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Scandal Sheets is coming back on November 1st! Scandal Sheets is the podcast that explores the infamous people and places of the past. In every episode, hosts Caroline and Adrienne discuss a historical scandal along with the people and places associated with it. Tune in for our themed 5 episode seasons starting November 1st!
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Why did kings and queens have spectators on their wedding night? Who had the very first boob job? And did our ancestors have their unmentionables pierced? Join historian, Kate Lister, Betwixt the Sheets as she unashamedly roots around the topics which seem to have been skipped in history class. Everything from landmark LGBTQ+ court cases, to political scandal, to downright bizarre medieval cures for impotence. The etymology of swear words, gender bias in medicine, and satanic panic and cults ...
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Elvis Presley embraced sexuality from the start. Rock n roll was not tame music, and neither were his early performances. So much so that he was nicknamed Elvis 'the pelvis' after early TV performances. But were his personal relationships and relationship with sexuality like? How did his relationship with his mother influence him? And how was his r…
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If there’s one thing you’ll find out from this episode, it’s that the Ancient Greeks were better at philosophy than gynaecology. Struggling to conceive? You might be given a stuffed dead puppy to provoke fertility. Helping Kate make sense of Ancient Greek gynaecology today is Helen King, author of Hippocrates' Woman: Reading the Female Body in Anci…
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The Aztec Empire might conjure up images of human sacrifice. And whilst religious violence was part of their society, theirs was also a very egalitarian society where pleasure was valued and sexuality was an unashamed part of every day life. How was queerness perceived and represented in this period? What sexual freedoms did they enjoy? And what pa…
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What is the origin of the word fetish? How did the war play a part in shaping fetishwear? And what are some of the styles that are most enjoyed? Kink and fetish scenes have been a part of society for years, and the clothing that participants wear is often very specific, and a key part of what makes them, well, effective. It’s a fascinating history,…
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The word drag is synonymous with flamboyant, fun performances. But where does the term come from and what does it mean? This more modern story of playing with gender identity’s dates back to the 1870s, and it’s a history that takes in the wars, censorship and fears. Heaven forbid! Taking us through this fascinating history of drag as we know it tod…
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King James I was a man whose sexuality was known by people in France, let alone (the newly formed) Britain of the early 17th century. So it may come as no surprise that men, such as the handsome George Villiers, might use their sexuality to their advantage and gain status, money and power whilst romancing the king. Helping Kate explore the sex and …
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We think we know the Vikings, but how well do we really know them? From the insignia we think they wear, to the names they call themselves and the way they spoke to each other, there's a lot to uncover. Joining Kate today is Dr. Caitlin Ellis, historian and Associate Professor at the University of Oslo, to take us back to this world and find out mo…
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Of all the taboo topics covered on Betwixt the Sheets, this one might make you wince the most. But it cannot be denied that poo and our management of it through history has massively shaped human civilisation. What are the evolutionary reasons why we're so repulsed? What would happen if you came across the Aztec poo goblin? And what does the future…
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We've been fascinated by royalty for hundreds of years, but what do we know about their sex lives? Quite a lot, it turns out. Today we're revisiting an episode Kate recorded with bestselling author Eleanor Herman to find out about what it took to not just be a mistress of a royal, but keep competitors at bay, too. This episode was edited by Tom Del…
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Whilst ballet is undoubtedly one of the most graceful and elegant art forms, it also has a long and dark history of sexual exploitation. How did King Louis XIV's love of the ballet fundamentally change it? What was the patronage system and how did dancers use it to their advantage? And who were some of the female pioneers who embraced sexuality wit…
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Abraham Lincoln is often thought of as the most loved president in America's history, but how much do we know about his personal life? Furthermore, how much do we know about his sexuality, and the potential he might have been gay? Joining Kate today are Callie Hawkins and Joan Cummins, who work at Lincoln Cottage, where he lived for over a quarter …
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This is the story of one of the most notorious women of the Ancient world. Phrynne was a sex worker in the 4th century BC who came from an impoverished background to be one of the most talked about, and wealthiest, women in Greece. What do we know about her remarkable life? Was it true that by exposing her breasts in court, she was acquitted from a…
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The Vikings have a fair claim to being the most overly-eroticised group of people in history. It's fair to say this is somewhat reductive. What forms did sexuality take in Viking society? How was magic a part of their understandings of sexuality? And what were their attitudes to sexual violence? Joining Kate today to tell us more is Marianne Hem Er…
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Whether it's a declaration of love, anger or rebellion against the government, graffiti can give us incredible insight into the social history of everyday people. By the 18th century it's recognised by authorities a serious social problem and a threat to their positions of power. How was graffiti used to fuel political unrest? How was it used to ai…
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How did a peasant girl go on to lead French armies at the age of 17? To mark International Women's Day on March 8th, Kate's joined by Eleanor Janega, co-host of sister podcast Gone Medieval, to explore the life of the formidable Joan of Arc. How did her visions of saving France from the English play a part in her life? Why was it significant that s…
