mNo edit summary |
(→Flag: .....) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Infobox |
{{Infobox |
||
| − | | image = |
+ | | image = Sapphic Flag.svg |
| − | | caption = |
+ | | caption = Sapphic flag with simplified violet |
| − | | altname = |
+ | | altname = Woman loving woman (WLW), girls loving girls (GLG), sapphist |
| − | | term = |
+ | | term = Sexuality |
| − | | spectrum = |
+ | | spectrum = |
| − | | gender = |
+ | | gender = * Women |
| + | * [[Gender alignment|Women-aligned]] |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| + | * [[Non-binary]] |
||
| − | | attractedtype = None <small>(sexually)</small> |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| + | * [[Gender alignment|Women-aligned]] |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| − | *[[ |
+ | * [[Non-binary]] |
| + | | attractedtype = Any |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| + | | sexuality = |
||
| ⚫ | |||
}} |
}} |
||
| + | '''Sapphic''', sometimes known as '''woman loving woman''' ('''WLW'''),<ref name="We Are Her: Sapphic">{{Cite_web|url=https://weareher.com/sapphic-meaning-lesbian-slang-glossary|title=Sapphic Meaning + Flag|author=Robyn|date=2020-02-27}}</ref> '''girls loving girls''' ('''GLG'''), or '''sapphist''',<ref name="Alpennia: Sapphist">{{Cite_web|url=https://alpennia.com/lhmp/lhmp-misc/sapphicsapphist|title=Sapphic/Sapphist|author=}}</ref> refers to a woman of any [[sexual orientation]] who is attracted to other women.<ref name="We Are Her: Sapphic" /><ref name="Autostraddle: Why Sapphic Is Back In Style">{{Cite_web|url=https://www.autostraddle.com/why-sapphic-is-back-in-style-definition-meaning-trend|title=Why 'Sapphic' Is Back In Style|author=Chandra|date=2021-08-09|work=[https://www.autostraddle.com]}}</ref><ref name="PFLAG: National Glossary of Terms">{{Cite_web |url=https://pflag.org/glossary |title=National Glossary of Terms |author=[[PFLAG]] |archivedate=20220125043743}}</ref> Another definition is specifically inclusive of [[Gender alignment|woman-aligned]]<ref name="We Are Her: Sapphic" /> or [[non-binary]] people.<ref name="We Are Her: Sapphic" /><ref name="Autostraddle: Why Sapphic Is Back In Style" /> It is an [[umbrella term]] for many identities, including those who are [[lesbian]], [[pansexual]], [[bisexual]], or [[queer]].<ref name="PFLAG: National Glossary of Terms" /> It is used to promote solidarity among women of all identities who are attracted to other women. It may also be used as an identity, and may be found particularly useful for individuals who know they are attracted to women but may be uncertain if they are attracted to other [[gender]]s.<ref>{{Cite_web|url=https://queerintheworld.com/what-does-sapphic-mean/|title=What Does Sapphic Mean? + Other Sapphic Information|author=Queer in the World}}</ref> It can also be used to describe a relationship between two women.<ref name="5 Reasons Why">{{Cite_web|url=https://medium.com/sexography/5-reasons-why-i-recommend-being-in-a-sapphic-relationship-f4d1a7fec680|title=5 Reasons Why I Recommend Being in a Sapphic Relationship|author=The Sex and Secrets Column}}</ref><ref name="Etymonline: Sapphic">{{Cite_web|url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/Sapphic#etymonline_v_22727|title=Etymology, origin and meaning of sapphic|author=etymonline|work=[https://www.etymonline.com Online Etymology Dictionary]}}</ref> |
||
| − | '''Asexual''', or "'''ace'''",<ref name="AVEN: General FAQ">{{Cite_web|url=https://www.asexuality.org/?q=general.html|title=General FAQ|author=[[Asexual Visibility and Education Network]]|archivedate=20220108051710}}</ref> refers to people do not experience sexual attraction toward others. They may experience other forms of attraction, such as romantic, sensual, or aesthetic attraction, but they do not feel a need act upon that attraction sexually and do not have an intrinsic desire for sex. '''Asexuality''' is a [[sexual orientation]],<ref name="AVEN: Overview">{{Cite_web|url=https://www.asexuality.org/?q=overview.html|title=Overview|author=[[Asexual Visibility and Education Network]]|archivedate=20211217031222}}</ref> not a [[gender identity]], behavior, or medical condition. Some asexual people choose to engage in sexual activities for various reasons despite not experiencing sexual feelings and desire toward any particular person.<ref name="TLP: Asexual">{{Cite_web|url=https://translanguageprimer.com/asexual|title=Asexual|author=[[The Trans Language Primer]]|work=[https://translanguageprimer.com The Trans Language Primer]|archivedate=20211028100925}}</ref> Asexuality is part of the '''[[asexual spectrum]]''' (abbreviated "ace-spec"), an [[umbrella term]] and a broad community of identities that are closely related to asexuality when placed on a spectrum ranging from asexual to sexual.<ref name="AVEN: General FAQ" /> |
