Think ‘n Drink: King Neptune’s Court: Gender Expression in the US Navy

Please join the Wisconsin Maritime Museum on August 3rd at 6:30pm for our free Think & Drink series presentation “King Neptune’s Court: Gender Expression in the US Navy” with Naval History and Heritage Command’s Dr. Heather Haley and US Army War College’s Dr Jacquline Whitt. The featured drink of the night will be a Pride Punch.

Sailors are infamous for their rituals. Performed in the name of tradition, comradery, and entertainment, these rites are an important way for sailors to keep themselves occupied during long cruises. One of the best known festivities is the Crossing the Line Ceremony. When a boat crosses the equator, it enters King Neptune’s realm. Those uninitiated, known as pollywogs, must endure a series of humiliating tasks. Only at the end will the pollywogs transform into shellbacks. Underlying this rite of passage are queer undertones, as, historically, heterosexual-presenting male sailors impersonated women in drag as members of Neptune’s Court. In a military that explicitly manages sexual orientation and gender identity and expression (SOGIE), these rites were one of the few times that sailors could experiment with SOGIE.

Alcohol and nonalcoholic drinks will be available for purchase at the limited bar.

Doors and bar open at 6:00 pm. The talk and live stream portion begin at 6:30 pm. To access the live stream of this event, please register here: Register

Admission is free both in-person and virtually.

For more information about this talk and upcoming events at the museum please visit our website https://www.wisconsinmaritime.org/ or on Facebook @WIMaritimeMuseum.

This program is funded in part by a grant from Wisconsin Humanities, with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the State of Wisconsin. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this project do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.