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Come with us back to Renaissance England, when writers were playing with ideas of sexuality in interesting ways. How much of a filth bag was Shakespeare? How did he play with the ideas of power dynamics for pleasure in his plays? And what were other writers doing to explore non-traditional ideas of sex, fantasy and desire? Joining Kate today are Jo…
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Despite lawmakers best efforts, sex work has been around for since record began...and will certainly go back even further. We often explore the history of sex work in Europe, but what history does this huge industry have in America? How did the colonisation of America and the slave trade impact and shape it? And how did sex workers and brothels hel…
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She's the warrior queen who took on the mighty Roman Empire, but who really was Boudica? Separating facts from the myths we've read can be tricky, but thankfully Kate is joined by the wonderful Emma Southon, author of A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women, to find out the truth and explore our most reliable sources. What happened when Boudica l…
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If you've seen the film Braveheart, you might have certain expectations about the real history of William Wallace. Separating fact from fiction can be tricky, but what do we really know about this iconic Scot, and the supposed relationships that sparked his rebellion against the English? Today Kate is joined by author and host of Gone Medieval, Ele…
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The origins of the modern sex doll are shrouded in myth. Some say they came from crafty sailors in the 18th century, a long way from home and in need of, ahem, company. In today's episode, Kate is joined by Bo Ruberg, author of Sex Dolls At Sea: Imagined Histories of Sexual Technologies to uncover the truth. How were early sex dolls used to smuggle…
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Medieval England was not subtle. Take sex work, for example. You knew exactly where to go, because the streets were labelled accordingly. Cokkes Lane, anyone? Not only that, but the areas were sanctioned by a Bishop. Yes, you read that correctly. Ever wondered how sex work was viewed in Medieval times? Were attitudes more progressive then than they…
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What do Alexa, Adolf and Karen have in common? They're all names that have plummeted in popularity. The most recent, Karen, is largely due to the meme-powered phenomenon of calling out white privilege by calling someone a 'Karen'. What is the history of calling out privilege in this way? Is this a force for good, or has it become sexist? Today Kate…
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What happened when medieval monks were told by the church that they had to be celibate? And how did their wives react? On today's episode, we're joined by Katherine Harvey, historian and author of The Fires of Lust: Sex in the Middle Ages, to take us back to the middle ages and answer the question: what was sex like in medieval times? This episode …
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Joining us today is writer, actor and all-round Charles Dickens superfan Miriam Margolyes. You might be familiar with Dickens' hugely popular stories and characters, but what influence did the women in his life have on them? Having written and starred in the play, Dickens Women, Miriam knows better than most the complicated relationships he had in …
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What comes to mind when you think of a neanderthal? Probably a hunched, hairy, grunting version of a man who’s shuffling around his cave some 40,000 years ago. How accurate is this reputation? What were their sex lives like? And how much did they go back to the caves of us Homo sapiens? Joining us is to explore the life and sex of neanderthals, is …
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How sexually depraved were the Romans? Whilst they were a civlised, stoic and innovative bunch, they were also a promiscuous bunch with very questionable morals. Joining us today is friend of the show Emma Southon, author of A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women. How did the Romans view incest? What fate awaited the Vestal Virgins? And what wen…
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How did the Ancient Egyptians differ from us? In many ways they did, but in terms of sexuality, perhaps not so much. As we’ll find out, they were certainly partial to a filthy poem. Taking us on a journey back to this ancient world is Egyptologist Sarah Parcak. Amongst other things, she talks us through the Turin Papyrus - possibly the oldest depic…
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How did an 18th century working class farm labourer climb the social ladder to become the most beloved poet Scotland has produced? By the time he died aged just 37, he had taken the country by storm with his romantic verse and was welcomed into the bosom of Edinburgh high society gentlemen clubs. Another side of Robert Burns' work was his bawdy wor…
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Most people would assume that the Kamasutra is a book of hundreds of fantastical sex positions. They would partly be right, but mostly wrong! Sex is a small part of this ancient text, which includes fascinating insights into 3rd century Indian culture. It also includes some extremely modern-sounding advice on how to dump a boring husband. What happ…
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How real to true events is the Outlander series? The Jacobite uprising of the 18th century was led by Bonnie Prince Charlie to reclaim the thrown of Great Britain for the Stuarts. Recruiting Highland clans along the way, they put up a good fight. Anyone who's followed the series will know how brutal it could be, but what really happened? Did Prince…
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Was he as great in bed as he was at conquering the Persian empire? Whether he even had time for it, is another question. In today's episode, we're revisiting a conversation Kate had with History Hit's Tristan Hughes, host of our sister podcast The Ancients. What did young Alexander learn from his dad's charming ways? Did he take both male and femal…
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Have you ever wondered where the &%@! swear words come from? Well today, Kate is going Betwixt the Sheets to find out. Linguist legend Deborah Cameron is back on the podcast to tell us more about the history of some of your favourite curse words. From the f-word and the c-word, to nicknames for nether regions; we're looking at the etymology of thes…
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Going back hundreds of thousands of years, bumping uglies had to start somewhere. What was the first sexual position? Was sex even for pleasure at this stage of evolution? On today's episode we're going right the way back to the beginning, and talking to Professor John Long, the palaeontologist and author who discovered the fossils which showed us …
