To kick off spooky season, what better way than to do so by learning about the start of Spiritualism: the 19th century religious movement characterized by its interaction with the deceased and the spirit world. Two girls, joined by their adult sister, rose to fame for their seeming ability to interact with the dead, becoming the face of the Spiritualist movement.

But what happens when some stories seem a little too good to be true, and the talents of children are exploited by adults for their own personal agendas?

Special shout-out to the podcast Morbid being those who started the Sylvia Browne "THE LAND, HONEY, THE LAND." Though, perhaps Sylvia started it herself. Either way, it lives in all our heads rent free forever.

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Sources

Braude 2001, p.248.

Buckland, Raymond (2006). TheSpirit Book: the Encyclopedia of Clairvoyance, Channeling, and Spirit Comunication (First ed.). Visible Ink Press. p.528.

Buzzfeed Unsolved Network. (2020, Oct 2). The Rise And Fall Of The Fox Sister Mediums. [Video]. Buzzfeed Unsolved Network. YouTube.

Carroll 1997, p.248.

Caterine Darryl, Lily Dale Assembly, World Religions and Spirituality Project, January 8, 2019.

Dickey, Colin. Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places. Viking. 2016.

Doyle, Arthur Conan. “The career of the Fox sisters”. The History of Spiritualism. New York: Arno Press.

“Emanuel Swedenborg. Swedish philosopher”. Britannica. January 25, 2026. Retrieved February 7, 2026.

Emmons, Charles F.; Emmons, Penelope (2003). Guided by Spirit: a Journey into the Mind of the Medium. Writers Club Press. P336.

Hieber, L., Janes, A. (2022). A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America’s Ghosts. Citadel.

Lause, Mark A (2016). Free Spirits: Spiritualism, Republicanism, and Radicalism in the Civil War Era. United States: University of Illinois Press.

Nagy, Ron (2010). The Spirits of Lily Dale (First ed.). Galde Press. p.197.

Natale, Simone (2016). Supernatural Entertainments: Victorian Spiritualism and the Rise of Modern Media Culture. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press.

“National Register Database and Research – National Register of Historic Places (U.S. National Park Service)”. Www.nps.gov. Retrieved June 27, 2026. Stephanie Hoover, Philadelphia Spiritualism and the Curious Case of Katie King (Charleston, SC: History Press, 2013)

“Seneca County and the Burned-Over District” (PDF). Seneca County, New York. 2017-12-28.

Schwartz, Stephan A. “Spirit World”, American Heritage, April/May 2005.

Vogt, Paula (1984). Lily Dale: Proud Beginnings (First ed.). Lily Dale, NY: Dale News. p.90.

Weisberg, Barbara (2005). Talking to the Dead, Kate and Maggie Fox and the Rise of Spiritualism. San Francisco: Harper One.

This is Megan here! I've been dealing with a family emergency + lots of projects, and am needing to take a step back to recuperate and work on upcoming episodes.

So, this Notable Queer Person with an Astrological Sign (as Ryen and I call it) takes a look at the fascinating, gender fluid spy and French noble: The Chevalier d'Éon.

In case you haven't had a chance to check out my other podcast - These Old Queers - now is your chance. In this recent episode of the queer history podcast, Thomas and I are joined by my wife Elise in their first collaboratively written and researched episode on the life and times of The Chevalier d'Éon: a French diplomat and spy, who - assigned male at birth - openly lived as a woman for the latter part of their life.

Since this episode deals with some very French words, my very French wife Elise is handling much of the storytelling for this one!

Join us as we learn all about this "diplomatic pirate" whose story and variations on it have shaped popular culture all the way from Japanese manga to 80s pop music! Settle in for a tale full of 18th century diplomatic bitchery (pinkies out), French Grudges, and giant wigs with white horror show faces.

Content Warning: This episode discusses transphobia, please take care while listening.

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Sources:

Brown, Mark (6 June 2012). “Portrait mistaken for 18th-century lady is early painting of transvestite”. The Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 January 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2026.

