The Original Lesbian // Sappho of Lesbos [CC] [AD]

Eleanor Medhurst’s DressingDykes-

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro
03:26 Sappho: The Original Lesbian
05:32 Who was Sappho?
11:02 Compulsory Heterosexuality
14:20 Iconography
17:08 Natalie Barney
19:36 Conclusion

Historical Profiles Playlist-

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EQUIPMENT:
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[lefthanddontknow]

Re: Being described as having "violet" hair. Violet in ye olde days wasn't a word for purple, it was a word for blue. One with violet hair would have the classically 'true black' blue-black hair that was so coveted compared to brown-black hair.

[Aima]

The idea that queer historians were trolling the people who only bothered to read translations just tickles me so so much

[ethemie]

I had a Greek literature professor try to argue the "she could have been writing from the perspective of a man" framing and claim that whether or not Sappho was a lesbian isn't really important to understanding her poetry, and I genuinely have never had my respect for a teacher plummet so quickly.
Also one of the funniest attempts to straightwash her poetry is that one scholar claimed that the lines "on a soft bed you let loose your longing" from frag. 94 were about taking a nap

[thelittlestpika]

Historians are always like "THERE HAS TO BE A HETEROSEXUAL EXPLANATION FOR THIS."

[littlepixieme]

Fun fact: older cultures sometimes used different words to describe colors. Ancient Japan didn't have a word for "green" and considered it a shade of blue. So maybe Sappho's "violet" hair wasn't actually purple? But probably was a dark color - I would assume raven-colored (as in, black but maybe showing blues, greens, or purples in certain lights?). Or maybe she was just super dedicated go aesthetics and put a shit ton of energy into dying her hair. I would, if I got thrown back in time. I love my crazy colors

[mandipandi]

Homophobic historians claiming Sappho was straight is simultaneously so hilarious and so infuriating.

[woodscommaelle]

This ensemble is fantastic. Sappho would be proud 🥰

[erinhowett]

I was recently in a Starbucks here in the Deep South and they had a Sappho quote on their board. Either a) they have no idea she was the original Super Lesbian, or b) they were actually allies and were telling the LGBTQA+ community in a way most people down here wouldn't notice if they didn't belong to the community.

Either way, I loved it.

[SaltyBeach]

“I’m a lesbian, and sometimes we just eat toast.” I mean, I know most folks here are probably LGBTQ+ or allies (like myself). But damn sis, YES. ITS 👏 NOT 👏 ALL 👏 ABOUT 👏 SEX 👏

[elleclegg]

"Calm down Victorian historians."

The cry of non-male historians since 1910.

[kriscormier]

"We're here! We're queer! We're years!"
Lovely video & outfit! 💜

[sallyjordan]

No one can wear a crown of golden laurel leaves like you, Jessica. 🎀💖🎀

[woodscommaelle]

It’s not Lesbian unless it comes from the Lesbos island of Greece, otherwise it’s just sparkling homosexuality

[crystal]

I would love to see one on Alan Turing how was know for his Turing machine and played a crucial role in cracking coded messages from the axis power and is considered the father of the modern computer.

[LynxChan]

"That is a niche that honestly....ticks my boxes"

MRS. Kellgren-Fozard, such bold language! 😂

[ZoeVictorias]

"I'm a lesbian, and sometimes we just eat toast" is a phenomenal statement! I may have to get that on a mug 😂

[ZyllasAthenaeum]

Lovely video, and lovely costume! Thank you for talking about Sappho; it warms my scholarly heart.

Sappho's poetry was actually my dissertation focus, and I've spent FAR too much time detangling silly myths about her. I feel inspired to do a deep dive on my own channel now!

Suffice to say, YES she loved other women, and NO she likely didn't ever meet Alcaeus or actually know a boatman named Phaon. We don't even have real evidence for her 'circle' except that she seems to have had a lot of female friends, which, would be kinda normal?

Also, Erinna was a fellow female poet from a similar time who wrote didactic epic rather than lyric poetry. No evidence they knew each other, either, but HUZZAH for ancient poetesses!

[archontiamanolakelli]

As someone who comes from the island of Lesbos, this video makes me really happy. :D I make a point to talk about this whenever there is an opportunity (usually when I introduce myself for the first time, it becomes a talking point) because even though I am not part of the LGBTQ+ community, I think it is really important to highlight parts of history that are often overlooked or intentionally erased in mainstream education. To this day, I am yet to find someone who knows about Sappho or how the term Lesbian came to be; I will be pointing them to your video from now on also. Love your work!

[laurenconrad]

Ah, the history books that list roommates. Tale as old as time. Reminds me of when I was ten and my parents finally told me, yeah, Robin is not Grandma's roommate. lol. (They got married in 2011 so yay!)

[ritajadil]

Jessica: proof that homosexuality is as old as legends

Sappho from up above: I'm proud of you my fellow sapphic woman now I could rest at peace