Why did 200 people queue to give blood in the San Diego summer heat on 16 July 1983? During the AIDS crisis, many people living with HIV developed severe anaemia as a result of the disease and the treatments available at the time, leaving them dependent on regular blood transfusions. But where would the blood come from, especially with gay men being turned away from donating? In this episode, we're exploring one of the most inspiring examples of solidarity between lesbians and gay men in modern ...
Jun 30, 2026•44 min•Ep. 438
Marlene Dietrich was unapologetic in her love of sex, and she had a lot of it. She took Hollywood by storm in the 1930s and slept with some of tinsel town's most famous men and women. What made her so unique and create such a legacy? As a sexually liberated German woman what did the Nazis make of her? And did she really sleep with JFK and his father?! This is the final instalment of our mini-series, Supersluts of History , where we're exploring and celebrating women whose sexuality was used to d...
Jun 26, 2026•49 min•Ep. 437
Why on earth would anyone make a perilous journey across wilderness and snow covered mountains, all because of a bit of gold? This isn't Lord of the Rings, it's the Klondike Gold Rush, when an estimated hundred thousand people made the journey across Alaska to goldfields in the Klondike region, Canada. Among them, women. But why did women make this journey? How much of their work was sex work? Kate is joined by Brian Castner for this episode about life in the Alaskan Gold Rush. Brian is the auth...
Jun 23, 2026•39 min•Ep. 436
Mata Hari was a dancer and courtesan who was executed in 1917 for being a spy during the First World War. How did she get involved in such dangerous business? Was she really a mastermind spy who used her sexuality to gain intelligence? Or a scapegoat whose sexuality was used against her? In our new mini-series, Supersluts of History , we're exploring and celebrating women whose sexuality was used to define them. Joining Kate today is Professor Julie Wheelwright , author of The Fatal Lover: Mata ...
Jun 19, 2026•55 min•Ep. 435
Has Burlesque always meant the same thing? Where did it come from? And how has it changed? Kate is joined by Dr Marissa Vigneault, Associate Professor of Art History at Utah State University, to find out more about how burlesque has become the art form it is today. This episode was edited by Tim Arstall. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sig...
Jun 16, 2026•53 min•Ep. 434
Madam du Barry's life was remarkable: from rags, to riches, to... revolution. And she pi**ed off Marie Antoinette along the way, too. How did this courtesan from a poor background make it to be royal mistress in Versailles? How did the French Revolution impact her? And what her 'special talents' that attracted King Louis XV? In our new mini-series, we're exploring and celebrating women whose sexuality was used to define them. Joining Kate today is historian and author Professor Christine Adams, ...
Jun 12, 2026•46 min•Ep. 433
What really went down in the Garden of Eden? Was there an apple? Was there a snake? Was the 'original sin' all that bad? To answer these questions and more, Kate is joined by Dr Dylan Johnson, biblical scholar and historian of the Ancient Near East at Cardiff University. His most recent publication is 'Lawgiving in the ancient Near East'. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.c...
Jun 09, 2026•44 min•Ep. 432
In this new mini-series, we're exploring and celebrating women whose sexuality was used to define them. First up is Roman Empress Theodora. How did "Theodora from the brothels", as she was known, rise to be the most powerful woman across the Roman Empire? Joining Kate today is author Stella Duffy, to take us back to the 6th century and help us get to know Theodora's incredible story. This episode was edited by Tim Arstall. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. S...
Jun 05, 2026•40 min•Ep. 431
Sex in the distant past is often thought about with all the fun taken out of it. Pleasure must have been a part of the sex lives of women and men in the past, so what evidence do we have to back this up? What evidence of queer sex and attraction is there? And how did the Victorians try to cover up sex and pleasure in Ancient Greece and Rome? Joining Kate today is the wonderful historian and author Jean Menzies, whose new book explores all of this and more. *TW: sexual violence discussed at the s...
Jun 02, 2026•45 min•Ep. 430
How do you not only lose your own reputation and career, but also tank the reputation and freedoms of your entire industry? Today we’re exploring the first real Hollywood scandal, when actor Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle was accused of assault and manslaughter. Though he was acquitted in court, Arbuckle nearly lost everything. In recent years it has been argued that this was unfair, but we aren't so sure. Kate finds out more in this episode with author and film critic Mick LaSalle. This episode was ed...
