Best B T Newberg Podcasts (2025)

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Two-Spirit: The Lakota Winkte - Sex on the Great Plains 53:35

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2+ y ago53:35

53:35

What does it mean to be Two-Spirit? The film The Miseducation of Cameron Post likens it to being a "Native American David Bowie," but that's a far cry. What does it really mean? And what is the Two-Spirit tradition of the Lakota, the winkte? Episode theme music courtesy of the The Eagle and the Raven Band, featuring Ki' Earth Spirit. Don't forget t…

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Europe’s Third Gender: Byzantine Court Eunuchs - Showcase, Feat. Dead Ideas 1:06:34

2+ y ago1:06:34

1:06:34

Did you know that Europe had its own third gender tradition, which arose, flourished, and then disappeared over the span of a few centuries? In the Byzantine Empire, this third gender was called a eunuch. They began as exotic imports from abroad, but quickly became a local tradition both feared and respected, reviled and adored, devilish and angeli…

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Were Lakota Women Slaves to their Husbands? - Sex on the Great Plains 36:34

3y ago36:34

36:34

19th-century writers called Lakota women virtually enslaved to their husbands, but were they? Or were they skilled artisans, valued by the community, and empowered within their marriages? It turns out the working woman of the modern West owes much to the skilled craftswoman of the Great Plains. Special thanks to Dr. Jon Cleland Host for help in the…

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To Save the Lakota: An Interview with Dr. Jeff Means - Sex on the Great Plains 53:06

3y ago53:06

53:06

If you had to choose between giving up your way of life or facing the death of your people, what would you do? What if it meant having to give up ever feeling like a man, a woman, or your authentic self again? Lakota historian Jeff Means is here to helps us understand that question.By B. T. Newberg

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How the Lakota Became Cowboys - Sex on the Great Plains 47:47

3y ago47:47

47:47

After hunting bison for centuries, the Lakota suddenly switched to cattle in the late 19th century. Why did they hunt cattle? Why was it crucial to maintaining the gender norms of Lakota men, women, and those Two-Spirit folk called the winkte? And why was the cattle hunt their last best hope for survival? Special thanks to Dr. Jeff Means, Dr. Jon C…

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When Nip Slips Were Normal - Showcase, Feat. Dead Ideas 49:26

3y ago49:26

49:26

Today, female toplessness is taboo in Western culture, but did you know that until quite recently indeed, showing nip was normal? Not only was it normal, but it was often the height of fashion. Noble women and even queens all sported this particular wardrobe choice. So, when did this begin, and how did it come to be taboo? We find out in this showc…

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This Time For Me: An Interview with Transparent Star Alexandra Billings 36:53

3y ago36:53

36:53

What would it be like to live through almost the entire recent history of the transgender movement, from near-complete marginalization in the 1960s to glimmers of mainstream acceptance in the present? Alexandra Billings, who plays Davina on the hit TV show Transparent, did just that. We talk to her about her new memoir This Time For Me, which tells…

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Was the West Gay? - Sex in the Wild West 34:15

3y ago34:15

34:15

Were there queer folks in the Wild West? We address comments made by actor Sam Elliot about the "evisceration of the American myth" by the new Western film The Power of the Dog, and take a look at the hard evidence for queer folks on the frontier. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/btnewberg.…

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No Home on the Range? The Black Cowboy’s Short-lived Glory - Sex in the Wild West 49:59

3+ y ago49:59

49:59

Is it just me, or does the image of the cowboy feel Whiter than White? Yet, in actual history, 1 out of 4 cowboys was Black. The Wild West was surprisingly welcoming in some ways to African Americans, except when it came to interracial sex. And sex may be why it now feels like cowboys were all one skin tone. How did fears of miscegenation ultimatel…

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Cowboy Cross-dressers - Sex in the Wild West 50:58