||
| − | |||
| − | {{Stub}} |
||
==Etymology== |
==Etymology== |
||
| + | ''Sapphic'' as an adjective came into use in circa 1500 in reference to [[Sappho]], poetess of the isle of Lesbos c. 600 BCE. The word was used especially in reference to her characteristic meter. It gained its meaning of "pertaining to sexual relations between women" in the 1890s;<ref name="Etymonline: Sapphic" /> the noun "sapphism", meaning "homosexual relations between women", also originated in the 1890s.<ref name="Etymonline: Sapphism">{{Cite_web|url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/Sapphism#etymonline_v_48332|title=Etymology, origin and meaning of sapphism|author=etymonline|work=[https://www.etymonline.com Online Etymology Dictionary]}}</ref> "[[Lesbian]]" and its meanings are similarly derived from the isle associated with Sappho.<ref name="Etymonline: Lesbian">{{Cite_web|url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/lesbian|title=Etymology, origin and meaning of lesbian|author=etymonline|work=[https://www.etymonline.com Online Etymology Dictionary]}}</ref> |
||
| − | The term 'asexual' comes from the negation prefix ''a-'', meaning 'not' or 'without', with the word 'sexual'. Initially used to describe biological organisms that had no sex organs,<ref name="Dictionary">{{Cite web|url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/asexual|title=Asexual Definition & Meaning|author=Dictionary.com}}</ref> its use as a label to describe people was first posited in the late 1800s,<ref name="Feeld.co">{{Cite web|url=https://feeld.co/blog/feeld-guides/definition-asexual|title=What is Asexuality?|author=Feeld.co|work=[https://feeld.co/blog/feeld-guides Feeld Guides]}}</ref> and it was further popularized by [[Alfred Kinsey]] in his Heterosexual-Homosexual Rating Scale (the [[Kinsey scale]]), with X being used to denote people who did not experience sexual attraction.<ref name="Kinsey Institute">{{Cite web|url=https://kinseyinstitute.org/research/publications/kinsey-scale.php|title=Prevalence of Homosexuality study|author=[[Kinsey Institute]]}}</ref> |
||
==Community== |
==Community== |
||
| − | The asexual community is a small but growing one.<ref name="Lighthouse">{{Cite web|url=https://blog.lighthouse.lgbt/asexual-community-growing-heres-need-know|title=The Asexual Community is Growing – Here's What You Need To Know|author=Lighthouse: LGBTQ+ Affirming Care|work=[https://blog.lighthouse.lgbt The Lighthouse Blog]}}</ref> Asexuality is part of the [[asexual spectrum]] and has been broadly categorized, along with [[aromantic]]ism, as part of the a-spec(trum).<ref name="AW">{{Cite web|url=https://aroworlds.com/allo-aro/allo-aro-friendly-a-spec-terminology/|title=Allo-Aro Friendly A-Spec Terminology|author=Cook, K.|publisher=Aro Worlds|accessdate=January 22, 2022}}</ref> The asexual community has close ties to the aromantic community due to their commonalities. The community of people who are both asexual and aromantic is known as the aroace community.<ref name="AW" /><ref>{{Cite_web|url=https://acesandaros.org/about|author=[https://aceandaros.org Ace & Aros]|title=About}}</ref> Members of the asexual community have noted that "asexual identities make explicit a romantic dimension of sexuality as distinct from a sexual identity based on lack of sexual attraction" as compared with non-asexual identities.<ref name="NCBI">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2893352|title=Coming to an Asexual Identity: Negotiating Identity, Negotiating Desire|author=Scherrer, Kristin|publisher=National Center for Biotechnology Information|date=October 1, 2008|accessdate=January 22, 2022}}</ref> In researched cases, this resulted in greater emphasis being put on an individuals' sexual and [[romantic orientation]] as contrasted with [[Allosexual|non-asexual]] peers.<ref name="NCBI" /> |