May 29, 2026•41 min•Ep. 429
It’s got many names: giving head, going down, eating out, dining at the Y, muff diving. Why has cunnilingus been stigmatised and feared so consistently throughout history?! When the Kama Sutra is turning its back on it, you know something is up. Today is a special solo episode where Kate takes you through the history of cunnilingus, to find out why this sex act has been so insulting, demonised and feared. This episode a special celebration of Kate's new book, Flick: The Story of Female Pleasure ...
May 26, 2026•31 min•Ep. 428
Who was Lettice Knollys? And why was she expelled from Elizabeth I's court? Kate is joined by Estelle Paranque in this episode to find out how a man came between loving cousins, and explore whether getting with your friend's crush has EVER been acceptable. This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up ...
May 22, 2026•37 min•Ep. 427
There will be giggling and gasping galore! And that's just when you listen to this episode! Dan Snow quizzes Kate on all things female pleasure. When was the first recorded female orgasm? Has there always been an orgasm gap? And is there any possibility of it closing? Kate's new book is 'FLICK: The Story of Female Pleasure'. This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original docum...
May 19, 2026•35 min•Ep. 426
What do you have to do wrong to be specifically named in a law? In the 14th Century, one of the mistresses of King Edward III found out. So who was Alice Perrers? Kate is joined by the one and only Eleanor Janega to find out how Alice rose to power, and what brought her down? Eleanor is one of the hosts of our sister podcast, Gone Medieval, and the author of 'The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women's Roles in Society'. This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Sophie ...
May 15, 2026•54 min•Ep. 425
Has there ever been a time when homophobia did not exist? And what causes it to rise and fall? Kate is joined by Dr. Harry Tanner, author of 'The Queer Thing About Sin: Why the West Came to Hate Queer Love'. Harry has been exploring ancient and biblical sources to find out where homophobia began, and why it seems to intensify in times of inequality. This episode was edited by Tim Arstall. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of ho...
May 12, 2026•48 min•Ep. 424
What do we know about Jesus? Kate is joined for this episode by Professor of Christian Origins, Helen Bond, to find out more about the historical record for the events of the New Testament, why Jesus was persecuted, and who by. Helen is Professor of Christian Origins at the University of Edinburgh, and co-hosts the Biblical Time Machine Podcast. This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of ho...
May 08, 2026•49 min•Ep. 423
What you'll hear in today's episode is a story that strikes to the dark heart of the British Empire. Despite being set in the time of Jane Austen's early 19th century polite society, Princess Caraboo's strange tale makes her an instant celebrity. But how much of it, if any, is true? Where does it lead? And what happens when the truth is a lot darker than the lie? Joining Kate today is the wonderful Dr. Maddy Pelling, co-host of After Dark and author of Hoax: Truth and Lies in the Age of Enlighte...
May 05, 2026•50 min•Ep. 422
When the British Empire colonised India, how did it treat their different ideas about sex? How did they treat sex workers like the Devadasi, meaning 'slave of God'? And did the Victorians fetishise Indian sexuality? Joining Kate today is the magnificent Anjali Arondekar, Professor of Feminist Studies at the University of California, and author of For the Record: On Sexuality and the Colonial Archive in India . This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The seni...
May 01, 2026•52 min•Ep. 421
Faces covered, identities unknown - masquerade balls sound like a place of anonymity and, therefore, SCANDAL. But how true is this in the 18th Century? Could people sneak in unrecognised like they do in Bridgerton? And how much would people be misbehaving inside? Kate is joined for this particular dance by Dr Meghan Kobza, author of 'Masquerade: Unmasking Georgian London'. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. ...
Apr 28, 2026•45 min•Ep. 420
In today's episode we're taking you back to the brothels of 19th century St. Petersburg. Sex work was legalised under the Emperor Nicholas I, but what was life like for sex workers? Why did they have to carry yellow tickets? And why did sex work there differ to the rest of Europe? Joining Kate today is Dr. Colleen Lucey, Associate Professor of Russian and Slavic Studies at the University of Arizona, to take us back to Imperial Russia to find out. This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The p...