3+ y ago50:58

50:58

Calamity Jane, Little Joe Monahan, and Mrs. Nash... What was life like for those who dared to cross-dress in the Wild West? Why were their stories twisted to fit an emerging American mythos in the 20th century? And what does that say about how we view cross-dressing today? Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Support the show on Patreon at …

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Funny Skits Compilation 2021 (Holiday Special) 31:36

3+ y ago31:36

31:36

So uh... 2021, huh folks? What can I say, well... at least it was better than 2020, right? And actually it was a pretty decent year for us as a show, with some significant milestones. Come celebrate with us with a retrospective of all the skits from this year, plus a new one as a special treat just for you. Thank you to Myuu for this episode's them…

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The Bisexual Superpower: An Interview with Jen Winston 44:52

3+ y ago44:52

44:52

If your sexuality had a superpower, what would it be? That's kind of an odd question, so let me go first. For Jen Winston, author of the new book Greedy, their bisexuality's superpower is a kind of vision, vision that allows a person to see things that other folks may struggle to see. Jen is here to tell you all about that, and a whole lot more as …

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Go West, Young Woman - Sex in the Wild West 40:39

3+ y ago40:39

40:39

What was life like in the Wild West for women? As it turns out, it was a surprisingly progressive place in terms of women's rights. Women could divorce more easily, own property, claim a homestead, open a business, and in some territories even vote. So how did it get to be as progressive as it was? Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Suppo…

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The Myth of the Manly Cowboy - Sex in the Wild West 49:00

3+ y ago49:00

49:00

At the heart of American masculinity lies the cowboy, a loner heartthrob who pulls himself up by his own bootstraps, rides off into the sunset, and don't need no help from nobody. Except he wasn't. Actual historical cowboys were nothing like that. So what were they really like? Special thanks to Gregory Hinton of the Out West exhibit and the Autry …

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The History of Gay Porn, Feat. The History of Gay Sex 51:50

3+ y ago51:50

51:50

Today's showcase episode traces the evolution of obscenity laws and the struggles of a community to obtain the kind of sex-positive, identity-affirming erotic material that most of us today of all orientations pretty much take for granted. Well, it wasn’t always that way, especially for gays. In fact, it was a long and tumultuous road, involving so…

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The Sex and Gender of Yours Truly (100K Download Special) 24:43

4y ago24:43

24:43

We've looked at sex and gender all across history, but what about me? What's my sex and gender? How do I attempt to live out a non-toxic straight male masculinity in the modern era? It's an exclusive tell-all exposé today as we celebrate 100,000 downloads. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/b…

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Male Witches - Viking Gender Benders 45:07

4y ago45:07

45:07

The seiðmaðr was a male witch, and when you think of witches as women, that’s how the Norse thought of them too. These men defied their culture’s gender norms, and for it they received ridicule, not unlike the phenomenon today of bronies – you know, guys who are really into My Little Pony. What was it like for these gender-defiant Norse spell-sling…

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The All-Gay Army: Ancient Greece’s Sacred Band of Thebes: An Interview with James Romm

4y ago

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The Sacred Band of Thebes, comprised entirely of gay male lovers, was Ancient Greece’s original response to the gays in the military question. What was that like? How did it function? And what was its lasting legacy? That’s what we’re going to find out today, just in time for Pride Month. Here to help us do it is classicist James Romm, author of Th…

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OG Gays in the Military: Ancient Greece's Sacred Band of Thebes: An Interview with James Romm 49:06

4y ago49:06

49:06

The Sacred Band of Thebes, comprised entirely of gay male lovers, was Ancient Greece’s original response to the gays in the military question. What was that like? How did it function? And what was its lasting legacy? That’s what we’re going to find out today, just in time for Pride Month. Here to help us do it is classicist James Romm, author of Th…

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Victorian Secret: Vice in the Victorian Era 39:35

4y ago39:35

39:35

We all know the Victorians were notorious prudes about sex, right? But was that really true? Well, yes and no. The truth is, they were both prudish and prurient. The age of Victoria was bursting at the seams with variety as people coped with a new, massively urbanized world. Much of the consternation about sex was a reaction to the changes brought …

