Was Walt Whitman gay?

Walt Whitman never publicly addressed his sexual orientation in his poems, essays or lectures. He lived from 1819 to 1892, a time when “gay” meant little more than “happy.” Biographical materials, however, note he was involved for decades with a man named Peter Doyle. read more

Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself”: Just the Gay Parts Books | By Tyler Coates | May 30, 2014 This weekend marks the 195th birthday of arguably the most American of American poets, Walt Whitman. read more

The Walt Whitman Bridge, which crosses the Delaware River near his home in Camden, was opened on May 16, 1957. In 1997, the Walt Whitman Community School opened, becoming the first private high school catering to LGBT youth. read more

Gary Schmidgall's bold and well-researched Walt Whitman: A Gay Life presents abundant and irrefutable evidence of the poet's vibrant sexuality and details Whitman's sexual and romantic affairs. read more