Why History Is Much More Gay Than You Think with Harry Tanner

A Gay and A NonGay

W!ZARD Studios

Sexuality, Health & Fitness, Comedy, Mental Health

4.3 • 632 Ratings

🗓️ 6 August 2025

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We're diving in deep with historian and author Harry Tanner on this week's episode of A Gay And A NonGay! As a teenager, Harry was an evangelical Christian and came to believe homosexuality was a sin. Now, he lives a fulfilled gay life in London where he writes and teaches ancient languages and history. In his new book - The Queer Thing About Sin - Harry explores how the West invented and weaponised homophobia — tracing its origins from ancient Greece and Rome through to today’s culture wars. uncover stories of queer love in history, from porn pots in ancient Greece to heartfelt letters between men in 18th‑century Boston. They discuss why queer rights have risen and fallen throughout history and the deep ties between religion, politics and sexuality. Plus, don't miss a surprising detour into ancient condoms! Follow A Gay & A NonGay TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gaynongay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gaynongay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gaynongay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gaynongay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠gaynongay.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email Us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey Harry.
0:00.7	Hello mate.
0:01.5	Got any tips for the football?
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1:07.9	Hello and welcome to a gay and non-gay.
1:08.8	I'm James Barr.
1:11.1	I'm gay and that's Dan Hudson. Yes. And I am non-gay. I'm James Barr. I'm gay and that's Dan Hudson.
1:16.4	Yes, and I am non-gay. Congratulations. Thanks very much. I'm actually very excited about today's episode because we're joined by a friend of mine. We've been wanting to do this episode for
1:19.8	maybe a year and it's taken that long to get us in the same room. But also, Harry and I met
1:25.9	at a party in East London, right?on right that's right yeah so this is like
1:32.1	a few different worlds crossing over at the same time and harry was telling me about his book which is
1:37.8	finally coming out yeah september but september 25th okay but you can pre-order it and you are going to want you.
1:45.0	So as a teenager, he was an evangelical Christian and he believed that homosexuality, as many
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