Sexuality of Abraham Lincoln

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), some writers have discussed purported evidence that he may have been bisexual.

Most historians generally hold that Lincoln was heterosexual, noting that the historical context explains any of the supposed evidence. Lincoln had romantic ties with women, and he had four children in an enduring marriage to Mary Todd Lincoln. However, his intense bonds with men may or may not have had more meaning to them, with one notable case being his close friend Joshua Speed, with whom Lincoln lived – and slept in the same bed – for four years.