Queer Ancestor Spotlight: The Fuck Tree
The Fuck Tree is sessile oak tree on Hampstead Heath in north London. It is located in an area known for gay cruising going as far back as the Victorian era. It’s popularity is due to the shape of its trunk, which is ideal for having sex. In 2023, London-based reporter Bron Maher wrote about the Fuck Tree for The Fence. In this piece he described the tree as:
“The roots of the tree splay out like a hand clutching a bed sheet; the trunk is prone and abdomen-high, its belly flat to the Heath floor before making an abrupt 45-degree lift toward the canopy. This tree, I tell you, has a slutty little back arch"
Queer Ancestor Spotlight: Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish poet, playwright, and a major literary and political figure in LGBTQ+ history. He is best remembered for works such as The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest. His trial for gross indecency is considered one of the first “celebrity” trials.
Queer Ancestor Spotlight: Siwa Oasis
This post is a bit different because it doesn’t center a particular figure and instead focuses on a location: the Siwa Oasis. This oasis is located in Egypt, near the Libyan border. It is one of the most isolated settlements in Egypt with a distinct culture and language. Settlement at the oasis dates back to ancient Egypt, and it was home to an oracle of Ammon.