What Does Sapphic Mean? The Beginners Guide to WLW

In light of the recent lesbian renaissance (more on that later!) you might have seen the word sapphic floating about. While ‘sapphic’ and ‘lesbian’ are related terms, they are notably distinct from one another, despite falling under the WLW umbrella – that’s woman loving woman, for any newbies! If you’re wondering what sapphic means, confused about sapphic vs lesbian or just want to know where on earth the word comes from, keep reading.

Generally speaking, sapphic describes any woman or woman-aligned person who is attracted to other women or woman-aligned people, including lesbians, bisexuals and pansexuals . In recent years, the term has evolved to become way more inclusive, covering folks who don't identify as women, as well as those attracted to people outside the gender binary. Like all LGBTQ+ identities, if the term ‘sapphic’ resonates with you – use it!

The word sapphic dates back to ancient Greece and the Greek goddess Sappho who famously resided on, you guessed it, the Isle of Lesbos. Like many Sapphics, Sappho spent her time writing poems about desire and love between two women – this is where we got the term ‘lesbian’ from. Some of Sappho’s sexy scrolls were discovered in the late 19th century when the term ‘sapphic’ was coined as an adjective to describe women whose emotional and sexual preferences were other women.

There are two flags for the sapphic community, both very similar in style. Both sapphic flags have two pink stripes on the top and bottom – which symbolise love – and a lavender stripe in the centre. Talk about a lavender menace ! In the middle of the lavender stripe are flowers, one version has a pair of violets, and the other just a single simple violet. Whichever design you prefer, both look great on a sapphic flag pin .

You might have heard these two terms used a lot together, however, it’s important to note that lesbian and sapphic identities are distinct from one another. For example, lesbians can be sapphics, but not all sapphics are lesbians – the term encompasses bisexuality , pansexuality and many other identities, too.

We’re living in it, baby! The so-called Lesbian Renaissance is the recent increase of sapphic culture and representation in pop culture. Many argue the Lesbian Renaissance started back in 2019 with the gut-wrenching A Portrait of a Lady on Fire, but the movement really reached an all-time high in 2024.

From sapphic and lesbian artists like Chappell Roan, Billie Eilish and Renée Rapp dominating the charts to WLW representation on screen in Love Lives Bleeding, Drive Away Dolls and the BBC's I Kissed A Girl, sapphics are finally front and centre – where they should be!

Yes, the bisexual community can identify as sapphic. Similarly, sapphic people can also date men! Like how bisexual people are still bisexual if they enter a heterosexual relationship, you can still identify as sapphic if you’re romantically or emotionally attracted to more than just women or someone who is woman-aligned. 

Again, yes! Sapphic is an umbrella term and is meant to be as inclusive as possible. Sapphics can be non-binary , trans femmes, trans mascs and cis women of all sexual orientations. Just think of sapphic as encompassing all non-men attracted to non-men.

Whether you read about a sapphic romance in an LGBTQ+ book , play videogames with sapphic characters or even watch WLW couples in films and on TV, representation is key for normalising sapphic relationships and providing positive role models for anyone questioning their own sexuality. Not to mention, the TikTok fam cams and YouTube edits are pretty great to watch… Here are some of our favourite sapphic couples from pop culture.

Atypical has great autistic representation in its main character Sam, but it’s Sam’s sister Casey’s relationship with best friend Izzie that makes sapphics keep watching the show. After Izzie confesses her romantic feelings to Casey, the latter breaks up with her boyfriend to pursue her new relationship. Tumultuous and cute scenes ensue, with Izzie realising she’s a lesbian and Casey choosing to identify as bisexual. After all, Evan truly is one of the best TV boyfriends!

The OG sapphics that made many queer women realise they were gay , Brittany and Santana are legends of sapphic pop culture. Who can forget that heartbreaking rendition of Landslide, Brittany making Santana her ‘Lebanese’ t-shirt and of course, Brittany standing up to Santana's abuela who refuses to come to the wedding? #Britanna was glee at its absolute peak – followed only by Santana and Quinn hooking up when they were on a break. We don’t make the rules!

There are so many reasons Sens8 didn’t deserve to be cancelled after just two series, but the loving relationship between Nomi and Amanita is number one. With trans sapphic representation, deep and unwavering support of each other and a shared commitment to social justice, this sci-fi couple is absolutely everything. Not to mention their relationship forms a significant part of the show's narrative. They truly were ahead of their time!