Diversity Rules Magazine

into one, hosted by Bash and Donal. "Bash is the real backbone of the series," Donal con- tends. "Like the true scholar that he is, he researches each figure me culously." "Donal balances my nerdiness and obsession for de- tail with his empathe c apprecia on for the stories and lives we cover," Bash interjects. "He's an actor by training so he understands these figures as mul di- mensional people." According to both, the goal of the series is not merely to congratulate the historical figures for being queer. Bash and Donal interrogate these people, dig into ev- ery rumor and slice of gossip, and ask the "tough" ques ons to learn who was buggering whom, in what posi ons, and on what substances. Both hosts believe humor is crucial because, for too long, the narra ve of queer history has been one of repres- sion, aliena on, and oppression. In Historical Homos, we learn queerness has not always been rejected. Same-sex love and desire have not always been deni- grated. The first four episodes present a nice spread of L, G, B, and T. The first episode explores male homo- sexuality in Greek Mythology and how these myths reflected real life in ancient Greece. In episode two, Bash and Donal delve into the true story of a trans- gender spy and soldier, Le Chevalier d'Éon, who was born Charles and became Charlo e at the age of 49 – only to discover the humilia ng constraints of life as an 18th century woman. The third episode of Historical Homos focuses on the li le-known bisexual proclivi es of William Shake- speare and Christopher Marlowe. The final Pride month episode reviews the life and loves of Virginia Woolf, par cularly her lesbian affair with Vita Sack- ville-West. "I wish I knew about these historic queer people as a child," Donal Brophy reflects. Growing up in Ireland and Australia, Brophy knew li le of what being gay was besides for the odd reference in film and on TV. "Much of what I knew was ed to the fear and s gma around the AIDS epidemic. It would have been so helpful in my coming out to have heard about posi- ve, crea ve, intelligent gay people." Bash grew up in Manha an and the south of France. His father, Tony Hendra, was an actor and writer, best known for starring in the film This Is Spinal Tap and for edi ng the popular sa rist magazine, Na onal Lampoon. Bash knew he was gay at seven years old and came out to his family and friends at sixteen. Studying history was an escape and like his own historical heroine, Madame du Châtelet, Bash was fiercely dedicated to his intellectual ambi on, espe- cially when he discovered that many historical fig- ures were part of the LGBTQ+ community. He began devouring any book, ar cle, website, movie, docuse- ries, le er, or stray piece of graffi in the records that proved queer people have always been here. "You just have to know where and how to look," he says. Luckily, today's LGBTQ+ genera on have it easier. They simply need to stream Historical Homos on Dekkoo. But Bash and Donal hope the series appeals to a heterosexual audience, too. Says Bash, "Our hope is that all viewers – gay and straight – learn to expand what they believe about the past and human sexuality. That's one of the most powerful ways to be er understand the queer community's lived ex- periences and inherited contexts." Historical Homos premieres on Dekkoo on June 9, 2023. For more informa on, visit Dekkoo.com. His- torical Homos will also be available as an audio pod- cast on Spo fy and all major podcast pla orms. Diversity Rules Magazine | June 2023| 5 Zachary Quinto, Emrhys Cooper, Donal Brophy

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