How do pirates know they’re pirates? They think… therefore they ARRR. Sorry for that terrible joke. But I want us all to get into the space of pirates. The open sea, violence, stealing, run-ins with the law, and above all, freedom -- from the social burdens of the Early Modern Era and -- freedom to love who they loved.Pirates have been around forever. From the Vikings in the 8th century to Somali pirates in recent years, there is something undeniably exciting about sailing the ocean and taking what you want. My guest today is pirate scholar and aficionado, Rebecca Simon.The pirates we’ll meet today were way more exciting than eye patches and wooden legs. Get ready for a crash course on the Golden Age of piracy -- the time of Blackbeard and the real Pirates of the Carribean. We’ll meet famous queer pirates like John Swann, Robert Culliford, Ann Bonnie, and Mary Read. And maybe we’ll go home with a few pirate-inspired tips on how to use your style to intimidate.Be sure to follow Becka on TwitterYour host is Levi Chambers, co-founder of Gayety.Follow the show and keep up with the conversation @Pride.Want more great shows from Straw Hut Media? Check out or website at strawhutmedia.com.Your producers are Levi Chambers, Maggie Boles, Ryan Tillotson and Edited by Sebastian AlcalaHave an interesting LGBTQ+ story to share? We might feature U! Email us at lgbtq@strawhutmedia.com.*This podcast is not affiliated with Pride Media.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices