logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2025
44m 11s

Inside America's Famous Sex Study

History Hit
About this episode

How could recording people having sex be 'for science'? Same question for sleeping with your colleagues? Well, these were just two of the practices embraced by the subject of today's conversation.


Donna Drucker is returning to the podcast to discuss pioneering sexologist, Alfred Kinsey. Donna, from Columbia University, is author of The Classification of Sex.


This episode was edited by Nick Thomson. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.


Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  


You can take part in our listener survey here.


All music from Epidemic Sounds.


Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Apr 17
Sex Work in the American Revolution
Where the American War of Independence raged, the camp followers...followed.Among them were sex workers, for both the American and British troops. What was life like inside army camps where sex workers mixed with wives, soldiers and generals? How did race and slavery factor into ... Show More
41m 23s
Apr 14
The Depravity of the Marquis De Sade
Sadism - the derivation of pleasure from inflicting pain, suffering and humiliation on others - is named after this man. So what exactly did he do?Kate is joined by journalist and author Joel Warner to discuss the Marquis de Sade, an 18th Century French aristocrat who committed a ... Show More
44m 46s
Apr 10
Inside the Moulin Rouge
The Moulin Rouge opened its doors in 1889, at the height of the Belle Epoch - 'the Beautiful Age'.Its famous windmill structure stood on the fringes of Paris, where intellectuals and artists mixed with thugs and criminals in a hedonistic neighbourhood.What really went on inside t ... Show More
36m 58s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2025
Vanity of Henry VIII with Kate Lister
With six wives, Henry VIII must have had something going for him, right? Was he handsome? Charming? Intelligent? Just plain powerful? In this episode, the tables are turned on Professor Suzannah Lipscomb as she becomes the guest of Dr. Kate Lister on our sister podcast, Betwixt t ... Show More
44m 16s
Oct 2025
Who Was the Worst President Ever?
What makes a bad President? Who was the worst of all time? Don is joined by Professor Jeremi Suri, author of The Impossible Presidency and co-host of This Is Democracy.Next week we'll be looking at who is the best President ever!Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Freddy Chick. Se ... Show More
32m 28s
Aug 2025
Italians in America
From Columbus onwards, Italians have been a part of American culture. Don explores this rich history with Professor Anthony Tamburri, Dean of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute in New York.Produced by Sophie Gee and Freddy Chick. Edited by Tim Arstall. Senior Produce ... Show More
48m 21s
Oct 2025
Medieval Sex
Warning: this episode contains explicit language.Medieval people weren’t prudish—far from it. Dan is joined by medieval historian Dr Eleanor Janega to explore sex, marriage, and desire in the Middle Ages. They delve into the beliefs around sodomy as “non-procreative sex”; pilgrim ... Show More
42m 14s
May 2024
The Atomic Bomb & Civil War Cigars: Greatest 'What Ifs' from History
<p>We think of history as a neat chain of predictable events; but what if the truth is far wilder than that? Today, we're talking about the pivotal forces of randomness and chance, and how tiny moments can change the course of our human story.</p><br><p>Dan is joined by Brian Kla ... Show More
29m 28s
Sep 2025
Ballads of Love and Death
In this enchanting episode, Dr. Eleanor Janega dissolves the boundaries between history, folklore, and music to explore the haunting world of medieval ballads. Joined by author Amy Jeffs, illustrator Gwen Burns and composer/singer Natalie Brice, Eleanor uncovers the timeless stor ... Show More
1h 1m
Sep 2025
Inanna: Mesopotamian Sex Goddess
Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Kate Lister to take us on a journey through the fascinating history of Innana, an ancient goddess of love, war, fertility, and political power. They delve into her evolution from a humble agricultural deity to one of the most powerful and complex f ... Show More
41m 43s
Feb 2025
When Europeans reached Australia
<p>Professor Suzannah Lipscomb delves into the dramatic story of the first European encounters with the indigenous people of Australia. She's joined by Professor Alistair Paterson who sheds light on the reported events of February 1606 when the Dutch unexpectedly stumbled upon th ... Show More
46m 1s
Nov 2025
Antony and Cleopatra
Rome. Egypt. Love. War. Over 2,000 years ago, the fates of two ancient worlds collided in one of history’s most legendary love stories: Antony and Cleopatra.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Daisy Dunn to uncover the truth behind the myth - from thei ... Show More
53m 27s