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Join us for a talk by Dr. Megan Rhodes Victor on the history and archaeology of molly houses, clandestine locations in the English colonies wherein gay men and cross-dressing individuals could meet and participate in elaborate gendered performances. They served as spaces to interact, socialize with others ‘like them’, engage in more intimate relations, and participate in complex rituals simulating births, ballroom dances, marriages, and tea parlor gatherings. As taverns, molly houses were places where individuals could conduct social negotiation and form bonds of community, due to these buildings’ inherent “alcosocial” nature. Taverns were largely male-coded drinking spaces in the 18th century, and yet these were also one of the few places where women – especially unmarried or widowed women – could work and even manage (or own) a business. This apparent gender contradiction may have played a role in taverns and inns serving as the location for molly houses. Dr. Victor will discuss how the Molly House Project seeks to explore these archaeological spaces and provide a window into the lived experience of individuals in LGBTQ+ communities in the eighteenth century.
