We tend to view gay marriage as a cultural and legal development of the 21st century. But did you know that some early Americans lived openly as same-sex married couples? Rachel Hope Cleves, a Professor of History at the University of Victoria in British Columbia and author of Charity and Sylvia: A Same-Sex Marriage in Early America, reveals the story of Charity Bryant and Sylvia Drake, women who lived as a married couple in Weybridge, Vermont between 1807 and 1851. This episode originally posted as Episode 013. Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/215   Sponsor Links Omohundro Institute Chicago 2019 Meetup   Complementary Episodes Episode 004: Thomas Foster, Sex and the Founding Fathers Episode 027: Lisa Wilson, A History of Stepfamilies in Early America Episode 032: Michelle Marchetti Coughlin, One Colonial Woman’s World Episode 120: Marcia Zug, A History of Mail Order Brides in Early America Episode 175: Daniel Epstein, House Divided: The Revolution in Ben Franklin’s House   Helpful Show Links Ben Franklin's World Facebook Page Ben Franklin’s World Twitter: @BFWorldPodcast Join the Ben Franklin's World Community Sign-up for the Franklin Gazette Newsletter Ben Franklin's World iOS App Ben Franklin's World Android App   *Books purchased through this link will help support the production of Ben Franklin's World.