x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

Join sex historian Dr Kate Lister on Betwixt the Sheets as she gets intimate with the stories that would make your history teacher blush.What were the Victorians really like behind closed (bedroom) doors? How did the Black Death favour women in medieval England? And what was Caesar like in the sack?Join Kate as she bed-hops around different time periods; from ancient civilisations, to the middle ages, to renaissance and early modern...right up to now.You’ll laugh, you’ll wince, and you’ll ask

history

All Episodes

45:05

Kink in the Renaissance

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/03/05

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 Joseph Gamble and Gillian Knoll, co-editors of the forthcoming book The Kinky Renaissance, which explore questions of sexual history through modern-day kink

en

56:48

History of Sex Work in America

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/03/01

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 help in the American Civil War?Kate's joined by Katie Hemphill, author of Bawdy City: Commercial Sex and Regulation in Baltimore, 1790–1915, to explore this

en

41:28

Who Really Was Boudica?

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/02/27

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 ofA History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women, to find out the truth and explore our most reliable sources.What happened when Boudica launched a surprise attack on the Roman headquarters in England? What is her legacy? And why has her story come in and out of favour through the ages?This

en

35:58

The Sex Life of William 'Braveheart' Wallace

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/02/22

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, Eleanor Janega, to find out the truth behind William Wallace.How does his life tie into the Scottish Wars of Independence? Why did he receive such gruesome

en

44:08

The Real History of Sex Dolls

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/02/20

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 booze into Paris? What do the sex doll myths reveal about ourselves? And why is there such stigma around them compared to other sex toys?This episode was

en

41:08

Sex Work in the Middle Ages

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/02/16

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 are now, even?Kate is joined by friend of the show and co-host of our sister podcast, Gone Medieval, Eleanor Janega, to take us through this world of sex

en

38:15

The Surprising History of 'Karens'

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/02/12

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 is joined by Senior Lecturer of Language and Linguistics at Leeds Trinity University, Linda Walz, who has researched this social phenomenon in great

en

39:54

What Was Sex Like In Medieval Times?

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/02/08

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 was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original

en

49:41

The REAL Charles Dickens with Miriam Margolyes

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/02/05

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 his life: from his mother who took him out of school to work in a rat-infested blacking factory aged 12, to his wife whom he had a bookcase wall built to

en

39:20

Neanderthal Sex

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/02/01

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 Palaeolithic archaeologist and author of Growing Up In The Ice Age, April Nowell.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith

en

45:58

Sex in Ancient Rome

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/01/29

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 went on at the debauched festivals of Bacchus? Let's find out.This podcast was edited and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte

en

41:40

Sex in Ancient Egypt

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/01/26

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 depiction of human sexuality we have.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.Don’t miss

en

45:37

Robert Burns' Sex Life

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/01/22

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 work, which celebrates sexuality and barbed satire, much of which wasn't properly published until the 1960s due to censorship laws.Ahead of Burns Night on 25th

en

36:08

Kamasutra: The Ancient Playboy Manual

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/01/19

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 happened in the Victorian era that made us think it was a catalogue of sex positions? What are some of the more feminist-leanings it features? And how has it

en

42:09

The Real Outlander

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/01/16

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 Charles really flee the British army dressed as an Irish spinning maid? And were the sex scenes accurate to the time?Today Kate is joined by Sarah Fraser,

en

47:01

Alexander The Great Sex's Life

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/01/12

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 female lovers? Let's go Betwixt the ancient sheets, to find out.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith and Sophie Gee. The

en

42:14

Swearing: A F**king Long History

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/01/09

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 these words, and discovering when they were deemed offensive by society. Saxon origins, medieval myths and internet abbreviations - you'll never think of swear

en

35:35

The Ancient Origins Of Sex

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/01/05

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 that copulation was invented by ancient armoured fishes - a lot earlier than scientists previously thought.Get on your scuba gear, Betwixters, we're going

en

38:20

Napoleon's Penis & Other Iconic Body Parts From History

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2024/01/02

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 the rumours about Hitler’s ball?We're joined by friend of the show Suzie Edge, who's the author of Vital Organs, to find out more.This episode was edited by

en

45:16

The Slave Revolt That Created A Country

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2023/12/29

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 their legacy today?Joining Kate is Marlene Daut, author of Awakening The Ashes: An Intellectual History of the Haitian Revolution, to tell us more.This episode

en

337 results

Similar Podcasts

The Old Front Line

Paul Reed

Today In History with The Retrospectors

The Retrospectors

جنود خلدهم التاريخ

ALSUMOOD PODCAST

Film History - Daily

Inception Point Ai

Madonna - Biography Flash

Inception Point Ai