Queer History 109: Charlotte Cushman's Middle Finger to the 19th Century

Fuck You and Your Homophobia.....

Let's get one thing straight—Charlotte Cushman was anything but. Long before Ellen graced magazine covers or Kristen Stewart smoldered on screen, there was a fierce-as-hell 19th-century actress strutting across stages in male clothing, building a goddamn empire on her talent, and living openly with a succession of female lovers. In an era when women were expected to be demure, submissive baby factories, Cushman was busy becoming the most famous actress in America and the wealthiest woman in theater while giving a giant middle finger to gender norms.

Born in 1816, when America was still fumbling through adolescence as a nation, Cushman grew into a towering presence—both literally and figuratively. Standing nearly six feet tall with striking features that defied conventional beauty standards, she transformed what many considered physical disadvantages into her greatest assets. Her deep, powerful voice and commanding presence didn't fit the delicate female roles of her day? Fuck it. She'd…