The Chevalier d’Eon and his Worlds: Gender, Espionage and Politics in the Eighteenth Century, Simon Burrows, Jonathan Conlin, Russell Goulbourne and Valerie Mainz, eds. New York: Bloomsbury, 2010.

Delaney, Anthony. Queer Georgians: A Hidden History of Lovers, Lawbreakers and HomemakersChapter six on The Chevalier d’Eon. Penguin, 2025.

Fressin, Thomas. Convertisseur-monnaie-ancienne.fr. Tfressin.fr. Retrieved 15 August 2026.

Gary Kates Monsieur D’Eon Is a Woman: A Tale of Political Intrigue and Sexual Masquerade (BasicBooks, 1995; Johns Hopkins 2001

Homberg, Octave. (1911). D’Eon de Beaumont, his life and times. London, M. Secker.

Macabre London. “The Chevalier d’Eon: History’s First Trans Spy and Master of Disguise.” Macabre London podcast. 6.5.2025.

Morris, Marilyn (March 2019). “The Chevaliere d’Eon, Transgender Autobiography and Identity”. Gender & History. 31 (1): 78-90. doi:10.111/1468-0424.12405 – via Wiley Online Library.

Stoker, Bram. Famous Imposters. Project Gutenberg. Archived from the original on 2 March 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2026 – via gutenberg.org.

White, Antonia (trans.), The Memoirs of Chevalier D'Éon, London: Anthony Blond, 1970. (introduction by Robert Baldick)

In the third installment of our 3-part series on dark goddesses, Shannon (otherwise known as Queen Banana Hammock) and Megan get together to talk about three-fold goddess The Morrigan: Irish goddess of war, omens and victory in battle. This sister goddess is associated with everything from banshees to NIGHT HAGS (Megan's new imaginary side project) and land sovereignty.

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Sources:

Aldhouse-Green, Miranda (2015). The Celtic Myths: A Guide to the Ancient Gods and Legends. New York: Thames & Hudson.

Lysaght, Patricia (1996). “Traditions of the Banshee”. In Green, Miranda; Billington, Sanra (eds.). The Concept of the Goddess. Psychology Press. pp. 157-163.

Sessle, Erica J. (1994). “Exploring the Limitations of the Sovereignty Goddess through the Role of Rhiannon”. Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium. 14: 9-13.

Sjoestedt, Marie-Louise (18 September 2000). Celtic Gods and Heroes. Dover Publications. pp. 31-32.

Ryen and Megan get together to yet again discuss another queer person with an astrological sign: this time Megan talks about the life and times of working class, transgender activist Leslie Feinberg whose novel Stone Butch Blues was a breakthrough moment in trans masc visibility, and whose tireless dedication to progressive causes was barely slowed down, despite being diagnosed with Lyme Disease.

CW: homophobia, transphobia

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Sources:

Feinberg, L. (1993). Stone Butch Blues. Alyson Pubns.

Feinberg, L. (1996). Transgender Warriors: Making History from Joan of Arc to Dennis Rodman. Beacon Press.

Feinberg, L. Leslie Feinberg. https://www.lesliefeinberg.net.

Feinberg, L. Transgender Warrior. https://transgenderwarrior.org.

Pratt, M.B. Minnie Bruce Pratt. minniebrucepratt.net. https://minniebrucepratt.net/about/

Pratt, Minnie Bruce (November 18, 2014). “Leslie Feinberg – A communist who revolutionized transgender rights”. Archived from the original on December 2, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2015.

Tyroler, Jamie (July 28, 2006). “Transmissions – Interview with Leslie Feinberg”. CampCK.com. Archived from the original on November 23, 2014. Retrieved November 17, 2014.

UCLA Film & Television Archive. (2017, May 13). In the Life:Interview with Kate Bornstein, Leslie Feinberg [unedited footage] [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_Aqmaq_a2U

Weber, Bruce (November 25, 2014). “Leslie Feinberg, Writer and Transgender Activist, Dies at 65”. New York Times. Archived from the original on March 28, 2019. Retrieved February 17, 2015.

