The Great Gays
Violence against LGBTQIA+ community has been persistent and overwhelming for hundreds of years. Even though the first queer figures were seen thousands of years ago and helped establish the world we know today, prejudice against the queer community is ingrained in society. What bigots today do not realize, however, is that the Bible they know, the patriotic songs they love, and stories they grew up on were created by members of the queer community.
Although homosexual relationships were somewhat common in the times of Alexander the Great, it is still a little known fact that Alexander was gay. Alexander the Great was known for his incredible expansion of Macedon, establishing absolute monarchy among the Greco-Romans, and being one of the most revered leaders of all time (Manchester Historian). Additionally, he was known for being epithet, or woman-like (Manchester Historian). Counter to society’s expectation, one of the worlds most powerful people of all time was an androgynous, queer man.
The queer community has also impacted influential songs. America has a few favorite songs: “The National Anthem”, “America the Beautiful”, and “Single Ladies.” These songs evoke feelings of national pride and love for America and its culture. While Francis Scott Key and Beyonce, as far as we know, are not part of the queer community, Katehrine Lee Bates was. In the early 1890s, Bates traveled the West coast and crafted the poem “America the Beautiful” (The Boston Globe). This poem quickly gained popularity, and in the 1910s, it was put to music (The Boston Globe). Since that time, America has used this song as a source of pride, in more ways than we thought.
Along with Alexander, Frederick the Great was another queer king. Frederick, the King of Prussia, saw himself as an Enlightened king (Frederick the Great (1712-1786)). This may be true by the modern sense of “Enlightened” (progressive), but whether or not this was true of the time is up for debate. Frederick, the overseer of some of the bloodiest wars in history, was undoubtedly queer. It was confirmed through his letters with Voltaire, that he participated in “gay culture”, and Voltaire seemingly did as well (Frederick the Great (1712-1786)).
James the I and IV (one person), is overwhelmingly famous for his work reforming the church. One of the biggest arguments of the time was regarding the legitimacy of the church, so James ensured that the clergy and the episcopacy were well educated (Encyclopedia). However, arguably his most famous “policy” was his translation of the Bible into the incredibly popular “King James'' version (Encyclopedia). Additionally, James was not shy about his private life, and was known for having men frequently come to and from his home (Sarah). The irony is that many people take issue with homosexuality because they interpret the Bible as “condemning it,” however the man who helped allow access to the Bible they read, was gay.
The number of famous, powerful, and impactful people who were a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, whether closeted or out, are too many to name. People’s capabilities, successes, and intelligence are never a result of strictly their sexuality, race, ethnicity, gender, sex, etc. Peoples’ successes are a result of their experiences and hard work, and occasionally luck. It is foolish to limit someone's success or potential for success by how they identify, and it is important to be mindful of these stereotypes that negatively impact marginalized communities.
Works Cited
Appendix B: LGBTQ Historical Figures. Learning for Justice. (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/publications/
best-practices-for-serving-lgbtq-students/appendix-b-lgbtq-historical-figures
The Boston Globe. (2015, June 30). A gay feminist badass from Massachusetts wrote 'America the beautiful'. Boston.com. Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://www.boston.com/culture/entertainment/2015/06/30/a-gay-feminist-badass-from-massachusetts-wrote-
Encyclopedia.com. (2022, December 5). ." Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the early modern world. . encyclopedia.com. 29 Nov. 2022 . Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/james-i-and-vi-england-and-scotland-1566-1625
Frederick the Great (1712-1786) - glbtqarchive.com. (n.d.). Retrieved December 5, 2022, from http://www.glbtqarchive.com/ssh/frederick_great_S.pdf
Historian, T. M. (2021, April 29). Alexander the Great: LGBT icon? by Alexandra Birch. Manchester Historian. Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://manchesterhistorian.com/2021/alexander-the-great-lgbt-icon-by-alexandra-birch/
Sarah. (2022, February 9). Queer Kings & Queens: Was james I & VI gay? History in the (Re)Making. Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://thehistoricalnovel.com/2022/02/09/queer-kings-queens-was-james-i-vi-gay/