Was Abraham Lincoln gay? Here are 9 pieces of evidence from the new documentary "Lover of Men."

      In the new documentary *Lover of Men: The Untold Story of Abraham Lincoln*, a group of scholars contends that the 16th President of the United States engaged in sexual relationships with various men throughout his life.

      Here are nine pieces of historical evidence referenced in *Lover of Men*.

      **Contextual Introduction**

      Abraham Lincoln, dated February 9, 1864. Library of Congress – Credit: C/O

      The evidence presented stems from letters written by Lincoln himself and by people who were close to him, many of which can be accessed in the Library of Congress.

      The documentary focuses on four specific men with whom Lincoln had, at the very least, close friendships, but potentially sexual relationships. These men include his colleague from a general store, Billy Greene; army officer Elmer Ellsworth; Lincoln’s bodyguard David Derickson; and his best friend, Joshua Speed.

      While there is no concrete physical evidence to confirm that Lincoln had sexual encounters with men, some scholars maintain that he was either gay or bisexual, while others dispute this claim. Notably, Lincoln was married to Mary Todd Lincoln for 22 years, during which they had four children.

      We present these letters for your interpretation.

      **Billy Greene**

      William G. Greene featured in *Lover of Men*, Amazon – Credit: C/O

      Firstly, there is William G. Greene, better known as Billy Greene. Lincoln and Greene worked together at a general store owned by Denton Offutt in New Salem, Illinois, where they shared a small bed.

      In a letter from 1865, Greene recounted their sleeping situation: “Mr. Lincoln and I clerked together for Offutt for about 18 months and shared the same bed. When one of us turned, the other had to do likewise.”

      Some academics argue that during the 1800s, sharing a bed was not unusual due to the high cost of mattresses and the scarcity of beds.

      However, proponents of the theory that Lincoln and Greene had a romantic relationship suggest that they could have opted for alternative sleeping arrangements on the narrow cot, which was likely only around two and a half feet wide, if they had wished to avoid sharing.

      “There was almost certainly an option not to share the bed,” stated historian Dr. Thomas Balcerski, author of *Bosom Friends: The Intimate World of James Buchanan and William Rufus King*, in the documentary.

      **‘His Thighs Were as Perfect as a Human Being Could Be’**

      Albumen portrait of Abraham Lincoln, captured in Washington at Alexander Gardner’s studio on August 9, 1863, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons – Credit: C/O

      Another remark by Greene in an 1865 letter highlights the potential erotic undertone of their friendship.

      “The first time I saw Abraham Lincoln, he was then well and solidly built. His thighs were as perfect as a human being could be,” Greene wrote.

      **Joshua Speed**

      Joshua Fry Speed as a young man, Filson Historical Society, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons – Credit: C/O

      *Lover of Men* also suggests that Lincoln's well-documented friendship with businessman Joshua Speed went beyond a platonic relationship. Some historians claim he was the love of Lincoln’s life.

      The two met when Lincoln was searching for accommodation in Springfield, Illinois, and entered Speed’s store looking for a room to rent. With limited funds, he agreed to share a bed with Speed.

      While this arrangement may have initially originated from financial constraints, the two lived together and shared a bed for four years, continuing this practice even after Lincoln began earning a lawyer's salary.

      In fact, during an 1875 conversation between one of Lincoln’s friends, William Butler, and Lincoln's private secretary, John Nicolay, Butler mentioned that he had invited Lincoln to use his own bed during this time:

      “I want you to come down here and make my house your home,” Butler told Lincoln. Yet, Lincoln opted to remain living with Speed.

      **‘The Fatal First’**

      “Hon. Abraham Lincoln, Republican candidate for the presidency, 1860” – Lithograph by Leopold Grozelier, Chicago Historical Society, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons – Credit: C/O

      Lincoln’s arrangement with Speed ended when Speed returned to his family’s plantation in Kentucky.

      Lincoln described January 1, 1841 — the day he learned through a newspaper that Speed had sold his general store and was leaving — as “the fatal first.”

      Speed's departure plunged Lincoln into a state of depression, which he recounted in a letter to his law partner John Stuart in 1841:

      “I am now the most miserable man alive. If my feelings were distributed across humanity, there would not be a single cheerful face on earth. Whether or not I will improve, I cannot say. I dread that I will not. Remaining in this state is impossible. I must either die or get better, it seems to me,” Lincoln expressed.