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

How do you not only lose your own reputation and career, but also tank the reputation and freedoms of your entire industry?Today we’re exploring the first real Hollywood scandal, when actor Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle was accused of assault and manslaughter.Though he was acquitted in court, Arbuckle nearly lost everything. In recent years it has been argued that this was unfair, but we aren't so sure.Kate finds out more in this episode with author and film critic Mick LaSalle.This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Stewart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

It’s got many names: giving head, going down, eating out, dining at the Y, muff diving.Why has cunnilingus been stigmatised and feared so consistently throughout history?! When the Kama Sutra is turning its back on it, you know something is up.Today is a special solo episode where Kate takes you through the history of cunnilingus, to find out why this sex act has been so insulting, demonised and feared.This episode a special celebration of Kate's new book, Flick: The Story of Female Pleasure, which is published on May 28th. Pre-order your copy here: https://linktr.ee/FlickDrKateLister.Edited by Hannah Feodorov. Producer by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

Who was Lettice Knollys? And why was she expelled from Elizabeth I's court?Kate is joined by Estelle Paranque in this episode to find out how a man came between loving cousins, and explore whether getting with your friend's crush has EVER been acceptable.This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

There will be giggling and gasping galore! And that's just when you listen to this episode!Dan Snow quizzes Kate on all things female pleasure. When was the first recorded female orgasm? Has there always been an orgasm gap? And is there any possibility of it closing?Kate's new book is 'FLICK: The Story of Female Pleasure'.This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

What do you have to do wrong to be specifically named in a law? In the 14th Century, one of the mistresses of King Edward III found out. So who was Alice Perrers?Kate is joined by the one and only Eleanor Janega to find out how Alice rose to power, and what brought her down?Eleanor is one of the hosts of our sister podcast, Gone Medieval, and the author of 'The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women's Roles in Society'.This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

Has there ever been a time when homophobia did not exist? And what causes it to rise and fall?Kate is joined by Dr. Harry Tanner, author of 'The Queer Thing About Sin: Why the West Came to Hate Queer Love'. Harry has been exploring ancient and biblical sources to find out where homophobia began, and why it seems to intensify in times of inequality.This episode was edited by Tim Arstall. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

What do we know about Jesus? Kate is joined for this episode by Professor of Christian Origins, Helen Bond, to find out more about the historical record for the events of the New Testament, why Jesus was persecuted, and who by.Helen is Professor of Christian Origins at the University of Edinburgh, and co-hosts the Biblical Time Machine Podcast.This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

What you'll hear in today's episode is a story that strikes to the dark heart of the British Empire.Despite being set in the time of Jane Austen's early 19th century polite society, Princess Caraboo's strange tale makes her an instant celebrity.But how much of it, if any, is true? Where does it lead? And what happens when the truth is a lot darker than the lie?Joining Kate today is the wonderful Dr. Maddy Pelling, co-host of After Dark and author of Hoax: Truth and Lies in the Age of Enlightenment, to reveal the truth behind Princess Caraboo.This episode was edited by Tim Arstall. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

When the British Empire colonised India, how did it treat their different ideas about sex? How did they treat sex workers like the Devadasi, meaning 'slave of God'? And did the Victorians fetishise Indian sexuality?Joining Kate today is the magnificent Anjali Arondekar, Professor of Feminist Studies at the University of California, and author of For the Record: On Sexuality and the Colonial Archive in India.This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.