||
| − | |||
===History=== |
===History=== |
||
| + | The term sapphic is derived from the Greek poet [[Sappho]], who lived on the isle of Lesbos. The sexual identity of Sappho has been long debated, and continues as such to this day. Some interpret her poems as meaning she had relationship with women. Her new style of poetry was called a "sapphic stanza". Her songs often mentioned various emotions to her susceptibility to women, which later, derived the terms sapphic and [[lesbian]].<ref>https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/03/16/girl-interrupted</ref> |
||
| − | ''Document the community's most important history, including facts such as key events, breakthroughs in improving the community's wellbeing and rights, or historical figures known to belong to the community.'' |
||
| + | |||
| + | Because the term [[bisexual]] did not come into popularity until the 1950s, the words "sapphic"<ref name="Autostraddle: Why Sapphic Is Back In Style" /> and "lesbian" were used to describe a potentially romantic relationship between two women.<ref name="Autostraddle: Why Sapphic Is Back In Style" /><ref name="Etymonline: Lesbian"/> In the mid-20th century, "lesbian" and "sapphic" were often synonyms. In the 21st century, it has become an umbrella term used to describe any romantic relationship between women or non-binary people. The uptick in searches for the term sapphic have increased since 2014.<ref name="Autostraddle: Why Sapphic Is Back In Style" /> |
||
===Flag=== |
===Flag=== |
||
| + | [[File:Sapphic Flag2.png|left|thumb|200px|Sapphic flag with a more realistic violet]] |
||
| − | The asexual pride flag was voted on by the [[Asexual Visibility and Education Network]] (AVEN) in 2010. It is composed of four horizontal stripes from top to bottom in the colors black, grey, white, and purple. The colors have the following meanings:<ref name="AVEN: Asexual Flag: And the winner is">{{Cite_web|url=https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/53435-asexual-flag-and-the-winner-is|title=Asexual Flag: And the winner is ...|work=[[Asexual Visibility and Education Network]]|archivedate=20211215072417}}</ref> |
||
| + | Two sapphic flags have two pink stripes on the top and bottom, symbolizing love, with a white center stripe. The center of the white stripe depicts a flower. In one version, a pair of violets in the center symbolizes love between two women;<ref>https://www.refinery29.com/en-ca/lgbt-symbols#slide-10</ref> violets were historically given between woman to symbolize their sapphic love in a time when women were not permitted to love other women. The second flag has a single simplified flower.<ref>https://weareher.com/sapphic-meaning-lesbian-slang-glossary/</ref> |
||
| − | *'''Black:''' Asexuals<ref name="AVEN: Asexual Flag: And the winner is" /> |
||
| + | |||
| − | *'''Grey:''' [[Demisexual]]s and grayasexuals<ref name="AVEN: Asexual Flag: And the winner is" /> |
||
| + | [[File:Sapphic Flag.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Striped sapphic flag designed as an alternative to the lipstick lesbian flag.]] |
||
| − | *'''White:''' Sexuals,<ref name="AVEN: Asexual Flag: And the winner is" /> as in [[Allosexual|non-asexual]] partners and [[Ally|allies]]<ref name="asexualityarchive">{{Cite_web|url=https://www.asexualityarchive.com/the-asexuality-flag|title=The Asexuality Flag|date=2012-02-20|work=[https://www.asexualityarchive.com Asexuality Archive]|archivedate=20211128030358}}</ref> |
||
| + | A second version of the sapphic flag was designed by Lydia, a biracial lesbian from Atlantic Canada in 2018.<ref name="Lydia">{{Cite web|url=https://kispesan.tumblr.com/post/175281520234/the-sapphic-flag-this-flag-was-originally-a|title=The Sapphic Flag|publisher=Lydia (@kispesan)|date=2018-06-26}}</ref> Its design was inspired by a poem by Sappho; concerns had been raised due to racists posts made by the creator of the lipstick lesbian flag,<ref name="NYS">{{Cite web|url=http://thislesbianlife.wordpress.com/2010/07/18/my-worst-date-ever/|title=My Worst Date Ever|author=NYStar|publisher=Wordpress|date=2010-07-18|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100723170940/http://thislesbianlife.wordpress.com/2010/07/18/my-worst-date-ever/|archivedate=2010-07-23}}</ref> as well as colors being less web-friendly. The poem features mentions of violets, rosebuds, crocuses, and dill, which was the inspiration for both the colors as well as the meanings. The violet represents sapphic love, pink rosebuds for fragility, yellow crocuses for strength, and green dill for healing.<ref name="Lydia" /> |
