Sapphic

Pronunciation	/ˈsæfɪk/ ⓘ
Etymology	Sappho + -ism or -ic
Abbreviations	QLW WLW[1]
Subcategories	Lesbian gynephilic women bisexual women asexual women
Other terms
Derivatives	Sapphist[2]
Flag
Flag name	Sapphic pride flag[5][6]

Sapphism is an umbrella term for women loving women (WLW): any woman attracted to women or in a relationship with another woman, regardless of their sexual orientation, and encompassing the romantic love between women. Uranian and Achillean are male equivalents of sapphism.

Etymology

The term sapphism has been used since the 1890s,^[7] and derives from Sappho, a Greek poet whose verses included her accounts of sexual and romantic love between women.^[8] She was born on the Greek island Lesbos, which also inspired the term lesbianism.^[9][10] Sappho's work is one of the few ancient references to sapphic love.^[11][12]

Use

The term sapphic encompasses the experiences of lesbian, bisexual, gynephilic, plurisexual, and multiromantic women, as well as women who are attracted to women but decline a label, experience a fluid sexuality, or are questioning their sexuality.^[13][14] Asexual and aromantic women who are attracted to women can also be sapphic.^[15][16]

Some sapphic individuals may be non-binary.^[17][18] There are also equivalent terms for relationships between men (Uranian, Achillean),^[19] between a man and a woman (duaric)^[20] and involving at least one non-binary person (diamoric or enbian).^[21]

Sapphic is also used in lesbian literature for works involving at least one relationship between women, regardless of whether they are lesbian or not.^[22][23][24]

See also

Look up sapphic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

References