Kinky History

Did medieval women who brewed beer inspire the modern iconography of the witch? Pointy hats, black cats, bubbling cauldrons… according to a viral historical theory, the iconic image of the witch actually began with medieval alewives. But is there any truth to this tall and pointy tale?

This week, I am joined by medieval historian Dr Christina Wade to separate fact from folklore, uncover the fascinating history of women in brewing, and debunk this myth that is so believable, even I fell for it!

Grab a pint, witches. We've got some myths to brew apart.

Check out more of Dr Christina Wade's wonderful work:

• Instagram: @braciatrix
• The Devil's in the Draught Lines: 1000 Years of Women in Britain's Beer History (2024)
• Filthy Queens: A History of Beer in Ireland (2025)

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In Girl World, Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it... And as it turns out, there’s actual academic research (and a long and kinky history) to back that up!

In this episode of Kinky History, sex historian Dr Esmé Louise James investigates the surprisingly complicated history of Halloween, from the Gaelic festival of Samhain and its supernatural folklore to the Christian calendar, Victorian fancy dress and Hollywood’s glamorous Halloween starlets.

Raise your spirits, put on your best resting witch face, and join me for the horny history of Halloween.

You can find a written transcript of this episode on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DrEsmeLouiseJames

Instagram: @esme.louisee

TikTok: @dr.esme.louise

YouTube: @dr.esme.louise

Video edited by Connor Fantasia-Serve

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

02:20 Samhain

04:57 Spirits for Spirits

08:45 History is Kinky

12:51 Dress-up and Dating

16:16 How Did We Get Here?

17:42 Having a Ball20:31 Hollywood Gets Spooky

22:11 Putting the Queer into Fear

26:17 Conclusion

Reading list:

• Hutton, Ronald. “The Celtic New Year and Feast of the Dead.” Folklore 135, no. 1 (2024): 69–86.
• Rogers, Nicholas. Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night. Oxford University Press, 2002.
• Lennon, Sharron J., Zhiying Zheng, and Aziz Fatnassi. “Women’s Revealing Halloween Costumes: Other-Objectification and Sexualization.” Fashion and Textiles 3, article 21 (2016).
• National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin. Dúchas: The Schools’ Collection.
• Markale, Jean. The Pagan Mysteries of Halloween: Celebrating the Dark Half of the Year. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 2001.
• Keating, Geoffrey. Foras Feasa ar Éirinn (The History of Ireland). Written in the seventeenth century.
• San Francisco Planning Department. Eureka Valley Historic Context Statement. 2017.

Did you miss me? Because I’ve certainly missed you. 💋

After ghosting you since 2023 (rude, I know), sex historian Dr Esmé Louise James is BACK with a bigger and decidedly bustier Kinky History.

Welcome back to the podcast where we uncover the dirty secrets they probably left out of your history books. And this time, we’re doing things a little differently...

Introducing the Double D’s: Deep-dives and Debriefs. We’ll be diving headfirst into the horny history you know and love, unpacking contemporary controversies and curious happenings, and welcoming a few Doctors and Deviants along the way: experts and some truly extraordinary characters,

Oh, and we’re now a vodcast! So whether you prefer getting it in your ears or getting an eyeful, you’re in the right place.

I’m so happy to be back. Thank you for being here, for being patient, and for being part of this wonderfully kinky community. I’ve missed you terribly.

Now, let’s get back into bed together. 🖤

🎧 Follow Kinky History on Spotify so you never miss an episode.

💋 Want to know why I disappeared? Find my more detailed explanation over on Patreon.

The World is Full of Sex Data and this week, for a special 'Sextistics' episode, Esme is joined by her equally nerdy (and brainy) mum - Dr Susan James. They unpack the changing definitions of sex over history, some very surprising sex statistics and why former US President Bill Clinton wasn't lying when he said "I did not have sexual relations with that woman".

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Einstein, the genius that gave us the theory of relativity and so much more, was the original fuck boy. Albert Einstein was married twice but had dozens of lovers in his lifetime. Join me this week as I uncover the polyamorous life of the world's most famous scientist, and his lesser known "theory of infidelity".

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You've seen the Hollywood versions and probably heard the myths, but the real history of the vibrator is not what you think it is. Join me today as we spread the good vibes and learn the truth about the origins of the world's most popular sex toys.

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Universal orgasms, alien spunk, black holes and tentacle porn. This episode will have you seeing stars as I team up with friend, astrophysicist and fellow academic Kirsten Banks to talk all things kinky space. And would you believe neither of us made a joke about Uranus!

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Contact Kirsten here and follow Kirsten on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter

Get 20% off with the code GETKINKYWITHNORMAL at NORMAL

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This week something a little bit different and a whole lotta fun. Joining me in the red room of pleasure is fellow nerd and quizmaster Miles Glaspole - host of the incredibly popular TikTok10 Quiz. Miles tests my Kinky knowledge and I find a honeymoon destination in the process.

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Find Miles Glaspole on TikTok and Instagram @TikTok10Quiz

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Grab this episode with both hands and hear how the dildo has been used and revered around the world for almost as long as humans have existed. This now-common bedroom accessory has its roots in ancient cultures, religion, spirituality and sexuality across all of history,... and it might just get you into heaven.

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This week we look at the complicated and fascinating life of the prolific Danish writer, Hans Christian Andersen. Most well known for his fairy tales, in this episode we can clearly see the parallels between the tale of the Little Mermaid and the painful unrequited love in Anderson's life. While his romantic desires and experiences are certainly complicated, many historians have concluded that this famous author may well have been asexual.

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Come with me as we explore the changing attitudes and depictions of oral sex throughout the ages. From the ancient Egyptians to Shakespeare and beyond, humans have been performing oral for as long as we'e been having sex. Intimate and at times disgusting, the act of oral stimulation has a delicious history.

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James Joyce was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He was a part of the avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important writers of the 20th century. He also delighted in the sounds and smells of his beloved wife, Nora Barnacle's farts. Come with me as we explore the intimate, sexually explosive and complex relationship between Nora and James through their 'fart letters'.

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Step back in time with me and let me tickle your fancy because in this episode I dip my toes into the long and interesting history of the foot fetish. From ancient Chinese foot binding to unusual findings during the AIDS epidemic, it seems we've long had a fascination with our feet.

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In this episode I want to introduce you to the first ever pornographic novel and share why it was so radical, and why it is so important. Brace yourself, Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure by John Cleveland has it all, which is why it was banned for over 200 years. So get off Porn Hub and check out the very first, and very popular, pornographic novel from 1748.

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Hello and welcome to Kinky History. In this very first episode, I'd like to share with you why the History of sexuality and kink is important, how I came to study it and what we can learn from the past.

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In recent times rimming has increased in popularity but the history of Rimming is long and,...er.. juicy. Many years ago if you were caught rimming you could be charged with witchcraft and even killed. And, which famous composer wishes he could lick his own arse? Get 'tongue in cheek' with Esme as she explores our changing behaviours and views on rimming.

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Kinky History is a podcast series that explores the evolution of human sexuality - from scandalous stories from the Ancient World to the saucy secrets of famous figures.

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