Was Adolf Hitler Gay? Maybe, Says New Evidence, But Does It Matter?

A recent article discussed notes from interviews with Adolf Hitler's doctors conducted by the U.S. Army after World War II. These notes were recently released to the public and Hitler's physicians disclosed the following:

"[The doctors] wrote 'Homosex' in the space provided for Hitler's sexuality. The doctors told [the interviewer] that Hitler did not sleep with girlfriend Eva Braun in her bedroom, and he himself received female hormones. [The interviewer] wrote, 'Eva Braun = separate rooms' and 'female hormone - injection 50,000 units.'"

Other notes "[detailed] how Hitler was shot up with bull semen … [saying] that bull semen shots were used to regulate his level of testosterone. But … [Hitler] was also receiving female hormones. Those can be used to treat various ailments, but are dangerous and often interfere with male sexual functions."

When I read these notes about Hitler, I kept thinking over and over again, "Why does any of this matter?" Honestly, does Hitler being gay really even matter at this point? If we found out that he really enjoyed eating raspberries, would that matter as well? However, I think his sexual orientation is in question mainly because being gay, lesbian, transsexual, transgendered, queer, or any other form of sexual "deviance," is controversial and often stigmatized in today's world.

It wouldn't surprise me if some people start believing that his cruel and inhuman actions were caused by his sexuality. And I don't know if there is a political agenda underlying these articles claiming that Hitler was gay. But regardless of intentions of writers, it is important for us to understand that anyone can commit horrible acts. Were Hitler's SchutzStaffel and Nazi soldiers all gay too? Were the 1500s-1800s white male slave owners, who raped and assaulted their black female slaves, gay? Were the fighters for The Crusades, who slaughtered countless people, gay? People of all backgrounds, genders, ages, and sexual orientation commit crimes against humanity. Therefore, we shouldn't assume that Hitler's sexuality played any role in his actions.

It is also unclear if Hitler was really gay or some other form of queer. Even if his doctors claimed he was "Homosex," injecting female hormones is often not typically practiced by homosexuals. Rather it is actually more common for transgendered people to use hormone injections. This already points to how the writers who say "Hitler was gay" are putting their own spin on the actual facts.

What actually makes this story interesting is the fact that we're learning about this now. It's been 68 years since Hitler's death. However, signs of his sexuality are just recently starting to become public knowledge. If he really was gay or transgendered, the silence of his sexual orientation is very telling of societal stigma against queers. Hitler was extremely powerful and influential (as cruel as he was) yet even he possibly had to hide his sexual orientation from the public.

This all goes to show how hatred towards certain identities can cause immense fear and insecurity even among those with great amounts of power. Thus, it is up to us to create a more accepting society for all people.