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Who Was Sappho? The Queer Greek Poet Who Changed History

Who Was Sappho? The Queer Greek Poet Who Changed History

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 💌 Episode Summary Before Instagram poets and moody notebook scribbles, there was Sappho—the original lyric poet who set hearts (and historians) on fire. This week, we dive into the life, love, and legend-level drama of the Greek icon whose poems gave us longing, lyricism, and one of the best ancient bisexual panics in literary history. From inventing an entire genre of poetry to possibly being married to “a literal penis from the Island of Man” (thanks, trolls), Sappho’s legacy is powerful, poetic, and fiercely queer. Queer Creators and Historians to Follow lgbt_history taipeiqueen lesbianherstoryarchives onlinekyne ⏱️ What You’ll Hear Who was Sappho, really? What we know (and what’s been suspiciously erased) Lyric poetry 101 – How Sappho changed the entire game The gay panic of ancient scholars – Plato, Homer, and yes, Victorian dudes Her poetry of longing – Erotic, powerful, and absolutely not “just friendly” The fight for her legacy – From haters to historians to modern LGBTQIA+ orgs Why representation in history matters – Especially for young queer kids 📚 Quick Facts Born ~630 BCE on the island of Lesbos Credited with creating lyric poetry (think: personal, emotional, performed with a lyre) Wrote an Ode to Aphrodite—the only surviving full poem Widely believed to have been queer, though this was hotly denied for centuries Inspired organizations like Sappho for Equality, which still operates today 💥 Fun & Furious Details Scholars once claimed she was just a “schoolmistress” who trained wives. Others made up a fake husband named “Dick from Man Island” (yes, really). Her contemporaries called her the Poetess, the female Homer. Plato called her the Tenth Muse, despite hating poetry. Modern scholars finally started accepting her queerness in the 20th century. 🎙️ From Your Host, TK This episode is a love letter to the messy, powerful, poetic legacy of Sappho. She wasn’t just a woman who wrote poetry—she was a revolutionary voice who broke the mold, made people feel things, and still inspires generations today. Also, her poems? SPICY. 😳🌿 🚀 Want More? Subscribe to For the Love of History for weekly feminist deep dives Share this episode with your sapphic bestie or literary crush Support on Patreon for bonus episodes, early access, and sleepy history Merch? Toga? Blanket burrito? We gotchu. Instagram⁠ ⁠Website⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠ ⁠Merch Store⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠⁠ Whether you’re a poet, a history nerd, or someone who’s just a sucker for ancient queer drama, Sappho’s story is one you don’t want to miss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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