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Shieldmaidens - Viking Gender Benders 50:44

4y ago50:44

50:44

Viking warrior women were not common, but they did probably exist. And they went against the gender norms of their day. Such brave swordswomen were, in fact, gender benders. And perhaps some of them may even have been what we would today call transgender. These warriors rocked the longboat of their day’s norms. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and …

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The History of Bras, Feat. The Exploress 32:07

4+ y ago32:07

32:07

From the practical sports bra to Victoria’s secret to Lady Gaga’s fire-spitting pyro bra, the brassiere has become a cornerstone of modern women’s wear. But where did these little lovelies come from? Here to tell you the story is Kate of The Exploress. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/btnew…

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How to Be a Black Man in the Civil War Union Army: An Interview with Verb Washington 48:48

4+ y ago48:48

48:48

What was it like for Black men who fought in the American Civil War? Why did they fight for a racist country, and what did this act mean for their sense of manhood? Here today to help us understand the perspective of these Black soldiers is military scholar Versalle F. Washington, who prefers to go by "Verb." His book Eagles On Their Buttons, tells…

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Our Gender Future: How Will Gender Change in the 2020s? 22:05

4+ y ago22:05

22:05

How will gender norms change in the 2020s? That is the question I posed to you, dear listener, yesterday. You can chime in on Facebook where we are @historyofsexpod. Meanwhile, here are my Top 5 predictions for changes by the end of this decade. Special thanks to all those who provided answers to the question for this episode! Don't forget to subsc…

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Funny Skits Compilation 2020 (New Years Special) 22:32

4+ y ago22:32

22:32

2020 is almost over. We’re counting down the final hours. And here to help you do it are all the funny skits of our show from 2020. Happy New Year, everybody! Plus, updates on the show, and a question for you to answer! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/btnewberg. Research, writing, editing,…

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Evolved to Go Down? The History of Oral Sex 22:43

4+ y ago22:43

22:43

Why do we go down on each other? Are we evolved for oral sex? Find out in today's stimulating episode. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/btnewberg. Research, writing, editing, and production by B. T. Newberg. Logo Design by Rachel Westhoff. Animation by Maxeem Konrardy. Additional credits, r…

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Women of the Maori, Feat. History of Aotearoa New Zealand 25:45

4+ y ago25:45

25:45

What was life like for women in New Zealand before the arrival of Europeans? The Maori are the main indigenous people of Aotearoa, or what we now call New Zealand, and the experience of Maori women was in many ways strikingly different. Here to tell us all about it is Thomas of the podcast History of Aotearoa New Zealand. This episode has been spon…

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The Etymology of Sex, Feat. The Endless Knot 1:30:02

4+ y ago1:30:02

1:30:02

Do you spend a lot of time thinking about sex? (the word, that is!) How did we get our English word “sex”? Aven and Mark of the podcast The Endless Knot are here to help us find out. Today, we unearth the etymology of sex. This episode has been sponsored by LetsGetChecked. Go to www.trylgc.com/btnewberg and use code “history” to get 20% off your pu…

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The History of Tomboys: An Interview with Lisa Selin Davis 47:12

4+ y ago47:12

47:12

When her six-year-old daughter first called herself a “tomboy”, Lisa Selin Davis had to ask herself what that word meant. Davis launched a deep exploration of gender and gender nonconformity, and discovered the tomboy label is both empowering for some and problematic for others. Also featuring Youtube creators Kjones and Elohm's Eye. Don't forget t…

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Toxic Masculinity and Masks in the Age of COVID-19 26:43

5y ago26:43

26:43

If you were in doubt about whether masculinity can be toxic, well, it’s plenty clear now. Numerous studies have shown that men are far less likely to wear masks than women. This masculine behavior is literally toxic. Or... biohazardous? Anyway... Why are men more likely to go maskless in public? What does it have to do with masculinity, and what ca…