||
| − | *'''Purple:''' The community<ref name="AVEN: Asexual Flag: And the winner is" /> |
||
===Distinction=== |
===Distinction=== |
||
| + | The word "sapphic" is often confused for "lesbian" or thought to be the same thing. They historically were equivalent, but because they have accumulated multiple definitions, their meanings are ambiguous without specifying which definitions are used.<ref name="Autostraddle: Why Sapphic Is Back In Style" /> |
||
| − | ====Aromantic==== |
||
| − | {{Main|Aromantic}} |
||
| − | Aromantic (or "aro") people do not experience romantic attraction toward others. Some people are [[aroace]], both asexual and aromantic, and others are only one of the two.<ref name="GLAAD Glossary: LGBQ">{{Cite_web |url=https://www.glaad.org/reference/lgbtq |title=Glossary of Terms - Lesbian / Gay / Bisexual / Queer |author=[[GLAAD]] |work=[https://www.glaad.org/reference GLAAD Media Reference Guide - 10th Edition] |archivedate=20210926074140}}</ref> |
||
| + | For instance, when lesbians are defined as women who are [[Monosexual|exclusively attracted]] to women only,<ref name="TLP: Lesbian">{{Cite_web|url=https://translanguageprimer.com/lesbian|title=Lesbian|author=[[The Trans Language Primer]]|work=[https://translanguageprimer.com The Trans Language Primer]|archivedate=20211022172812}}</ref> it would not include those with [[multisexual]] orientations or non-binary identities. When using that definition, sapphic could then be distinguished as an umbrella term by including all sexualities in which women are attracted to other women, by explicitly including non-binary identities, or both. Under those specific definitions, pansexual and non-binary would be mutually exclusive with lesbian, but a pansexual non-binary individual could be sapphic.<ref name="Autostraddle: Why Sapphic Is Back In Style" /> However, although lesbian is often regarded as an exclusive term, it likewise has definitions inclusive of non-binary<ref name="Autostraddle: Why Sapphic Is Back In Style" /><ref name="TLP: Lesbian" /> and/or multisexual lesbians. <ref name="Autostraddle: Why Sapphic Is Back In Style" /> |
||
| − | ====Celibacy and abstinence==== |
||
| − | Asexuality is not the same as celibacy or abstinence, which are choices to not engage in sexual behavior based on reasons that are not related to sexual attraction. People who abstain from sex may experience attractions and choose not to act upon them, and they may change their minds and stop being abstinent or celibate.<ref name="TLP: Asexual" /> Asexuality is not a personal choice that can be changed.<ref name="AVEN: General FAQ" /> |
||
| − | |||
| − | ====Demisexual==== |
||
| − | {{Main|Demisexual}} |
||
| − | Although demisexuality is on the asexual spectrum, it is different from asexuality itself. Asexual people do not experience sexual attraction, regardless of how close they are with someone, whereas demisexual people can and ''do'' experience sexual attraction, but only after a close bond is formed with another person.<ref name="Unwritten: Demisexuality">{{Cite web|url=https://www.readunwritten.com/2017/09/27/facts-need-know-asexuality-vs-demisexuality/|title=The Only Facts You Need To Know About Asexuality Vs. Demisexuality|publisher=Unwritten}}</ref> |
||
| − | |||
| − | ===Perceptions and discrimination=== |
||
| − | There are a lot of misunderstandings when it comes to asexuality. One of the most common myths is that asexuals are simply choosing to abstain from sex, which is not true. Some asexuals may abstain, while others do have sex, whether it may be to please their partner or to have children. Asexuals simply do not feel sexual attraction. That does not necessarily mean they have an aversion to sex, although some asexuals do.<ref name="WebMD: Asexual">{{Cite web|url=https://www.webmd.com/sex/what-is-asexual|title=What Is Asexual?|publisher=WebMD}}</ref> |
||
| − | |||