*EDIT* OOPS! I played with your hearts and somehow managed to upload an incomplete file. The full episode is now live. My apologies! Now you can truly learn about our next dark goddess: Lilith. Enjoy!

In their second installment focusing on dark goddesses, Megan tells Shannon about Sumerian, Babylonian and Hebrew goddess, Lilith, long vilified as the she-demon, and "snake-like temptress" first wife of Adam in Biblical lore whose reputation has evolved as a patron goddess of women, femmes and queer folx when it comes to equal rights body and sovereignty.

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Sources:

BEN SIRA, ALPHABET OF JewishEncyclopedia.com".⁠ www.jewishencyclopedia.com. Retrieved 23 June 2022.Raymond Buckland⁠, The Witch Book, Visible Ink Press, 1 November 2001.

Fortune, Dion. ⁠Psychic Self-Defence⁠. Weiser Books. pp. 126–128. ⁠ISBN⁠ ⁠9781609254643⁠.

Lesses, Rebecca (2001). "Exe(o)rcising Power: Women as Sorceresses, Exorcists, and Demonesses in Babylonian Jewish Society of Late Antiquity". Journal of the American Academy of Religion. 69 (2): 343 375.

Lilith-The First Eve".⁠ Imbolc. 2002. ⁠Archived⁠ from the original on 26 February 2007. Retrieved 23 January 2007.Mcdonald, Beth E. (2009). "In Possession Of The Night: Lilith As Goddess, Demon, Vampire". Sacred Tropes: Tanakh, New Testament, and Qur'an as Literature and Culture. Brill: 173–182.

Valiente, D. (1973). An ABC of Witchcraft past and present.

We all want a sigil for Lilith". Archived from the original on7 April 2012.

In celebration of Cancer sun sign Dolly Wilde, Megan and Ryen meet up as Megan takes us through the story of Oscar Wilde's vivacious, troubled queer flapper niece - a woman for whom, a friend once said drama spun - "like crows around a bell tower." Listen and find out more about Dolly Wilde's That's So Raven life!

CW: suicide, self-harm, cancer (breast cancer)

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Sources:

Pfeffer, Leigh (Host) and Jones, Gretchen (Host). (2018, November 6). Girls Gone Wilde (No.18) [Audio podcast episode]. History Is Gay. https://www.historyisgaypodcast.com/

Schenkar, Joan. Truly Wilde: The Unsettling Story of Dolly Wilde, Oscar’s Unusual Niece. Virago. 2000. Beside Every Man. "When Dolly Wilde Met Zelda Fitzgerald". https://eafitzsimons.wordpress.com. Retrieved July 11, 2026.

In their first instalment focusing on dark goddesses, Megan tells Shannon all about Greek goddess of the underworld, thresholds and crossroads: Hekate.

In this episode, Megan discusses encountering the sacred feminine from a non-binary perspective, the problematic language behind coining oneself a "critical thinking witch", POLECATS, and how Hekate is the perfect deity to summon during a heatwave (topical!).

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Sources:

Brannen, Cyndi Ph.D. (2020), Entering Hekate’s Garden: The Magick, Medicine & Mystery of Plant Spirit Witchcraft. Weiser. D’Este, Sorita, Rankine, David. (2009), Hekate Liminal Rites: A Study of the rituals, magic and symbols of the torch-bearing Triple Goddess of the Crossroads. Avalonia.

Johnson, Sarah Iles (1990), Hekate Soteira: A Study of Hekate’s Role in the Chaldean Oracles and Related Literature. Oxford University Press.

Shannon shares the story of her near death experience in her early teen years, which led to her career trajectory as a CNA (certified nursing assistant) that has put her in the position "hovering over the edges of death" as a hospice caregiver.

...and also: we heart Australians who are the best podcast fans

...and also: send in weird, creepy stories to be read on the p'cast

...and also: included in this episode GHOST TURDS.

CW: overdose

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