QUEER ENLIGHTENMENTS

'If you've been intrigued by the gay romances that featured in Bridgerton, or the inspiration behind Gentleman Jack, Queer Georgians brings both - and more - vividly to life.' i paper. Sub-titled 'A Hidden History of Lovers, Lawbreakers and Homemakers', this ground-breaking details 11 overlooked stories of 18th century Georgian queer people who lived extraordinary lives of resistance and joy. "Anthony Delaney has opened the closet door of Jane Austen's England and found people of every style - criminalised in their own time, ignored by ours, heroically finding their own ways to make individual lives, families and even communities."- Philippa Gregory. Irish academic and History Hit podcast presenter Dr. Anthony Delaney uncovers the remarkable queer people of that complex, sometimes paradoxical time. Unfolding between 1726 and 1836, it is a lively journey through the taverns, prisons, and cruising grounds of a bygone era and into the lives of aristocrats, tradesmen, and sex workers who pursued self-expression and freedom no matter the risk. In London, Mother Clap's famous Holborn coffee house is open to all comers, a place of companionship and community, until a tip-off leads to a midnight raid. At the court of King George, a silver-tongued noblewoman remarked of one of Queen Caroline's confidants, "The world consists of men, women, and Herveys." And in New York, a Black sex worker endures a degrading trial that labels her the "Man-Monster" - but between the lines of its transcripts can be found traces of her life, one of acceptance, defiance, and indomitable spirit. Two women, exiled from their families, set up a utopian homestead in a remote Welsh cottage, inspiring a generation of Romantic poets. The celebrated Chevalier d'Éon, soldier, diplomat and spy, challenges a rival to a fencing match. The sweepstake is not over who will win, but whether the Chevalier is a man or a woman. Peopled with female husbands, midnight elopements, the book delves into the archives and emerges with new discoveries and a fresh view of the people who challenged society's expectations. "Delaney writes of love in every part of Georgian society - from royal residences to red-light districts - with sensitivity, wit, and learning. This is a fascinating book." - Gareth Russell. 352 pages.