| − | Someone who does choose to practice celibacy, whether for personal or religious beliefs, is not necessarily asexual. Asexuality is not a choice; it is an orientation. Unlike [[allosexual]] people who are capable of feeling sexually attracted to others, even if they choose not to act on it, asexual people are actually incapable of feeling sexual attraction.<ref name="WebMD: Asexual" /> |
||
| − | |||
| − | Another common myth is that people "become" asexual after either being sexually rejected or sexually abused. These are harmful misconceptions. Although certain factors can have an impact on shaping someone's identity, an asexual orientation is not chosen or exclusively determined based on someone's history. Some asexuals may know their orientation from an early age, while others may not discover they are asexual until after one or more sexual experiences.<ref name="WebMD: Asexual" /> |
||
==Media== |
==Media== |
||
| − | Asexuality has been under-represented in the media compared to other sexual minorities. Recently, it has gained some prominence through its inclusion in contemporary television. |
||
| − | |||
===Literature=== |
===Literature=== |
||
| + | * [https://beyondabookshelf.co.uk/2021/the-ultimate-sapphic-masterlist-2021/ The Ultimate Sapphic Masterlist of 2020] - All these books have moments in the text where it is shown a character is WLW, however, some characters use a specific label (i.e. lesbian, bi, pan) to identify themselves. Other use the term "sapphic" to describe themselves or their relationship(s). |
||
| − | Kerewin, from Keri Hulme's 1986 ''The Bone People'', is asexual, and uses the word to refer to herself.<ref>http://www.postcolonialweb.org/nz/kerihulme/kh6.html</ref> |
||
| + | * [[Wikipedia:Sapphic stanza|Sapphic stanza]] |
||
| − | |||
| + | * Katie Met Cassidy by Camille Perri |
||
| − | ===Television=== |
||
| + | * ''[[The Well of Loneliness]]'' by [[Radclyffe Hall]] |
||
| − | * [[w:c:everythings-gonna-be-okay:Drea|Drea]] from [[w:c:everythings-gonna-be-okay:Everything's Gonna Be Okay|''Everything's Gonna Be Okay'']].<ref>{{Cite_web|url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/everythings-gonna-be-okay-asexuality-tv-josh-thomas-1234974224/|title=Everything's Gonna Be Okay Asexuality}}</ref> |
||
| − | * [[w:c:sexeducation:Florence|Florence]] from [[w:c:sexeducation:Sex Education|''Sex Education'']].<ref>{{Cite_web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOxOiC1fT_8|title=Asexuality. Sex Education clip}}</ref> |
||
| − | * [[w:c:generation:Greta Moreno|Greta Moreno]] from [[w:c:generation:Generation|''Genera+ion'']].<ref>{{Cite_web|url=https://ew.com/tv/zelda-barnz-generation-cancellation-finale-burning-questions-chester/|title=Genera+ion co-creator responds to show's cancellation, answers most-asked finale questions}}</ref> |
||
| − | * [[w:c:emmerdale:Liv Flaherty|Liv Flaherty]] from [[w:c:emmerdale:Emmerdale|''Emmerdale'']].<ref>{{Cite_web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyl0sfAYWkY|title=Liv tells Mandy she's asexual}}</ref> |
||
| − | * [[w:c:shadowhunterstv:Raphael Santiago|Raphael Santiago]] from [[w:c:shadowhunterstv:Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments|''Shadowhunters'']].<ref>{{Cite_web|url=https://twitter.com/cassieclare/status/506200230615064576|title=Tweet from Cassandra Clare}}</ref><ref>{{Cite_web|url=https://hiddenremote.com/2017/03/07/shadowhunters-confirms-raphael-asexual-stays-canon-book-series/|title=Shadowhunters confirms Raphael asexual}}</ref> He may also be [[aromantic]].<ref>{{Cite_web|url=https://twitter.com/cassieclare/status/604759062341951488|title=Tweet from Cassandra Clare}}</ref> |
||
| − | * [[w:c:bojackhorseman:Todd Chavez|Todd Chavez]] from [[w:c:bojackhorseman:Bojack Horseman (series)|''Bojack Horseman'']].<ref name="Bustle">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bustle.com/p/todds-asexuality-on-bojack-horseman-isnt-a-perfect-depiction-but-its-made-me-feel-understood-12057178|title=Todd's Asexuality On 'BoJack' Isn't A Perfect Depiction, But It's Made Me Feel Understood|author=Kliegman, Julie|date=2018-09-27|publisher=Bustle}}</ref> |
||
| − | * Valentina "Voodoo" Dunacci from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirens_%282014_TV_series%29 ''Sirens''].<ref>{{Cite_web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNt-o6VkJGI|title=Sirens 1.06 Asexuality}}</ref> |
