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

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

Author: History Hit Language: English Episodes: 100
Ever wondered about the unspoken rules and private lives that shaped our past? Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society pulls back the curtain on the intimate forces that have influenced civilizations across time. Guided by sex historian Dr. Kate Lister, this History Hit podcast explores the fascinating intersections of desire, power, and social norms. Each episode digs into the questions rarely found in textbooks, examining how personal behavior and public scandal have driven political change, shaped laws, and defined cultural identities. You’ll hear about the surprising realities of Victorian domesticity, the unexpected social advantages for women following the Black Death, and even speculative curiosities about the private habits of figures like Julius Caesar. Lister bed-hops through eras with a scholar’s rigor and a storyteller’s flair, moving from ancient worlds through the medieval and Renaissance periods into more recent history. The conversations are insightful and engaging, transforming taboo topics into a legitimate lens for understanding human progress and conflict. Tuning in offers a unique perspective on the past, revealing how the most personal aspects of life are inextricably woven into the broader tapestry of society. It’s a deep and often surprising dive into the histories that happened, quite literally, behind closed doors.
Episodes
Sex Work in Colonial India [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:14
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?Joini…
How Scandalous Were Masquerade Balls? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:36
Faces covered, identities unknown - masquerade balls sound like a place of anonymity and, therefore, SCANDAL.But how true is this in the 18th Century? Could people sneak in unrecognised like they do in Bridgerton? And ho…
The Brothels of Imperial Russia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:25
In today's episode we're taking you back to the brothels of 19th century St. Petersburg.Sex work was legalised under the Emperor Nicholas I, but what was life like for sex workers? Why did they have to carry yellow ticke…
Who was the first 'Lesbian'? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:39
Was Sappho queer? Or was this Ancient Greek poet just really really good friends with women?Today on Betwixt the Sheets, Kate is joined by Katherine Horgan to find out how Sappho's poetry has lasted through the centuries…
Sex Work in the American Revolution [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:23
Where the American War of Independence raged, the camp followers...followed.Among them were sex workers, for both the American and British troops. What was life like inside army camps where sex workers mixed with wives,…
The Depravity of the Marquis De Sade [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:46
Sadism - the derivation of pleasure from inflicting pain, suffering and humiliation on others - is named after this man. So what exactly did he do?Kate is joined by journalist and author Joel Warner to discuss the Marqui…
Inside the Moulin Rouge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:58
The Moulin Rouge opened its doors in 1889, at the height of the Belle Epoch - 'the Beautiful Age'.Its famous windmill structure stood on the fringes of Paris, where intellectuals and artists mixed with thugs and criminal…
The Truth About the Little Mermaid [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:42
What is a mermaid? Do sirens, selkies and Aquaman fit into this category? And how far back in history do they go?Kate is joined by Diane Purkiss to discuss the Little Mermaid, both the Disney and Hans Christian Anderson…
Inside the Brothels of New Orleans [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:59
Storyville was the red-light district in New Orleans, created in 1897.What was it like in this neighbourhood, and inside the brothels there? How was race and segregation a factor in Storyville? And what triggered the dow…
The Victorian Sex Trafficking Panic [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:54
Was there really a boom in sex trafficking at the end of the 19th century? What was 'white slavery'? And how often did the traffickers get caught?Kate is joined by Dr Julia Laite for this episode. Julia is a historian at…