Eleanor roosevelt was gay
Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok
These photos reach from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum. They all fall under public domain, as per the organization's website.
About the couple:
Eleanor Roosevelt's name may ring a familiar bell for history lovers. She was the First Lady of the United States and wife to President Franklin D. Roosevelt! Therefore, it may be surprising to learn of her long rumored romantic relationship with Lorena Hickok.
The women met when Hickok, a prominent reporter, was tasked to write articles about the President and his wife. It is thought that the two soon caught feelings for each other, and Hickok left the newspaper because she feared she was compromising her journalistic integrity4. However, the women didn't separate after she left her job -- instead, she moved into the Ivory House and started active as a staff member4.
For obvious reasons (Roosevelt's marriage and homophobia), their affectionate relationship was never publically confirmed. However, the two women did share a strong bond, as evidenced in their many, many letters3 -- two of which are featured
Was Eleanor Roosevelt a Lesbian?
In Bros, which may or may not be the first major queer rom-com, Billy Eichner’s character is working on another big first, opening the first major LGBTQ history museum. As part of that job, he spends much of the film discussing whether various historical figures were same-sex attracted, including Abraham Lincoln and the ancient Egyptian pairing of Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum. (In both of those cases it depends who you ask, and what you mean by “gay.”) Those of us who haven’t been watching The First Lady on Showtime (which is a lot of us) may be surprised to hear Eleanor Roosevelt among these names. In fact, at one point, the movie refers to her outright as “lesbian first lady Eleanor Roosevelt.” She was? In order to get some answers, Slate spoke to Susan Quinn, author of Eleanor and Hick: The Love Affair That Shaped a First Lady. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Heather Schwedel: I think it will be news to some people to learn the movie casually describe Eleanor Roosevelt as a lesbian.
Susan Quinn: I can tell you a little bit about how I came to the conclusion that she did have a like affair, a very important adore affair, wit
Eleanor Roosevelt’s connection with Lorena Hickok has been a source of controversy since the days it was happening in real-time. Were they secret lovers? Merely close friends? The topic has been endlessly debated. White Houses assumes that they were lovers, which seems sensible, and purports to tell the story of their affair . And it does, but not in the way one supposed and not as directly as one might contain expected.
White Houses is much more a fictionalized version of Hickok’s life. It tells the story of her abusive childhood and her mother’s death, continuing into her function as a housekeeper before escaping her father once and for all to strike out on her own in the world. Bloom inserts an odd interlude where Hickok literally runs off with the circus. There, she has a bit of an affair with an intersex circus worker and feels intrigued by a girl with lobster hands. Bloom intends to suffuse the circus’ freak demonstrate with Hickok’s sexual awakening as a lesbian, but the whole affair (no pun intended) feels both glaringly unsubtle and alarmingly out of place.
Eventually, Hickok becomes one of the nation
The Love Affair Between Eleanor Roosevelt and Journalist Lorena “Hick” Hickok
In this episode of Listen, Ladies, host Maryalice Aymong talks to author Susan Quinn to discuss her fascinating manual, Eleanor and Hick: The Adoration Affair That Shaped a First Lady. Quinn’s immense research highlights Roosevelt’s bond with Lorena Hickok, whom she initially encountered when Hickok was working as a reporter. Their bond has been somewhat missing to history, but Quinn brings their romance and friendship to life in our interview and in the book. Her message is also set to become a TV series.
Below is an excerpt from her interview. To listen to the whole episode, download Listen, Ladies in iTunes.
Listen, Ladies (LL): Eleanor Roosevelt is famous as a woman profoundly ahead of her period. She is someone who fundamentally changed the role of First Lady. She tirelessly advocated for human rights and against racism, as well as the most remote causes, appreciate helping people out of poverty and supporting the military. She ultimately became the chair of the United Nations, Human Rights Commission. Beyond her general role, Eleanor Roosevelt was a passionate person and friend, w