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History is Gay is a podcast that examines the underappreciated and overlooked queer ladies, gents, and gentle-enbies that have always been there in the unexplored corners of history. Because history has never been as straight as you think.

www.historyisgaypodcast.com

Aug 15, 2020

Holy crap, y’all! It’s already AUGUST. Somehow this year has simultaneously lasted forever and also gone by way too quickly. We’re back in your podcatchers today with a new episode, this time introducing you all to the Godmother (or Gaymother, if you will) of Rock n’ Roll, the original stadium rockstar, and badass Black woman guitar virtuoso, Sister Rosetta Tharpe! Think Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry invented rock n’ roll? Think again! Sister Rosetta was shredding on guitar way before them, and it’s time she gets the credit she is due. She broke boundaries wherever she went, straddling the line between worldly and chaste, secular and gospel, and loved both men and women.

Our wonderful guest host for today’s episode is Aubree Calvin- writer, professor, and podcast host! You can learn more about Aubree and her freelance writing at her website  www.aubreecalvin.com, and check out her brand new podcast Southern Queeries, all about LGBTQ life in the South!

0:00 – Introduction
3:49 – Main Topic: Sister Rosetta Tharpe
6:12 – Socio-Historical Context
12:44: – Who were they? Bio Time.
37:46 – An Aside: Rosetta's Guitar & Singing Style
1:05:40 – Why do we think they're gay? 
1:17:15 – Word of the Week
1:22:33 – Main Takeaways and Final Conclusions
1:25:06 – How Gay were They?
1:26:55 – Closing and Where to Find us Online

Want to help us continue to make the show? Support us on Patreon and get awesome goodies, behind-the-scenes access, special minisodes, and more! You can get super cool merch in our store! Shirts, hoodies, totes, and other neat things.

Currently, all proceeds from Patreon and our store that aren't being put towards production costs are going to The Okra Project, a collective that provides free, healthy meals to Black trans people wherever they can reach them. 

If you’d like to help us transcribe the show for our d/Deaf and hard of hearing fans, please head on over to www.historyisgaypodcast.com/transcribe to join the team of volunteers!

Find our full list of sources and bonus content at www.historyisgaypodcast.com. Get at us on twitter @historyisgaypod, tumblr at historyisgaypodcast, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Don't forget to rate and review so more folks can see the show!