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Was Queen Elizabeth Actually a Man? Feat. Our Fake History 31:44

5y ago31:44

31:44

What if Queen Elizabeth had been a man? We dive into this bizarre idea in today’s showcase episode, courtesy of Sebastian Major of Our Fake History. Our Fake History is a podcast that explores myths people think are history and history that might be hidden in myths. At the heart of today’s episode is gender: the idea that maybe Queen Elizabeth was …

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Report From Minneapolis: Making Sense of the Riots Over George Floyd’s Death

5y ago

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My city is on fire today. This is day four of the riots in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police. And everyone around me is saying, “I’m angry too, but why destroy your own community? It doesn’t make sense.”But is there another way to look at it? In this episode, I share first-hand reports of the riots as well as experiences…

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Report from Minneapolis: Making Sense of the Riots Over George Floyd's Death 11:18

5y ago11:18

11:18

My city is on fire today. This is day four of the riots in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police. And everyone around me is saying, “I’m angry too, but why destroy your own community? It doesn’t make sense.” But is there another way to look at it? In this episode, I share first-hand reports of the riots as well as experience…

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The First Bisexual Erasure? - Sex in the Third Reich 26:55

5y ago26:55

26:55

Why didn't the Nazis make an exception for bisexuals? They could have helped raise the birth rate as much as anyone else, yet they were persecuted alongside homosexuals without distinction. Was this an early form of bisexual erasure? And what is bisexual erasure anyway? This episode has been sponsored by LetsGetChecked. Go to www.trylgc.com/btnewbe…

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Wolves in Women‘s Clothing? Cross-dressing in the German Army - Sex in the Third Reich 23:15

5y ago23:15

23:15

Pages upon pages of photos of Nazi soldiers... in drag - that's what's in Martin Dammann's book Soldier Studies: Cross-dressing in der Wermacht. Were the Nazis more diverse than we ever thought? Or is there something more insidious lurking here? Today we take a look at the situation in which cross-dressers found themselves in the Third Reich. This …

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Is Lesbian Sex ”Real” Sex? - Sex in the Third Reich 27:25

5y ago27:25

27:25

Of course lesbian sex is "real" sex! Why wouldn't it be? Yet the rabidly homophobic Nazis declined to prosecute lesbian sodomy charges, apparently on the grounds that it wasn't. Moreover, most of Western history agreed: without penetration, lesbian sex was not "real" sex. How could this be? Discover the history of views toward female-female sex fro…

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Were There Gays in the Ranks? - Sex in the Third Reich 53:08

5y ago53:08

53:08

Were there really gays in the Nazi party, even though they sent thousands of homosexuals to concentration camps or worse? Yes. In fact, Ernst Röhm, the second most powerful man in the party in the early years, was gay - and a close friend of Hitler's. How could this be? Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Support the show on Patreon at www…

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How Aztecs Make Babies 24:48

5y ago24:48

24:48

What if you got the birds and the bees talk from Aztec parents? How different would it be? Answer: quite different indeed. Among the other things needed to make a baby besides "loving each other very much", are ritual, sacrifice, and sweeping. How does that work? Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Support the show on Patreon at www.patreo…

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Were Early Peruvians Obsessed With Blowjobs? The Moche Sex Pots 19:48

5y ago19:48

19:48

What can we really learn about a culture from its artistic depictions of sex? To look at the pottery of the Moche from the north coast of Peru, you would think that these people must have been obsessed with blowjobs. And backdoor stuff. And, well, a whole lot else too. But does this tell us how they got their rocks off? Or is it more complicated th…

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How to Be a Man in Civil War America 20:01

5y ago20:01

20:01

Hey, did you catch the ultimate fighting match last week, you know the one where they gouged each other’s eyes out? Um, no, you probably didn’t, because that doesn’t happen today. But it did happen in the 19th century. What did it mean to be a man in the era of the Civil War? To be a man – an American man – was to be independent, and this was displ…

