If you have scrolled through lesbian TikTok, Tumblr, and Instagram, you might have encountered the word “sapphic.” Often interchangeably used alongside lesbian and WLW, you may be wondering, “What’s the difference?”. But as with LGBT/queer labels, this one holds a distinct purpose that we love. Here’s the definition of sapphic, how it’s used, why we use it, and where it comes from.
I. What Does “Sapphic” Mean?
The fancy-sounding “sapphic” word has a history that dates back over two thousand years. To better understand this term, we’ll take you on a short tour through its history.
Origins: Where Does the Term “Sapphic” Come From?
“Sapphic” can be traced back to Ancient Greece, where the famous Greek poet named Sappho used to live on the Greek island of Lesbos. Side note: This is why the term “lesbian” originates from the island of Lesbos in Greece. Due to the poet Sappho, who lived on Lesbos around 600 BCE.
Sappho’s poetry often expressed affection and love towards other women, which led to her name (Sappho) and the island (Lesbos) becoming associated with women who are attracted to other women.
Sappho’s sexual identity was never widely confirmed and still remains a hot topic of debate. Nevertheless, because of her poetry that expresses love for women, she had a reputation for being… Sapphic!
Around 1500, the word “sapphic” emerged as an adjective that described her poetic meter and style. Over time, her work was often linked to femme sexuality, and the term “sapphic” became related to women who are attracted to women.
In recent years, more queer people (especially book nerds) have been using the term, but not as widely as “lesbian,” “gay,” queer,” and the like.
“Sapphic” Meaning Today
Today, in modern usage, “sapphic” is often used to describe women-loving-women relationships and can encompass a broader spectrum of female or non-binary attraction to other women. It is used as a more inclusive term than “lesbian,” often including bisexual, pansexual, and other non-heterosexual women and non-binary people.
TL;DR: The word “sapphic” is an adjective for ANY woman who is romantically and sexually attracted to other women.
“Sapphist” vs “Sapphic”
According to the Collins Dictionary, the word “sapphist” is a noun that means “a lesbian.” The same source states that “sapphism” is a noun that means “lesbianism” and “female homosexuality.”
In contrast, the meaning of the word “sapphic” revolves beyond lesbianism. To know more about this, we need to examine what the word “lesbian,” means first.
II. So What Does “Lesbian” Mean, Then?
As we mentioned, “sapphic” and “lesbian” go back to Sappho, who lived on Lesbos, Greece!
But Where Does the Word “Lesbian” Come from?
The word “lesbian” comes from Lesbos, Greece, a Greek island where the poet Sappho was born. The derivation of the word was the same as the word sapphic: sapphic love (the women love women themes in the poet’s works).
And What Does it Mean to Be Lesbian?
Being a lesbian simply means being a woman who feels romantic and sexual attraction toward women, EXCLUSIVELY. But it is important to note that one can be lesbian if they HAVE been with men in the past. To know more about lesbianism, read this Lesbian Masterdoc summary.
III. Sapphic vs Lesbian – The Main Difference
While closely related, the “sapphic” and “lesbian” terms are different. To use them correctly, it’s crucial to understand the distinction they have from each other.
To put it simply, “lesbian,” a noun, refers to a woman who is EXCLUSIVELY attracted to women, romantically and sexually. Note: attraction to women only.
On the other hand, “sapphic” is an adjective that describes a woman that’s attracted to women, making it an umbrella term that describes queer women who claim attraction towards women. These include lesbians, bisexual women, pansexual women, transexual women, non-binary folks, and other women-loving-women.
Big difference: In other words, all lesbians are considered sapphics (sapphic lesbians), but not all sapphic women are lesbians! Boom. Pow!
IV. What Does the Sapphic Flag Mean and Look Like?
Did you know there is a sapphic flag that is different from the lesbian flag? There are two versions of the sapphic flag, but both feature a white horizontal stripe sandwiched between two pink ones. The difference is that the older, original sapphic flag (by Tumblr user Lesbeux-moved, 2015) has two violet flowers, while the newer version (by Deviantart user Pride-Flags, 2016) features only one. The color pink stands for love. The Violet flowers, which used to be given by women to other women they tried to win, symbolize sapphic desire.
Difference Between the Sapphic and Lesbian Flag
The lesbian flag features seven horizontal stripes with colors ranging from dark orange, light orange, and white in the center to light pink, dark pink, and deep magenta at the bottom. In contrast, the sapphic flag has three horizontal stripes: dark purple at the top, white in the middle, and light pink at the bottom. The lesbian flag’s more complex gradient of warm tones differs from the simpler, cooler-toned design of the sapphic flag, which includes fewer colors.
V. Sapphic’s Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What does it mean to be a sapphic?
The word “sapphic” is an umbrella term for women who feel romantic and sexual attraction to women. This includes lesbians, bisexual women, pansexual women, non-binary folks, and queer folks who feel attracted to females.
Q2: Why do people use the word “sapphic”?
Since it is not always easy to identify other people’s sexual orientation and ask others for theirs, it is safer to use the adjective “sapphic” to avoid assuming their sexual identity and mislabeling them.
Q3: Does sapphic include non-binary people?
Yes, the term “sapphic” can include non-binary people. It is used to describe women and non-binary individuals who are attracted to women. The inclusivity of the term makes it a useful descriptor for various non-heterosexual orientations, encompassing lesbians, bisexuals, pansexuals, and other identities that involve attraction to women.
Q4: Are “sapphire” and “sapphic” related?
No! “Sapphire” is a precious gemstone. The etymology of the word comes from the Greek word sappheiros, meaning “blue stone.” On the other hand, the term “sapphic” is derived from the name of the Greek poet named “Sappho” who wrote poetry about women loving women. We can only assume that the poet’s name is inspired by the precious gemstone.
Q5: What is the symbol of sapphic love?
Violets, the flowers, have been the symbol of sapphic love as well as lesbian love for more than two millennia. This is inspired by Sappho, who describes a lover wearing Violets on their garland or crown in her romantic sapphic poetry.
Q6: What is “sapphic yearning”?
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the word “yearning” is a noun which means a strong feeling of wishing for something, especially something that you cannot have or get easily. In the context of the sapphic cultural experience, sapphic yearning is the desire for connection a woman feels towards another woman that they usually cannot attain (at least not in that moment).
VI. Related Lesbian & Sapphic Articles
- Summary of the Viral Lesbian MasterDoc
- How 2024 Became the Year of the Lesbian
- The Lesbian Renaissance of the 2020s: A Cultural Revolution
- Lesbian Slang Terms to Know
- 17 Stylish Lesbian Rings to Wear with Pride
- How to Look Lesbian in 2024: From Subtle Hints to Bold Statements