Was Abraham Lincoln a gay American?
The subject of the 16th president’s sexuality has been debated among scholars for years. They cite his troubled marriage to Mary Todd and his youthful friendship with Joshua Speed, who shared his bed for four years. Now, in a new book, C. A. Tripp also asserts that Lincoln had a homosexual relationship with the captain of his bodyguards, David V. Derickson, who shared his bed whenever Mary Todd was away.
In “The Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln,” to be published next month by Free Press, Mr. Tripp, a psychologist, influential gay writer and former sex researcher for Dr. Alfred C. Kinsey, tries to resolve the issue of Lincoln’s sexuality once and for all. The author, who died in 2003, two weeks after finishing the book, subjected almost every word ever written by and about Lincoln to minute analysis. His conclusion is that America’s greatest president, the beacon of the Republican Party, was a gay man. (source)
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I agree.
Of all the monuments I visited in Washington, D.C., his monument was the most powerful for me. It was actually overwhelming, almost like his presence was there.
I was reading the inscriptions on the walls of what he had written, and Kent asked me a question. I turned to him, and found I couldn't talk. It was very strange. I finally said, "I have to get out of here." I went outside, and cried (literally). Kent asked if I was ok. I turned and looked at the huge stature of him looking down on me and said, "That is a man I would like to have known."
Well, even though I was joking a bit, I really do think that modern Republicans claiming Abraham Lincoln as one of their own is an insult to his legacy. If he were alive today, Abraham Lincoln would be seen as a radical and an embarrassment by the Republicans.
Abe was a first year Republican, and their ideals were different than those held by the party today. I think Republicans back then were more liberal, and the Democrats more conservative.
But hey, I slept through most of my political science class, so what do I know?
Of course, what I was really saying is who gives a rat's ass if he was gay... he STILL was the greatest president this country has ever had.
LOL Jeff you are too bad. ;-)
I always knew that Honest Abe had a strong man by his side. And for what it's worth, I have read from many sources that Mary was, well, a bitch to live with. I even read in one source that she was a bit psychotic. There were many occasions that she refused to have Abe in her bed, for whatever reason.
How DARE they call Abraham Lincoln the beacon of the Republican party!
He may have been a Republican, but his brand of Republican is a far cry to that of today.
Oh yeah, and the gay thing... it might be true. Have you seen pictures of Mary Todd?