I got some things wrong. A few things. Okay, maybe more than a few. Look, I am a queer person with a library card and a lot of feelings, not a PhD, and sometimes that shows.
This is my official corrections episode, where I own my mistakes, thank the people who caught them, and remind everyone (including myself) that history is complicated, sources disagree, and I am genuinely out here learning alongside you.
The Pronunciation Round
Four corrections from a single video (the LGBTQ Composers episode). Leonard Bernstein is "BURN-styne" not "BURN-steen." Gian Carlo Menotti is "meh-NAWT-tee" not "me-NOA-ti." Francis Poulenc is "pool-ONGK" with that French nasal vowel. And the big one: Tchaikovsky's Pathétique Symphony is "pa-teh-TEEK," and it means "passionate," not "pathetic." A closeted gay man's symphony about passion, mislabeled for 130 years.
Plus: George Moscone is "moss-KOH-nee" (three syllables, Italian) and Reading Gaol is "REDD-ing" (British place name, rhymes with bedding).
The Wrong Pictures
In our Karl Ulrichs episode, we showed Ludwig II of Bavaria instead of Ulrichs. The irony: Ludwig II was almost certainly gay himself. In our Willem Arondeus episode, we mixed up two Dutch resistance heroes named Jan: Jan Tijssen (Arondeus's partner, no H) and Jan Thijssen (an electrical engineer who built underground radio networks, with H).
The Anachronism
We used the term "two-spirit" when covering the 1979 March on Washington. The term was coined in 1990. The identities are ancient, the specific label is newer. Language matters.
Why This Matters
Admitting mistakes feels dangerous in a cancel-culture era. But there's power in saying: I got this wrong, here's what's right, and I'm going to do better. If we're going to tell queer history, we should tell it right. And having a community that holds us accountable with love is something rare and valuable.
Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast app. Until next time, stay strong, stay bold, and keep making history!