Josephine Baker: Bisexual Beyoncé of 1920s Paris (feat. Michell Chresfield) — Historical Homos

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Josephine Baker (1906 - 1968) is one of the most alluring, inspiring, and charismatic figures we have ever covered on this podcast.

Her career spanned decades and continents, and on THE Continent, she was the highest paid Black entertainer for most of the 1920s and 1930s. As a dancer-singer-actress triple threat, she was in some ways the precursor to megastars like Beyoncé in our own day.

Unlike Beyoncé, she built her career not only through her own talent (and Jay-Z's influence), but by taking advantage of one of the most racist, colonialist, imperialist periods in Western history: the aftermath of World War One.

Josephine became famous because she created a sensual, wild, "sauvage" style of dance, which the Jazz-frenzied denizens of gay Paree scarfed down like a good soupe à l'oignon. In their 20th century terror of what it meant to be "modern," Josephine represented a return to something raw and wonderfully original. Her nudity, her brazen dancing, her uninhibited artistry were all examples of "true" art – an instinct-driven Fuck You to modern civilisation.

They were of course racist bastards for thinking all of this – but they also genuinely loved Josephine. And Josephine loved to use their racist bullshit not only to line her pockets, but to feel their genuine love in return.

Like many (gay) performers, she lived to be loved.

Throughout her wild and successful career, Josephine presented a completely new vision of what it meant to be a woman, to be Black, and to be an unapologetic diva.

And yet, we barely remember Josephine today. BUT THAT STOPS NOW.

Strap yourselves in and or on, because this episode is another 90 minute doozy (sorry for doing such interesting research and talking to such interesting scholars! so sorry!)

All our gay thanks to Michell Chresfield for bringing her insight and brilliant research to this episode.

And now it's time to dive on in, because the water is an absolutely divine... human temperature.

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Episode Credits

Written and hosted by Bash

Produced by Dani Henion

Edited by Alex Toskas

Guest: Michell Chresfield

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