irish History Podcast

Stuff You Missed in History Slass podcast

The Lonely Empress by Joan Haslip

Lola Montez: A Life, by Bruce Seymour

https://decider.com/2021/02/19/dickinson-season-2-spider-dance-lola-montez-anna-baryshnikov-pico-alexander/

https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/montez-lola-4226

https://allthatsinteresting.com/lola-montez

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29: Queen Min, part two

October 5, 2022

In the second part of the saga of Queen Min, we see her extremely competently take control of the Joseon kingdom during a wildly chaotic period in time. China, Japan, Russia, and the US are all at play here and Min has to try and play them all off one another to try and prevent Joseon from falling to any. Meanwhile the father in law from hell, Daewongun, is STILL trying to get rid of her; some of her enemies realize they can manipulate her husband (the literal King) Gojong; she evades at least two major assassination attempts; she kind of rises from the dead; and does she let these things stop her; NO!! (until one of these things sadly does stop her; but does that let Gojong let that be the end of her story; NO!!!)

Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOUT10 for 10% off your order

References:

Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History

Tragic Facts About Queen Min, The Ghost Empress Of Korea

Queen Min was a rose hiding a deadly thorn. Born into a world of privilege and luxury, Min’s classic beauty covered up her incredible cunning. Korean courtiers watched as Min played a dangerous game of thrones, transforming herself from teenage consort into a terrifying ruler in her own right.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2015/10/323_70902.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_Myeongseong

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep_eIppXwT0&t=601s

https://legacyweb.philamuseum.org/doc_downloads/education/JoseonResourceBook.pdf

https://www.koreasociety.org/images/pdf/KoreanStudies/Curriculum_Materials/LessonbyTime/3_GoryeoJoseon/JoseonDynastyandWomensRights-CustomandLaw_Cerulo_Beth.pdf

https://www.thoughtco.com/the-joseon-dynasty-in-korea-195719

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_acUrSV0Bi0

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28: Queen Min, part one

September 28, 2022

This season’s internationale world trip heads to the Joseon Kingdom (modern-day Korea) in the late 19th century.

In part one of two, we meet the teenage girl (name unknown; I explain why in this episode) chosen to marry the teen Emperor because she had few connections and seemed easy to manipulate. AU CONTRAIRE, the woman known as Queen Min quickly proved herself to be more capable than anyone expected, least of all her arch-enemy, her father-in-law.

Reading recommendation: The Silence of Bones by June Hur

Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOUT10 for 10% off your order

References:

Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History

https://www.factinate.com/people/facts-queen-min/amp/

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2015/10/323_70902.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_Myeongseong

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep_eIppXwT0&t=601s

https://legacyweb.philamuseum.org/doc_downloads/education/JoseonResourceBook.pdf

https://www.koreasociety.org/images/pdf/KoreanStudies/Curriculum_Materials/LessonbyTime/3_GoryeoJoseon/JoseonDynastyandWomensRights-CustomandLaw_Cerulo_Beth.pdf

https://www.thoughtco.com/the-joseon-dynasty-in-korea-195719

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_acUrSV0Bi0

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27: Marguerite Steinheil (with Sarah Horowitz)

September 21, 2022

Marguerite Steinheil was a French woman in the 19th century who was embroiled in two pretty tabloid-adjacent deaths: the sex death of the French President, and then the gruesome murder of her husband and mother. She was THE moment in France when all this happened, but so many scandales happened later on that she’s been largely forgotten UNTIL NOW!!

Sarah Horowitz, this week’s guest, wrote a book all about Marguerite’s scandalicious life, called RED WIDOW: THE SCANDAL THAT SHOOK PARIS AND THE WOMAN BEHIND IT. Who better to share this story that Sarah herself! Learn more about Sarah and her book at sarahehorowitz.com

Purchase a copy of RED WIDOW from Bookshop, where a portion of the money supports Vulgar History, through this link: https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9781728226323

Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOUT10 for 10% off your order

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26: Empress Sisi, part three (with Lana Wood Johnson)

September 14, 2022

This week we get into the third act of Sisi’s life story which includes a LOT of horseback riding, a LOT of off the beaten path internationale tourism, the Mayerling Incident, and then her eventual legacy.

Content warning: suicide, grooming, murder 18:36-23:39

Learn more about Lana Wood Johnson at lanawoodjohnson.com

References:

Wikipedia

The Lonely Empress: Sisi of Austria by Joan Haslip (book from 1965, out of print)

The Reluctant Empress: A Biography of Empress Elisabeth of Austria by Brigitte Hamann (book from 1988, translated from German)

Sissi by Romy Schneider and Karlheinz Bohm from Taschen (pictures are amazing bio is not great)

The Hapsburgs: Embodying Empire by Andrew Wheatcroft (overview of Hapsburgs and useful family tree)

https://www.historytoday.com/archive/anorectic-empress-elisabeth-austria

https://www.history.com/news/the-tragic-austrian-empress-who-was-murdered-by-anarchists

https://historyofyesterday.com/the-tragedies-and-triumphs-of-sissis-sisters-1f08ce9df80b

https://metropole.at/5-things-about-elisabeth-sissi/

Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOUT10 for 10% off your order

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25: Empress Sisi, part two (with Lana Wood Johnson)

September 7, 2022

Last week was the set-up, this week we delve into Sisi’s whole deal. Again we’re joined by Lana Wood Johnson (author of Technically You Started It and Speak For Yourself), Sisi superfan. Learn more about Lana and her books at lanawoodjohnson.com

* Content warning: starting at 8:31, there is discussion of depression, anxiety, disordered eating, anorexia nervosa, and anorexia athletica. This content ends at 27:21.

Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOUT10 for 10% off your order

References:

Wikipedia

The Lonely Empress: Sisi of Austria by Joan Haslip (book from 1965, out of print)

The Reluctant Empress: A Biography of Empress Elisabeth of Austria by Brigitte Hamann (book from 1988, translated from German)

Sissi by Romy Schneider and Karlheinz Bohm from Taschen (pictures are amazing bio is not great)

The Hapsburgs: Embodying Empire by Andrew Wheatcroft (overview of Hapsburgs and useful family tree) https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9780140236347

https://www.historytoday.com/archive/anorectic-empress-elisabeth-austria

https://www.history.com/news/the-tragic-austrian-empress-who-was-murdered-by-anarchists

https://historyofyesterday.com/the-tragedies-and-triumphs-of-sissis-sisters-1f08ce9df80b

https://metropole.at/5-things-about-elisabeth-sissi/

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