Straightwashed: Reclaim Suppressed LGBTQ+ History

Sun, Nov 8 • 2:00 PM

Our history has been censored. Join Prof. Andrew Lear to uncover the LGBTQ+ stories history tried to erase. Attend live or watch a recording

We’ve been straightwashed. Throughout history, LGBTQ+ people and their contributions to art, literature, and culture have been erased, concealed, or rewritten as straight.

Join Professor Andrew Lear for a fascinating look at deliberately suppressed history.

Discover stories like these:

Michelangelo: His love sonnets to Tommaso de’ Cavalieri were edited after his death, changing male pronouns to female.
Lord Byron: His memoirs, which could have revealed intimate details of his life, were destroyed by his publisher and a close friend.
Hans Scholl: The founder of Germany’s famous White Rose resistance group was arrested for homosexuality—a part of his story long overlooked in accounts of his courageous opposition to the Nazis.

This is straightwashing: the erasure of LGBTQ+ people from history or the rewriting of their stories to make them appear straight. It has persisted for centuries, from the Renaissance to modern times.

Explore more hidden histories, including the LGBTQ+ stories behind Golden Age Hollywood. Discover what was erased, why it matters, and how LGBTQ+ people helped shape our world.

History has a story to tell. Let’s reclaim it.

Our Art Historian and Tour Guide:

Professor Andrew Lear is a leading expert on gender and sexuality in ancient Greece and Rome. A five-time recipient of the Harvard Certificate of Excellence in Teaching, he is known for making art and history engaging and accessible. He has taught at Harvard, NYU, and Pomona College. Beyond academia, he founded Oscar Wilde Tours, an award-winning LGBTQ+ history and culture tour company, as well as Shady Ladies Tours, which focuses on women’s history and culture. He is currently collaborating with Stephen Fry and Tan France on an upcoming LGBTQ+ history television series titled Straightwashed.

Cultural Zoom Tour Series Hosts:

Receive $300 off an LGBTQ+ History Trip!

“It was one of the best trips we have ever taken. Professor Lear is knowledgeable, personable, and funny, and his explanations cover a wide range of topics, including things that get left out in most tours.” — Bennet Marks

Mention OutPro when booking with Oscar Wilde Tours.

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