Left: President Abraham Lincoln; Right: Captain David Derickson / Public Domain Historical photos

Lincoln’s Sexuality

I think I watched the entirety of what television has to offer during the pandemic, so when relaxing on the couch I now tend to explore more random offerings I haven’t seen. One recent choice was a documentary about Abraham Lincoln. There was one glaring omission from this particular film, and that was the issue of the President’s sexuality.

While there is no definitive evidence to support the claim that Lincoln engaged in physical sexual relationships with men, this film was quick to explain this practice was more commonplace in the 19th century, especially in the context of limited living space. However, in a recent article in The Spectator, they point out that Lincoln shared a bed with his bodyguard, Captain David Derickson, during his presidency, which sparked gossip in Washington society.

According to the article, the speculation about Lincoln’s sexual orientation traces back to the 1830s. His stepmother noted his disinterest in women, and his letters often contained affectionate language directed towards male friends. Lincoln’s close friendships with Billy Greene and Joshua Speed, with whom he reportedly shared beds, are frequently highlighted. However, mainstream historians caution against reading these arrangements as inherently sexual, arguing that such practices did not necessarily imply erotic intentions in the context of the era.

Lincoln’s personal life included a romantic connection with Ann Rutledge, a young woman he admired deeply, evidenced by his heartfelt elegy after her untimely death in 1835. In 1841, he married Mary Todd. However, the Lincolns maintained separate bedrooms in the White House, which has led some to interpret Lincoln’s close relationships with men as potentially indicative of a different sexual orientation.

Carl Sandburg, in his biography of Lincoln published in the 1920s, suggested that there was “a streak of lavender” in the president, a phrase later removed from subsequent editions, which has been interpreted by some as a nod to Lincoln’s possible homosexuality or bisexuality.

We may never come to a definitive conclusion about Lincoln’s personal life due to a lack of any conclusive evidence, but I find the way people interpret his sexuality indicative of where we are as a society. I’m always fascinated watching these documentaries that include some of the greatest minds in our world who are hesitant to admit Lincoln might have been gay. In the movie I saw, one lecturer made a point to say that Lincoln loved the ladies very much and that they loved him. It was an awkward, seemingly forced point that made me laugh out loud.

So, what does a biography on Abraham Lincoln have to do with Pride? Being confident in who you are allows others to see your true self. Regardless of the struggle, we as a community still face, what a long way we have come from the days of complete silence and speculation about one’s life. On the cusp of what I hope will be the election of our first female president, I realize we may have already had a gay or bisexual president. You just wouldn’t know it to watch documentaries like these.