Author: Read with Pride

readwithpride.com The Church has always had a thing about controlling who loves whom, how, and when. But while most people know about the persecution of gay men throughout history, there’s a lesser-known story hiding in dusty ecclesiastical archives: the Church’s obsessive documentation of women’s intimate relationships, especially within religious communities. For centuries, Church authorities didn’t …

Regulating Love: The Church’s Records of Female IntimacyRead More

readwithpride.com History loves a good escape story. Whether it’s prisoners tunneling out of medieval dungeons or lovers fleeing disapproving families, there’s something universally thrilling about breaking free. But what about when the escapees are two nuns, bound by vows of chastity and obedience, who decide that their devotion to each other matters more than the …

The Great Escape: A 14th-Century Tale of Two NunsRead More

readwithpride.com When we talk about LGBTQ+ history, we usually focus on the modern era, Stonewall, marriage equality, Pride parades. But queer people have always existed, even in the most unlikely places. Like, say, the Vatican in the 11th century. Meet Pope Benedict IX, possibly the most scandalous pope in the entire history of the Catholic …

The Three-Time Pope: Benedict IX and the Scandals of the VaticanRead More

readwithpride.com When we think about LGBTQ+ history, medieval saints probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind. But hidden in the archives of ecclesiastical correspondence lies some of the most passionate, intimate writing ever penned between men, and it’s all perfectly preserved in the official records of the Catholic Church. Meet Saint Anselm of …

Sacred Bonds: The Intimate Letters of Saint AnselmRead More

readwithpride.com If you think modern scandals are wild, buckle up for one of the most jaw-dropping stories from Vatican history. We’re talking about Pope Julius III, a 16th-century pontiff who decided that the best use of his papal power was to make his teenage companion a Cardinal. Yes, you read that right. A Cardinal. The …

The Cardinal’s Favorite: Pope Julius III and Innocenzo Ciocchi del MonteRead More

readwithpride.com Tucked away in the dusty archives of Byzantine manuscripts and early Christian texts lies a ceremony that most people have never heard of, and one that the Church would rather you didn’t know about. It’s called adelphopoiesis, which literally translates to “brother-making,” and for over a thousand years, it was an official Church ritual …

Brother-Making: The Church’s Forgotten Same-Sex RitualsRead More

readwithpride.com When you look up at the Sistine Chapel ceiling, you’re not just seeing biblical scenes painted by a Renaissance master. You’re witnessing one of history’s most profound acts of queer resistance: a gay man creating divine beauty for an institution that condemned his very nature. Michelangelo Buonarroti spent decades painting the Vatican’s most sacred …

Divine Desire: Michelangelo and the Men of the VaticanRead More

readwithpride.com The Vatican has always been a place of whispers. Stone corridors, candlelit chapels, and centuries of secrets kept behind ornate doors. But among the most persistent whispers throughout the 20th century was talk of something the Italian press dubbed “la lobby gay” or the “Pink Lobby”: an alleged network of gay clergy operating within …

The Pink Lobby: Behind the Vatican’s Secret NetworksRead More

readwithpride.com Sometimes the most faithful act is the one that gets you kicked out of church. Father John J. McNeill knew this truth better than most. A Jesuit priest who spent nearly four decades in service to his religious community, he made a choice that would define his legacy: speak truth to power, even when …

Faith and Freedom: The Courage of Father John J. McNeillRead More

readwithpride.com Behind the stone walls of medieval monasteries, where men devoted their lives to God and solitude, another story unfolded: one of forbidden desire, secret glances across candlelit chapels, and love that dared not speak its name. While history books often sanitize the past, the reality is far more complex and decidedly more human than …

Cloistered Secrets: Forbidden Love in Medieval MonasteriesRead More

readwithpride.com Behind the gilded doors of the Vatican, beneath centuries of sacred vows and whispered prayers, a secret thrived. For as long as the Catholic Church has existed, gay men have walked its marble halls, celebrated its masses, and shaped its theology. But in 1961, the institution decided it had seen enough. What unfolded was …

The 1961 Purge: The Vatican’s War on Secret LivesRead More

readwithpride.com Let’s talk about Pope John XII, a man who turned the Vatican into what contemporaries described as a literal brothel. Yes, you read that right. The 10th century gave us a pontiff so scandalous that even by medieval standards, people were clutching their pearls. The Boy Who Would Be Pope Born Octavian somewhere between …

The Sinner Pope: The Wild Nights of John XIIRead More

readwithpride.com Picture this: It’s 1974, just five years after Stonewall, and the LGBTQ+ community is still finding its footing in a world that largely wants them invisible. Most people are still deeply closeted, discretion is the name of the game, and the idea of openly celebrating queer identity in public? Absolutely radical. Now imagine boarding …

Sailing into Freedom: The Magic of the First Gay CruiseRead More

readwithpride.com There are moments in history that shimmer with a kind of magic: when something so simple becomes something so profound that it changes everything. June 25, 1978, was one of those days. The San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade was underway, and among the crowds, the chants, and the celebration, something new caught the …

Colors of the Heart: When the Rainbow Flag First FlewRead More

readwithpride.com Picture this: It’s August 1982 in San Francisco. The city is buzzing with energy, and over 1,350 athletes from more than 170 cities around the world are about to make history. Not by breaking world records or winning gold medals, though plenty of those happened too, but by simply showing up. By being visible. …

Going for Gold: The Triumph of the First Gay GamesRead More

readwithpride.com When you think about the 1970s disco scene, what comes to mind? Glitter balls? Platform shoes? Donna Summer’s voice soaring over a pulsing bassline? Sure, all of that. But for the gay community, the disco dance floor was something far more profound: it was sanctuary, liberation, and home all rolled into one sweaty, spectacular …

Disco Sanctuary: The Joy of the 70s Dance FloorRead More

readwithpride.com There are moments in history that shift everything. Moments when the world finally catches up to what love has always known to be true. For LGBTQ+ couples, the legal right to adopt children stands as one of those beautiful, hard-won victories, a recognition that family isn’t just about biology, it’s about commitment, care, and …

Chosen Families: The Joy of Legal Same-Sex AdoptionRead More

readwithpride.com Every May, something magical happens. Across the globe, millions of LGBTQ+ people gather around screens, in bars, living rooms, and watch parties, to witness what can only be described as the queerest night on television. The Eurovision Song Contest isn’t just a music competition. It’s become our unofficial holiday, our Super Bowl, our collective …

Europop and Pride: Why Eurovision is Our Ultimate CelebrationRead More

readwithpride.com There are moments in history when you can literally feel the weight lift. When a generation collectively exhales after holding their breath for far too long. The repeal of Section 28 was one of those moments, a legislative victory that meant so much more than just words on paper. It was about reclaiming voices, …

Voices Unsilenced: The Joy of Repealing Section 28Read More

readwithpride.com Picture this: It’s 1996. You’re sitting in front of a chunky beige computer, waiting for your dial-up modem to screech its way onto the internet. Your parents think you’re researching for school. You’re actually about to meet someone who might change your life. For queer people in the 1990s, the internet wasn’t just a …

You’ve Got Love: The First Digital Romances of the 90sRead More