WAS LINCOLN GAY?

Orecklin, Michelle (2005) All the president's men TIME, 1/17 P. 62
Stansell, Christine (2005) What Stuff, THE NEW REPUBLIC, 1/17, P.21

Both articles review THE INTIMATE WORLD OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, by C.A. Tripp.

Lincoln is generally ranked as one of the best presidents in American history. There have been rumors of him having severe depression and hiding his racial identity. This is the third rail. He's gay.

Thus, the man who held this country together and may have been killed in a conspiracy was bi-polar, bi-racial, and bi-sexual.

Both reviewers indicate that likely lovers were friends and body guards. They include Joshua Speed, David Derickson, and Billy Greene. Lincoln's marriage to Mary Todd was stormy and she felt like an outcast in the social circles in Washington DC during the civil war.

Both reviewers suggest that gay relations were not identified as strongly as they are now.
In other words, gay sex could occur like girls kissing girls today. In other words, we are talking about situational sex like that in prison or sailors stranded on large boats for months at a time.

Additionally, sex was thought of as a continuum and one could flow back and forth if they were discreet about it and did not happen too often.