T-maxxing, biohacking, gender-affirming care, blah, blah, blah! These modern buzzwords are just new terms for concepts that are as old as…at least a century old. This isn’t the first time in American history that we’ve been obsessed with the medicalization of masculinity, and it probably won’t be the last. Ever since we first figured out that our bodily juices each spurt from specific body parts, and noticed that those body parts had homologues in other mammals, we’ve been harvesting their glands to gain their powers. And that’s what led to the compounded, sensationalized public panic which the local newspapers sensationally called the “Chicago gland larceny.”
Today’s story is about the quick rise and fall of endocrinology’s most macabre macho moment. Hypothetically, it could also be about how patriarchal classism cuts off its own nose to spite it’s face…or, er, cuts off its…well, just listen to the story. You’ll see.
Listen right here:
Or watch our true crime podcast episode on YouTube:
A stab at true crime and a “F- you” to algorithms
Being a small indie content creator is only really rewarded when you create the same content as everyone else, repeatedly. Trends are mandatory, and anyone who doesn’t follow them gets hidden away with the broken dolls in the haunted basement by all the search engines you use to find fun podcasts to listen to.
As you surely know by now, we are gluttons for punishment. So, instead of talking about the most popular serial killers or most timely news like the algorithms demand, we are here to give you a little break from hearing the same stories over and over by talking instead about a miniscule crime that happened a long time ago, in a far away land.
Unless you’re in Chicago. Then it’s not that far away.
If you think crime in Chicago is weird now, wait ’til you hear this story.
References from the story of the Chicago gland larceny
This story was fun to tell because it was sensationalized, disputed, and embellished in realtime as it was being reported. How much of this really happened? Was there ever a real risk to the public? Were the motives as the newspapers suggested they were?
Breaking article in Chicago Tribune, October 14, 1922
Second article in Chicago Tribune, October 15, 1922
Brief anonymous accusation in Chicago Tribune, November 24, 1922
Brief police rebuttal to accusation in Chicago Tribune, November 25, 1922
Modern article about the historical case, on Medium.com
More case details from melmagazine.com
It also felt kind of timelessly timely.
If you know any additional juicy details (juicy as in wickedly sublime, not as in bodily secretions) about these cases not available to the gen pop, please send them to us through HomespunHaints.com so we can add them here!
Please share this episode with your friends who love true crime podcasts
Because the algorithms will punish us so severely for this un-trendy production, you may be the only person to ever see this episode. Unless you share it with your friend who always talks about their favorite true crime podcast. Consider that sharing this episode is like baiting a clever-yet-humane trap to lure them over to the paranormal side with you.
Why did Homespun Haints make a true crime episode?
Honestly, by mistake!
We didn’t set out to record a full episode about this topic. We actually filmed an entire episode with a true ghost story, only to realize in edits that the full story was waaaaaaay too lascivious to share with the general public in times like these.
So, the full ghost story episode will live over on our Patreon, where only those who love us most can laugh at (and be disgusted by) us. If you think you can handle it (it does include a first-hand account of emerging fully-grown from a rectum, like some Ancient Greek bathroom spirit) we’d love to see you over on Patreon. Our Patrons get weird bonus episodes and behind the scenes content, plus hundreds of ad-free past episodes to binge and special gifts. We truly appreciate our patrons, without whom there would genuinely be no Homespun Haints at all. They’re what makes sure all of us can have a spooky day.
