Okay, one more post. Lincoln had a very long relationship with a man, which has been noted in many historical documents. However, it was common for unmarried men to share mattresses then, since they were expensive to buy. Now someone has alleged that he has seen the other man's diaries, and that the relationship was, indeed, sexual. It is hard for me to imagine any young person wanting to sleep with someone of the same sex for years on end without there being some slight erotic component, because I believe that no one is entirely heterosexual, sexuality existing on a continuum.
But the question I posed to Michael is whether it would matter, considering all of Lincoln's contributions to this country. I think we tend to make superheroes of our historical figures, when they were very flawed men. I believe that if some of them were proven to be homosexual, perhaps the level of hate crimes might decrease, and social tolerance might increase. But maybe this is just wishful thinking! |