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The First Intersex in Colonial America: The Case of Thomas/ine Hall 43:34

5y ago43:34

43:34

In 1629, in colonial Virginia, there came before the courts one Thomas Hall. Or was it Thomasine Hall? That was the question. This was the first recorded intersex person in America - that is, apart from Native American traditions, of course (which we DO cover in this episode). The colonists didn't know what to do. Today, we're taking a look at perc…

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Covid Cabana: Top 5 Ways to Have Fun Despite the Coronavirus

5y ago

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This episode goes out to all of you at home out there during this pandemic, but we want to dedicate it especially to listener Owyn in Toronto, Canada. He’s faced a string of tough challenges recently, and now there’s the covid challenge on top of it all, but on the bright side, Owyn: it’s your 19th birthday today! Happy Covid 19th, Owyn!Be sure to …

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Covid Cabana: Top 5 Ways to Have Fun Despite the Coronavirus 5:50

5y ago5:50

5:50

This episode goes out to all of you at home out there during this pandemic, but we want to dedicate it especially to listener Owyn in Toronto, Canada. He’s faced a string of tough challenges recently, and now there’s the covid challenge on top of it all, but on the bright side, Owyn: it’s your 19th birthday today! Happy Covid 19th, Owyn! Don't forg…

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Promise Me You Will Stay Alive: Jewish Manhood During the Holocaust - Sex in the Third Reich 26:14

5y ago26:14

26:14

How did Jewish men resist the Nazis? How did they bear up when the regime came for them and their families? How did they maintain their manhood as they were reduced to animals in the eyes of their oppressors? Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/btnewberg. Research, writing, editing, and produc…

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A Few Good Mensches: How Jewish Men Fought for Freedom - Sex in the Third Reich 24:47

5y ago24:47

24:47

Jewish masculinity changed dramatically in the modern era, going from intellectual to soldier. What was it like for them before and during the Nazi regime? And how did they fight back as the hate machine bore down on them and their families? Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/btnewberg. Resea…

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The Soldier-Father Contradiction - Sex in the Third Reich 21:04

5y ago21:04

21:04

Can you be both a soldier and a father at the same time? How do you go to the front knowing you might never see your children again? Males in Nazi Germany were expected to do exactly that, so what was that like? Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/btnewberg. Research, writing, editing, and pro…

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Toxic Masculinity in Germany - Sex in the Third Reich 42:37

5+ y ago42:37

42:37

How do you make a Nazi cry? It sounds like the setup to a joke, but it's no joke. Today, we explore the Nazi male, whose toxic masculinity was hard as Krupp steel. Yet even for these tough as nails men, there were times when it was okay to cry. What was it like for men in the Third Reich? Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Support the sho…

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Sappho and Same-sex Love in Ancient Greece, Feat. The Exploress 40:18

5+ y ago40:18

40:18

Our theme this month has been the female body, so today we’re bringing you that lover of women’s bodies, Sappho. From the isle of Lesbos, from which we get our word lesbian, she has been renowned throughout history as a master of literature and a lover of other women, but what is the actual evidence that she took female lovers? And what were the at…

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Vagina Dentata: Reclaiming a Symbol of Power 18:34

5+ y ago18:34

18:34

How do you reclaim a symbol of patriarchal oppression for women's empowerment? The 2007 movie Teeth attempts to do just this with the folklore motif of the vagina dentata, or toothed vulva. Today, we explore the folktales behind this myth and how this movie flips the script. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Support the show on Patreon a…

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Hysteria and the Wandering Womb 33:27

5+ y ago33:27

33:27

What is the oldest medical diagnosis in history? It's hysteria, the condition attributed to women's wombs wandering around their bodies causing trouble. Come explore the 4000-year history of this bizarre medical tradition. NOTE: This episode has been updated to remove parts no longer supported by scholarly opinion. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, …