The Einstein of Sex: Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, Visionary of Weimar Berlin

More than a century ago, Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, dubbed the "Einstein of Sex," grew famous (and infamous) for his liberating theory of sexual relativity. Today, he's been largely forgotten. Journalist Daniel Brook retraces Hirschfeld's rollicking life and reinvigorates his legacy, recovering one of the great visionaries of the twentieth century. In an era when gay sex was a crime and gender roles rigid, Hirschfeld taught that each of us is their own unique mixture of masculinity and femininity. Through his public advocacy for gay rights and his private counseling of patients toward self-acceptance, he became the intellectual impresario of Berlin's cabaret scene and helped turn his hometown into the world's queer capital. But he also enraged the Nazis, who ransacked his Institute for Sexual Science and burned his books. Driven from his homeland, Hirschfeld traveled to America, Asia, and the Middle East to research sexuality on a global scale. Through his harrowing lived experience of antisemitic persecution and a pivotal late-in-life interracial romance, he came to see that race, like gender, was a human invention. Hirschfeld spent his final years in exile trying to warn the world of the genocidal dangers of racism.

About the Author :
Daniel Brook is a journalist whose writing has appeared in Harper's Magazine, Nation, and New York Times Magazine, and he is the author of several books, including A History of Future Cities and The Accident of Color: A Story of Race in Reconstruction. A New York native and a Yale graduate, Brook lives in New Orleans. He researched The Einstein of Sex in Berlin on a Robert and Ina Caro Research/Travel Fellowship. Patrick Mealey is a genderqueer voice-over artist, singer, and audiobook narrator working out of Dallas, Texas, and Los Angeles, California. Originally from Delaware, Patrick has always been involved in the arts, with over a decade of musical and performance experience. Following their graduation from DeSales University, where they obtained a BA in radio, television, and film with a minor in theater, Patrick began pursuing the voice-over world and has been working as a full-time voice actor since 2021. They have lent their voice to multiple video game and anime projects, including Gashin Tezuka in AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline, Ryota Sato in My Unique Skill Makes Me OP Even at Level 1, multiple characters in Genshin Impact, and much more. Patrick is also a lover of books and reading, with a huge love for genres of horror, mystery/thriller, science fiction, fantasy, young adult, and LGBT. They are dedicated to collaborating with their clients and giving the best performances on any given project! Outside of acting, Patrick also enjoys physical fitness, gaming, playing guitar, singing, performing in musicals, and taking care of their pet cat Draco.