New Abraham Lincoln documentary indicates historic president was queer
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Could Abraham Lincoln have been both America’s greatest president and a queer man? A new documentary suggests that the answer is yes.
‘Lover of Men: The Untold History of Abraham Lincoln’, released in theatres on September 6, seeks to be the definitive documentary on Lincoln’s sexuality. It features excerpts of revealing language in letters and includes insights from several scholars of Lincoln and experts on the history of sexuality, focusing particularly on the 19th century.
The scholars in the film argue that Lincoln, who guided the nation through the Civil War, faced an identity crisis throughout his life. He married to advance politically at the time but also had intimate relationships with men. (The film is unrelated to Oh, Mary!, the current Broadway play portraying Lincoln as a closeted gay man.)
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Lincoln’s sexuality might have been more widely acknowledged during his lifetime than today. “In the 19th century, people were very aware that Lincoln slept with men, and it wasn’t considered shocking,” says John Stauffer, a professor featured in the film.
As ‘Time’ reports, the documentary outlines the case for Lincoln’s intimate relationships with men and explores why this scholarship isn’t more widely recognised.
Lincoln’s first romantic interest is believed to be Billy Greene, who tutored him in grammar when Lincoln moved to New Salem, Illinois, in 1831 at 22. They shared a bed for 18 months, and Greene once described Lincoln’s “thighs were as perfect as a human being could be” in a letter.
Scholars in the film argue Lincoln’s soulmate was Joshua Speed, who owned a general store in Springfield, Illinois. When Lincoln moved there in 1837 as a young lawyer searching for materials to build a bed, he ended up sharing one with Speed for four years, even when financially able to live independently.
Letters between them are cited as evidence of their physical and emotional intimacy. “No two men were ever more intimate,” Speed said of their relationship. William Herndon, Lincoln’s law partner, and even Lincoln’s son, Robert Todd Lincoln, later used the word “intimate” regarding Lincoln’s relationship with Speed. Lincoln often ended letters to Speed with “Yours Forever.”
According to Stauffer, who has written about these correspondences, Lincoln “had a homosexual relationship with Joshua Speed.”
However, the relationship did not endure because, as scholars suggest, Lincoln needed to marry to establish a political career. In 1842, he married Mary Todd Lincoln, from a prominent family.
“There’s no evidence that Mary Todd knew about Lincoln’s intimate relationship with Joshua Speed,” explains Stauffer. “It wasn’t uncommon for prominent men to have carnal relations with other men and still maintain a happy marriage.”
The documentary asserts that Lincoln continued relationships with other men after his marriage and throughout his presidency. In 1861, he became particularly close to a soldier named Elmer Ellsworth, calling him “the greatest little man I ever met.” Lincoln intervened twice with the war department to promote Ellsworth to colonel, surpassing several qualified West Point graduates. Ellsworth was fatally shot on May 24, 1861, which left Lincoln “inconsolable,” a reaction deemed unusual for a president regarding a young officer.
In 1862, while retreating to a cottage near the White House, where he drafted the Emancipation Proclamation, sources noted that he was sharing a bed with his bodyguard, David Derickson. A letter from Virginia Woodbury Fox on November 16, 1862, documented a particularly devoted soldier sleeping with Lincoln. A regiment history further noted Derickson shared Lincoln’s bed and nightshirt in Mary Todd Lincoln’s absence. Presidential historian Thomas Balcerski argues Lincoln’s relationships with Ellsworth and Derickson likely helped him cope with Civil War tragedies.
One reason for the lack of discussion about Lincoln's sexuality is the 20th-century taboo against homosexuality. Eugenics gained popularity, homosexuality was labeled a mental disorder, religious leaders condemned it as sin, and states criminalised homosexual relationships until laws were gradually repealed in the 1960s.
Despite this, letters between Speed and Lincoln have been housed in the Library of Congress for decades. LGBTQ+ history scholars began discussing Lincoln’s sexuality in the 1970s, aligned with a new LGBTQ+ movement. “As the gay liberation movement started, there was scholarly interest in identifying gay figures in history,” says Balcerski.
Important works on the subject include J’onathan Ned Katz’s Love Stories: Sex Between Men Before Homosexuality’ (2003) and C.A. Tripp’s The Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln (2005). Tripp’s book was featured in a TIME cover story about new Lincoln research in July 4, 2005. The magazine noted that it was common for men to share beds in the mid-19th century, with no necessary identity attached to the practice.
While some might not find the notion of Lincoln as queer surprising, the documentary’s release comes amid red states passing anti-trans laws and banning books featuring openly queer characters. Stauffer points out that timing is ideal for the documentary, as sexuality has become “an important aspect of culture, influencing politics, education, and daily life.” The internet has enabled LGBTQ+ individuals to connect globally and navigate through societal changes.
Filmmakers hope accepting Lincoln’s potential queerness will foster broader acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. Balcerski advises against labelling Lincoln, but acknowledges, “we can say that Lincoln's love included men.”
Read related myGwork articles here:
Will Ferrell’s documentary with trans best friend is coming to Netflix
New York Times Admits Former Mayor Ed Koch Was Gay Nine Years After His Death
The World’s First Openly Gay Prince Was Subjected To Shock Therapy To ‘Cure’ Him Of His Sexuality
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