||
| − | |||
| − | ===Comic books=== |
||
| − | * [[w:c:archiecomics:Jughead Jones|Jughead Jones]] from the [[w:c:archiecomics:Archie Comics|''Archie Comics'']].<ref>{{Cite_web|url=https://comicbook.com/news/chip-zdarsky-opens-up-about-jughead/|title=Chip Zdarsky opens up about Jughead}}</ref> |
||
| − | |||
| − | ===Video games=== |
||
| − | |||
| − | ===Other people=== |
||
| − | * Yasmin Benoit, an aromantic and asexual model and activist who co-founded [https://internationalasexualityday.org/en International Asexuality Day].<ref name="Glamour UK">{{Cite_web|url=https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/asexuality-and-aromanticism|title=People think I must be unlovable, fussy or mentally ill. Here's what it really means to be asexual and aromantic|author=Pantony, Ali|date=2021-02-12}}</ref> |
||
| − | * Cavetown is an aromantic asexual musician.<ref>{{Cite_web|url=https://twitter.com/CAVETOWN/status/1173762669804949509|title=Tweet by Cavetown|date=2019-09-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite_web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602220352/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P6tzcmia4c|title=Being Aro Is Fine (Advice #5) video by Cavetown|date=2018-09-15}}</ref> |
||
| − | |||
| − | ==Resources== |
||
| − | *[https://www.asexuality.org/ Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN)] |
||
==References== |
==References== |
||
| − | + | {{Reflist}} |
|
Revision as of 12:23, 4 February 2022
Sapphic, sometimes known as woman loving woman (WLW),[1] girls loving girls (GLG), or sapphist,[2] refers to a woman of any sexual orientation who is attracted to other women.[1][3][4] Another definition is specifically inclusive of woman-aligned[1] or non-binary people.[1][3] It is an umbrella term for many identities, including those who are lesbian, pansexual, bisexual, or queer.[4] It is used to promote solidarity among women of all identities who are attracted to other women. It may also be used as an identity, and may be found particularly useful for individuals who know they are attracted to women but may be uncertain if they are attracted to other genders.[5] It can also be used to describe a relationship between two women.[6][7]
Etymology
Sapphic as an adjective came into use in circa 1500 in reference to Sappho, poetess of the isle of Lesbos c. 600 BCE. The word was used especially in reference to her characteristic meter. It gained its meaning of "pertaining to sexual relations between women" in the 1890s;[7] the noun "sapphism", meaning "homosexual relations between women", also originated in the 1890s.[8] "Lesbian" and its meanings are similarly derived from the isle associated with Sappho.[9]
Community
History
The term sapphic is derived from the Greek poet Sappho, who lived on the isle of Lesbos. The sexual identity of Sappho has been long debated, and continues as such to this day. Some interpret her poems as meaning she had relationship with women. Her new style of poetry was called a "sapphic stanza". Her songs often mentioned various emotions to her susceptibility to women, which later, derived the terms sapphic and lesbian.[10]
Because the term bisexual did not come into popularity until the 1950s, the words "sapphic"[3] and "lesbian" were used to describe a potentially romantic relationship between two women.[3][9] In the mid-20th century, "lesbian" and "sapphic" were often synonyms. In the 21st century, it has become an umbrella term used to describe any romantic relationship between women or non-binary people. The uptick in searches for the term sapphic have increased since 2014.[3]
Flag
Sapphic flag with a more realistic violet
Two sapphic flags have two pink stripes on the top and bottom, symbolizing love, with a white center stripe. The center of the white stripe depicts a flower. In one version, a pair of violets in the center symbolizes love between two women;[11] violets were historically given between woman to symbolize their sapphic love in a time when women were not permitted to love other women. The second flag has a single simplified flower.[12]
Striped sapphic flag designed as an alternative to the lipstick lesbian flag.
