Famous GLBT & GLBTI People

Sappho (6th Cent. B.C.)

Sappho was born on the Greek island of Lesbos, hence the terms for Gay women- "Sapphist" and "Lesbian".

Sappho was a Greek poet that lived most of her life on Lesbos, except for a period of exile on the island of Sicily, for supposedly plotting against the tyrant Pittacus.

She started several casual societies dedicated to composing and reciting of poetry, with the female aristocracy. The one that she headed up drew many followers with her style of simple lyrics, which mainly focused on her relationships with other women.

Sorry to say, but none of her poems survive in their complete form. "Historians" changed the pronouns of her works to suggest that they were about men. Later Historians corrected these errors.

Ancient writers support the theory that Sappho was a lesbian. In fact, Maximus of Tyre compared her relationships with young girls to Socrates' relationships with young boys.

Plato called her the Tenth Muse, and Latin poets Catallus and Ovid greatly admired her work.

Back to Famous GLBT People

Site Map

  Sign My Guestbook View My Guestbook

Site opened 10/31/99

StoneWall Society 10/99 - 2004