The film’s trailer caused a lot of excitement as it claimed that Abraham Lincoln was gay and had many male lovers. Now, Lovers of Men: The Untold Story of Abraham Lincoln is back in the news as it hits theaters on September 6. Documentary director Shaun Peterson said he researched the subject extensively and spoke to many scholars who appear in the film. When Lincoln first arrives in Springfield, Illinois as a young, penniless lawyer, his lust at first sight was for Joshua Fry Speed, a historian in the film said.
Lincoln and Joshua not only lived together, they also shared a bed. But love developed from that, the historian concluded. “I am convinced that there is love between these two men,” the historian said.
The trailer was heavily criticized, with Elon Musk, Alex Jones and Ben Shapiro criticizing it on Twitter. The director said he was prepared for it. “I knew this was coming. And today, when it’s even harder in this world of fake news, where people on the right have mobilized against LGBTQ rights in unprecedented ways, I knew there would be pressure. We wanted to introduce this topic in a way that can spark debate, but then also contextualize it and go deeper into the history of human sexuality. And then of course we try to include as many Ivy League scientists as possible so it doesn’t seem like a conspiracy theory movie. It’s really rooted in science. No matter what you do, you’re going to get people who hate the movie, but we wanted to at least include as many big-name scientists as possible,” the director said.
The film focuses on four men from Abraham Lincoln’s life – William Greene, Elmer Ellsworth, David Derickson and Joshua Speed. Historians suggest in the film that Lincoln was a virgin at 33 when he married Mary Todd, who later became First Lady. “There are two theories: either he was a virgin, which I reject, or his sexual needs were met by men… I can conclude that Lincoln’s physical needs were met by contact with other men, and I can see a pattern in this in his life.”
William Greene was the first important man in Lincoln’s life when he moved to New Salem. It is said that the two were inseparable even in their sleep. “They slept pressed together so they wouldn’t fall out of bed – spooning. I can’t imagine either of them would have borne to sleep like that if they didn’t like it,” said Professor Michael Chesson of the University of Massachusetts.
Joshua gave Lincoln the look of a president, although the honor for that went to First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. After Speed left for Kentucky to help his mother after his father’s death, Lincoln wrote, “I am now the most unhappy person on earth. If what I feel were extended to the whole human family, there would not be a cheerful face on earth.”
Lincoln and Joshua not only lived together, they also shared a bed. But love developed from that, the historian concluded. “I am convinced that there is love between these two men,” the historian said.
The trailer was heavily criticized, with Elon Musk, Alex Jones and Ben Shapiro criticizing it on Twitter. The director said he was prepared for it. “I knew this was coming. And today, when it’s even harder in this world of fake news, where people on the right have mobilized against LGBTQ rights in unprecedented ways, I knew there would be pressure. We wanted to introduce this topic in a way that can spark debate, but then also contextualize it and go deeper into the history of human sexuality. And then of course we try to include as many Ivy League scientists as possible so it doesn’t seem like a conspiracy theory movie. It’s really rooted in science. No matter what you do, you’re going to get people who hate the movie, but we wanted to at least include as many big-name scientists as possible,” the director said.
The film focuses on four men from Abraham Lincoln’s life – William Greene, Elmer Ellsworth, David Derickson and Joshua Speed. Historians suggest in the film that Lincoln was a virgin at 33 when he married Mary Todd, who later became First Lady. “There are two theories: either he was a virgin, which I reject, or his sexual needs were met by men… I can conclude that Lincoln’s physical needs were met by contact with other men, and I can see a pattern in this in his life.”
William Greene was the first important man in Lincoln’s life when he moved to New Salem. It is said that the two were inseparable even in their sleep. “They slept pressed together so they wouldn’t fall out of bed – spooning. I can’t imagine either of them would have borne to sleep like that if they didn’t like it,” said Professor Michael Chesson of the University of Massachusetts.
Joshua gave Lincoln the look of a president, although the honor for that went to First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. After Speed left for Kentucky to help his mother after his father’s death, Lincoln wrote, “I am now the most unhappy person on earth. If what I feel were extended to the whole human family, there would not be a cheerful face on earth.”
