Achillean
Umbrella term for men loving men From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Achillean is an umbrella term for men who are attracted to other men,[1] regardless of sexual or romantic orientation. This term includes men who are gay, bi, pan, m-spec, ace-spec, aro-spec, non-binary, and queer.
| Pronunciation | ə-ˈki-lē- |
|---|---|
| Etymology | Achilles + -ic |
| Abbreviations | MLM |
| Subcategories | |
| Flag | |
| |
| Flag name | Achillean pride flag |
Etymology
The term derives from Achilles, the greatest warrior among the Greeks at Troy and slayer of Hector from Homer's Iliad.[2] The definition comes from the relationship between Achilles and his friend Patroclus. Some have interpreted this relationship as a same-sex relationship.[1]
The term Achillean was not traditionally used in reference to sexuality but rather to denote heroic qualities associated with Achilles, with its earliest recorded usage dating back to 1579 in the writings of William Fulke.[3] As a descriptor, Achillean often referred to being nearly invincible with a critical weakness (an Achilles' heel), which ultimately leads to one's downfall, or to being guided by emotional motives, such as rage, rather than reason.[4][5] In medical literature, the term Achillean related to the Achilles tendon.[6]
The historical term for male homosexuality is Uranian, which was coined in 1864.[7] The female counterpart to Uranian is Sapphism, a term referring to female homosexuality, which had been in use since the 1890s.[8]
Use
The term Achillean is used to refer to any man who is attracted towards other men, such as homosexual, homoromantic, multisexual, and multiromantic men.[9]
Flag
The achillean pride flag was created in 2016 by a tumblr user.[1] The light blue represents men and the green carnation is a reference to Oscar Wilde, who popularized using a green carnation to hint at homosexuality.[10]
References
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