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Personal 16th President of the United States
Tenure Speeches and works
Legacy ![]() |
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The sexuality of Abraham Lincoln has been the topic of historical speculation and research. No such discussions have been documented during or shortly after Lincoln's lifetime; however, in the 19th century sexuality and same sex attraction were not often discussed. In recent decades (circa 1995),[1] some writers have discussed purported evidence that he may have been homosexual.
Mainstream historians generally hold that Lincoln was heterosexual,[2][3] noting that the historical context explains any of the supposed evidence.[4] Lincoln had romantic ties with women, and he had four children in an enduring marriage to a woman.[5] However, his intense bonds with men may or may not have had more meaning to them.
Some historians have dismissed the claim, saying they misinterpreted such once-common practices as men sharing a bed "while traveling".