4. Bulldaggers and Lady Lovers

In this episode, your hosts Leigh & Gretchen take a stroll
down Jungle Alley and bring you stories of the vibrant black
lesbian and gay subculture of the Harlem Renaissance and the
blues legends who sang of its glory. With wild parties, bathtub
gin, clandestine orgies, and crooning bulldaggers, the lesbian
and bisexual blues legends of the 1920s and 1930s were definitely
not as straight as you think.



Outline


0:00 – Introduction
3:46 – The Harlem Renaissance, Cultural Context, and the Language
We Used
10:42 – Bio Time!: Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Bessie Smith, Gladys
Bentley, Ethel Waters (& Ethel Williams), Alberta Hunter,
& Lucille Bogan
39:13  – What Do You Mean They're Not Straight?
39:28  – Evidence from Historical/Cultural Context: Queer
subculture & performance in Harlem nightlife
44:06  – Word(s) of the Week: Rent Party & Buffet
Flat
48:56  – Evidence from Their Personal Lives &
Music
1:04:41  – Pop Culture Tie-In: Bessie (2015)
1:05:29  – Takeaways
1:07:55  – How Gay Were They?
1:08:31  – Closing and Where to Find Us Online


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