A second version of the sapphic flag was designed by Lydia, a biracial lesbian from Atlantic Canada in 2018.[13] Its design was inspired by a poem by Sappho; concerns had been raised due to racists posts made by the creator of the lipstick lesbian flag,[14] as well as colors being less web-friendly. The poem features mentions of violets, rosebuds, crocuses, and dill, which was the inspiration for both the colors as well as the meanings. The violet represents sapphic love, pink rosebuds for fragility, yellow crocuses for strength, and green dill for healing.[13]
Distinction
The word "sapphic" is often confused for "lesbian" or thought to be the same thing. They historically were equivalent, but because they have accumulated multiple definitions, their meanings are ambiguous without specifying which definitions are used.[3]
For instance, when lesbians are defined as women who are exclusively attracted to women only,[15] it would not include those with multisexual orientations or non-binary identities. When using that definition, sapphic could then be distinguished as an umbrella term by including all sexualities in which women are attracted to other women, by explicitly including non-binary identities, or both. Under those specific definitions, pansexual and non-binary would be mutually exclusive with lesbian, but a pansexual non-binary individual could be sapphic.[3] However, although lesbian is often regarded as an exclusive term, it likewise has definitions inclusive of non-binary[3][15] and/or multisexual lesbians. [3]
Media
Literature
- The Ultimate Sapphic Masterlist of 2020 - All these books have moments in the text where it is shown a character is WLW, however, some characters use a specific label (i.e. lesbian, bi, pan) to identify themselves. Other use the term "sapphic" to describe themselves or their relationship(s).
- Sapphic stanza
- Katie Met Cassidy by Camille Perri
- The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Sapphic Meaning + Flag" by Robyn on weareher.com. Published 2020-02-27
- ↑ "Sapphic/Sapphist" on alpennia.com
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 "Why 'Sapphic' Is Back In Style" by Chandra on autostraddle.com. Published 2021-08-09
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "National Glossary of Terms" by PFLAG on pflag.org (Archived on January 25, 2022).
- ↑ "What Does Sapphic Mean? + Other Sapphic Information" by Queer in the World on queerintheworld.com
- ↑ "5 Reasons Why I Recommend Being in a Sapphic Relationship" by The Sex and Secrets Column on medium.com
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Etymology, origin and meaning of sapphic" by etymonline on etymonline.com
- ↑ "Etymology, origin and meaning of sapphism" by etymonline on etymonline.com
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Etymology, origin and meaning of lesbian" by etymonline on etymonline.com
- ↑ https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/03/16/girl-interrupted
- ↑ https://www.refinery29.com/en-ca/lgbt-symbols#slide-10
- ↑ https://weareher.com/sapphic-meaning-lesbian-slang-glossary/
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "The Sapphic Flag" on kispesan.tumblr.com. Published 2018-06-26 by Lydia (@kispesan)
- ↑ "My Worst Date Ever" by NYStar on thislesbianlife.wordpress.com. Published 2010-07-18 by Wordpress (Archived on July 23, 2010).
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Lesbian" by The Trans Language Primer on translanguageprimer.com (Archived on October 22, 2021).