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Perhaps without you realising it, history is marked by iconic body parts. From Frida Khalo’s monobrow, to Queen Victoria's swollen armpit, and let's not forget Napoleon's penis. That one alone has had quite a posthumous life. What amazing stories do they tell us of the people they belonged to? What trends did they spark? And is there any truth to t…
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Haiti was under French colonial rule in 1791 when the revolution began, resulting in the largest and most successful slave revolt in modern history. It's a compelling story that deserves to be heard, and one with some incredible women at the heart of it. Who were they? How did the island's vodou ceremonies help galvanise the cause? And what is thei…
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There had been sex manuals for hundreds of years, but by the 20th century they were quite underground. That is, until the Joy of Sex was released in 1972. It was a revolutionary book about sex, and sold over 12 million copies. Who was the man behind it? His name, aptly, was Dr. Alex Comfort, and he was a poet, novelist, anarchist and philosopher, a…
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They say he comes once a year... ahem. Santa is back! To a lot of people that's no bad thing at all, and we're not just talking about the present giving - he's got the whole package, when you think about it. In the build up to Christmas, we're exploring why some people are big on Santaphilia - the Santa fetish. What is it about him that lead some t…
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The words "the man, the myth, the legend" can easily apply to King Arthur. Today we're looking past the round table, the sword in the stone, and his magician mate Merlin to explore what his love life can tell us about this man. Did his love Guinevere really do the dirty on him with his mate Lancelot? What does his own love life say about him as a m…
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Margaret Cavendish was extraordinary for any time, let alone the 17th century. She was a trailblazer in fiction, writing and publishing what many believe to be the first science fiction book - her 1666 work 'Blazing World' imagined a planet led by an Empress. The story also featured a lesbian affair between the Empress and herself, Margaret Cavendi…
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What was it about the Kennedy's that attracted so much tragedy, that many believed them to be cursed? From plane disasters in World War 2, to drug overdoses and of course, assassinations - it has to be said, they had their fair share. Is there something sinister going on, or is this tragedy the by-product of such a go-getter risk-taking attitude? J…
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Sexuality is a funny thing. It's a social construct just as much as, say, virginity is. We use words like heterosexuality and homosexuality because they are convenient, more than because they're wholly accurate. What roots do these words have in 19th century Germany? How did the word 'straight' come from the gay community? And what is the future of…
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If the Kennedy's were America's first royal family, then Jackie was its queen. She was a style icon who, alongside her husband and president JFK, symbolised a fresh hopeful start in post-war America. And then on 22nd November 1963, the unimaginable happened. But who was the woman who led the country in its grief? Famously defining that time in Amer…
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How do we understand something as huge as a global epidemic? Similarly to Covid, the AIDS epidemic, which was most destructive in the 1980s and 90s, had such universal reach. Yet within that, there were millions of personal experiences. What was it like to work on the frontline with people who were hit by this cruel virus? How did a Canadian air st…
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“If I don’t have a woman for three days, I get terrible headaches.” That is what JFK allegedly told the UK prime minister, Harold MacMillan, after a meeting on nuclear arms. An interesting alternative to pain killers, right? Despite being in a high-profile marriage, JFK has been linked with many women. From Hollywood stars and White House interns, …
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The 1980s have a lot to answer for - spandex, for one. It also saw the first new anti-gay law in Britain for over a century. Against the backdrop of the HIV epidemic, and increasing homophobia across the media and politics, the law Section 28 was passed in 1988, which stopped the "promotion of homosexuality" in schools and local authorities across …
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Napoleon Bonaparte has been described in many way throughout history. Conquerer. Lover. Legend. Shrivelled Eel? Perhaps you haven't heard the last description before, but that's how a journalist described Napoleon's 'penis' when it went up for auction in 1977. Yes, you read that correctly, and it sold for $3000. Today Kate is Betwixt the Sheets wit…
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Sex and death are often intertwined: one is the start of creation, the other is the end. And as we’ll learn in today’s episode, ancient battlefields were the setting of intimate acts, too. One on one, heart pounding, adrenaline pumping and picking out a partner to…engage with. And so it makes sense that the Ancient world would have gods that meet b…
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This November marks 60 years since President John F Kennedy was assassinated. His name is associated with history defining events, but it’s also connected with a dynasty, known for their celebrity and notoriously for being ‘cursed.’ The Kennedy family, thought of as American royals by many, have a fascinating and tragic history - especially the wom…
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It can be hard to comprehend the magnitude of historical events, with World War Two a prime example of this. By 1945, some 3 million British people had served. As such, the rich diversity of masculinity and sexuality of those men is often reduced or hidden from the history books. With Remembrance Day approaching, we've spoken to Luke Turner, author…
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This November marks 60 years since President John F Kennedy was assassinated. His name is associated with history defining events, but it’s also connected with a dynasty, known for their celebrity and notoriously for being ‘cursed.’ The Kennedy family, thought of as American royals by many, have a fascinating and tragic history - especially the wom…
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continue reading
