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There is debate about the possibility that Abraham Lincoln may have been gay or bisexual.

Abraham Lincoln is known to have lived for four years with Joshua Fry Speed, when both men were in their twenties. They shared a bed during these years and developed a friendship that would last until their deaths. A number of biographers, beginning with Carl Sandburg in 1926, have suggested or implied that this relationship was sexual, though others have argued that Lincoln and Speed shared a bed because of their financial circumstances, and that at the time it was not unusual for two men to share a bed - indeed, that Lincoln was open about the fact that they had shared a bed in seen by some historians as an indication that their relationship was in no way romantic.

Lincoln meet Speed in Springfield, Illinois in 1837. When Speed left Lincoln and returned to his native Kentucky in 1841, on the eve of Lincoln's marriage to Mary Todd, Lincoln is believed to have suffered something approaching clinical depression. Despite having some political differences over slavery, Lincoln and Speed corresponded for the rest of their lives and Lincoln appointed Joshua's brother, James Speed, to his cabinet as Attorney General.

Lincoln shared beds with several other men during his life. Amongst these was an army officer, David Derickson, assigned to Lincoln's bodyguard in 1862. Several sources characterize the relationship between the two as intimate, and it was the subject of gossip in Washington at the time. They shared a bed during the absences of Lincoln's wife, until Derickson was promoted in 1863. Again, some biographers have interpreted this as a sexual affair. Lincoln's stepmother is also known to have penned in her journal that Lincoln ""never took much interest in the girls". A recent study has also pointed to gay marriage themes in poetry written by Lincoln:

• I will tell you a Joke about Jewel and Mary

  It is neither a Joke nor a Story

  For Rubin and Charles has married two girls

  But Billy has married a boy

  The girlies he had tried on every Side

  But none could he get to agree

  All was in vain he went home again

  And since that is married to Natty

  So Billy and Natty agreed very well

  And mama's well pleased at the match

  The egg it is laid but Natty's afraid

  The Shell is So Soft that it never will hatch

  But Betsy she said you Cursed bald head

  My Suitor you never Can be

  Beside your low crotch proclaims you a botch

  And that never Can serve for me

This hypothesis about Lincoln's sexuality is explored in detail in a number of works, most recently in soon-to-be-released book The Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln by C. A. Tripp (ISBN 0743266390). David Herbert Donald disputes the findings, but Jean H. Baker, a student of David Herbert Donald and author of Mary Todd Lincoln: A Biography (ISBN 0393305864) wrote the introduction to Tripp's book and supports Tripp's claims. Michael B. Chesson, professor at the University of Massachusetts and another student of David Herbert Donald wrote the afterward and also supports the book's thesis.

C. A. Tripp began the book with Philip Nobile, but they had a falling out. The New York Times quotes Mr. Nobile saying "Tripp's book is a fraud", but so far has provided no details.

Critics of the hypothesis that Lincoln was gay note that Lincoln married and had four children. They claim Lincoln as a young man displayed heterosexual behavior. Lincoln scholar, Douglas Wilson, in his book entitled "Honor's Voice: The Transformation of Abraham Lincoln," notes the following: according to James Short, a friend of Lincoln's from his New Salem days, Lincoln used to enjoy telling this story about himself: "Once when Mr L was surveying, he was put to bed in the same room with two girls, the head of his bed being next to the foot of the girls' bed. In the night he commenced tickling the feet of one of the girls with his fingers. As she seemed to enjoy it as much as he did he then tickled a little higher up; and as he would tickle higher the girl would shove down lower and the higher he tickled the lower she moved. Mr L would tell the story with evident enjoyment. He never told how the thing ended."

It is unlikely this hypothesis will ever be either confirmed or defeated (no matter how much evidence is accumulated on either side) and will likely remain an issue of interest and contention as long as Lincoln's name is remembered.

Lincoln possibly had a romance with Ann Rutledge, whose death in 1835 led to one of his severe depressions. Lincoln met Mary Owens in 1833 or 1834, and had promised Mary's sister to marry Mary after Mary would return to New Salem. Mary returned in 1836, but in 1836 or 1837 Mary refused the marriage proposal. In Springfield in 1839, Lincoln met Mary Todd. They became engaged in 1840, but Lincoln broke it off 1841January 1 again becoming very depressed (there is even a suicide poem tentatively attributed to Lincoln at this time). Mary Todd was then courted by Stephen A. Douglas for a while. Joshua Speed married Fanny Hennings 1842February 15 and the two men seem to have consulted each other about married life. Mary and Lincoln became engaged again and were married 1842November 4. Nine months later, 1843August 1, their first child, Robert Todd Lincoln, was born.

The sexuality of James Buchanan, Lincoln's predecessor as President, was also the subject of rumours during his lifetime and subsequent historical debate, particularly with regards to his relationship with William Rufus King.

External Links

Book Questions Abraham Lincoln's Sexuality - Discovery Channel

• Abraham Lincoln