Apr 24, 2026•46 min•Ep. 419
Was Sappho queer? Or was this Ancient Greek poet just really really good friends with women? Today on Betwixt the Sheets, Kate is joined by Katherine Horgan to find out how Sappho's poetry has lasted through the centuries, what we can really know about her life, and why she is important in the modern world? Katherine is researching classical reception in Early Modern English Literature at Harvard, and will be taking on a professorship at Sarah Lawrence later this year. This episode was edited by...
Apr 21, 2026•42 min•Ep. 418
Where the American War of Independence raged, the camp followers...followed. Among them were sex workers, for both the American and British troops. What was life like inside army camps where sex workers mixed with wives, soldiers and generals? How did race and slavery factor into sex and sexuality in this time? And how did each side view queerness in the camps? Joining Kate today is the wonderful historian and author, Professor John McCurdy, to take us back to this time. This episode was edited ...
Apr 17, 2026•41 min•Ep. 417
Sadism - the derivation of pleasure from inflicting pain, suffering and humiliation on others - is named after this man. So what exactly did he do? Kate is joined by journalist and author Joel Warner to discuss the Marquis de Sade, an 18th Century French aristocrat who committed a multitude of crimes, yet survived three distinct political regimes and decades of imprisonment. Joel is the author of ‘The Curse of the Marquis De Sade’, and managing editor at 'The Lever'. This episode was edited by H...
Apr 14, 2026•45 min•Ep. 416
The Moulin Rouge opened its doors in 1889, at the height of the Belle Epoch - 'the Beautiful Age'. Its famous windmill structure stood on the fringes of Paris, where intellectuals and artists mixed with thugs and criminals in a hedonistic neighbourhood. What really went on inside the Moulin Rouge? Why was there a giant elephant in the garden? And did sex workers really solicit business while riding donkeys?! Joining Kate today is the wonderful Mike Rapport, author of ‘City of Light, City of Shad...
Apr 10, 2026•37 min•Ep. 415
What is a mermaid? Do sirens, selkies and Aquaman fit into this category? And how far back in history do they go? Kate is joined by Diane Purkiss to discuss the Little Mermaid, both the Disney and Hans Christian Anderson versions, and more! Professor Diane Purkiss is a Fellow and Tutor of English at Keble College, Oxford. She specialises in Renaissance and women's literature, witchcraft and the English Civil War. This episode was edited by Tim Arstall. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior pro...
Apr 07, 2026•43 min•Ep. 414
Storyville was the red-light district in New Orleans, created in 1897. What was it like in this neighbourhood, and inside the brothels there? How was race and segregation a factor in Storyville? And what triggered the downfall of Storyville? Joining Kate today is the wonderful Dr. Alecia P. Long, Professor of History at Louisiana State University, to take us back to this time and place. This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy C...
Apr 03, 2026•51 min•Ep. 413
Was there really a boom in sex trafficking at the end of the 19th century? What was 'white slavery'? And how often did the traffickers get caught? Kate is joined by Dr Julia Laite for this episode. Julia is a historian at Birkbeck, University of London, and the author of 'The Disappearance of Lydia Harvey'. This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a n...
Mar 31, 2026•47 min•Ep. 412
Charlie Chaplin had an extraordinary life: from the workhouses of Victorian London to the glamorous films sets of Hollywood's Golden Age. He revolutionised the art form, but he wasn't without his scandals. So much so that he was monitored by the FBI and eventually exiled from America. Joining Kate today is Charlie Chaplin expert Dr. Lisa Stein Haven, Professor of English at Ohio University Zanesville, to help us find out more about the man and his controversies. This episode was edited by Hannah...
Mar 27, 2026•43 min•Ep. 411
Marie Antoinette went to her death as one of the most hated people in the world, but in recent years she has inspired millions with her style. How did she become such a contradiction? For this episode, Kate and the Betwixt team went out and about, specifically to the V&A Museum in London. There, Kate met Dr Sarah Grant, curator of the exhibition 'Marie Antoinette Style', about the life of Marie Antoinette, just how much she spent on her clothes and jewelry, and how this may have led to her d...
Mar 24, 2026•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 410
Nearly 100 years ago, films in Hollywood were so much sexier and shocking than you might think they were. One of the most shocking things was how empowered and sexual women were in those films. Who were these women? And what are the scandalous reasons behind the censorship that came in? Joining Kate to tell her about these incredible women is journalist and author Mick LaSalle. This episode was edited by Tim Arstall. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. Sign up...
Mar 20, 2026•49 min•Ep. 409
