Sapphism
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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 orientations, and encompassing the romantic love between women. It is the female equivalent of Uranian and Achillean.
Etymology
The term sapphism has been used since the 1890s,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and derives from Sappho, a Greek poet whose verses included her accounts of sexual and romantic love between women.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She was born on the Greek island Lesbos, which also inspired the term lesbianism.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Sappho's work is one of the few ancient references to sapphic love. Her poetry, significant in quality, is a rare example of a woman speaking of her love for other women in ancient history.<ref>Template:Cite bookTemplate:Pn</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Use
The term sapphic encompasses the experiences of lesbian, bisexual, gynephilic, plurisexual, and multiromantic women, and also women who are attracted to women but decline a label, experience a fluid sexuality, or are questioning their sexuality.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref> Asexual and aromantic women who are attracted to a woman can also be sapphic.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Using the term more broadly, some sapphic individuals may be non-binary.<ref>Template:Cite bookTemplate:Pn</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> There are also equivalent terms for relationships between men (Uranian, Achillean),<ref>Template:Cite bookTemplate:Pn</ref> between a man and a woman (duaric)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and involving at least one non-binary person (diamoric or enbian).<ref>Template:Cite bookTemplate:Pn</ref>
Sapphic is also used in Lesbian literature for works involving at least one relationship between women, regardless of whether they are lesbian or not.<ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite bookTemplate:Pn</ref>
See also
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- Androphilia and gynephilia
- Boston marriage
- History of lesbianism
- LGBTQ slang
- Queerplatonic relationship
- Romance (love)
- Sexual diversity
- Terminology of homosexuality
- Tribadism
- Women who have sex with women (WSW)