The Social Sapphics is a group on campus that began with linguistics junior Crystal Lindsey and English junior Trisha Gnadt. Their mission for the organization is to provide a space on campus for women and women-aligned people with romantic attraction towards other women and women-aligned people. Lindsey said this is known as women-loving women, and the organization is meant for them to connect and discuss their shared interests.
“Sapphic comes from the name of the famous Greek poet Sappho, who was known for her poems about women,” Lindsey said. “Incidentally, the term ‘lesbian’ comes from the name of her homeland, Lesbos.”
Lindsey and Gnadt created the group in the fall of 2018 and since this past fall semester, the organization has received more recognition and more members. Lindsey and Gnadt created this organization because they said that the other LGBTQIA+ orgs were not what they were looking for.
“We wanted to get away from all the politics and meet specifically with other bi, pan and lesbian women,” Lindsey said.
Since the start of the spring semester, the Social Sapphics have gained five new members. Lindsey said she is excited for the future of the organization, including their upcoming discussions and meetings. She said they are also working with GLAD, UNT’s queer alliance, to co-host an event in February.
Jazpar Canales is an ecology freshman and the creative officer for the Social Sapphics. His job is to create posters, fliers and any other visual elements for the club. He has helped with deciding the crafts that the organization does and designed the logo for the club.
“Coming to this organization and meeting other Sapphic women who all understand my thoughts and struggles, and just being able to fully be myself without having to hide anything, has all been an invaluable experience for me,” Canales said.
Canales said because of Social Sapphics, he was able to begin his college experience with new friends, and the benefits of the organization have carried into his life outside of the club.
“Social Sapphics was often the only part of my week I even [looked] forward to last semester,” Canales said. “Without the friends I’ve made here, I’d still be stranded alone on campus, not having seen any part of Denton. I truly love this club and I’m honored to have a hand in running it.”
Emma Smutzer is a senior audiology and speech-language pathology major and the treasurer of the Social Sapphics. Smutzer said that before they joined the Sapphics, they were struggling with their mental health, but their involvement has impacted them positively.
“I’ve come to realize that at every meeting, I can’t stop smiling,” Smutzer said. “[I] absolutely love this org and each and every one of its members. Social Sapphics have given me so much — friends, connections, at times, a purpose, the list goes on.”
Smutzer said they were able to combine what they love into one: the Social Sapphics and numbers. They said that being the treasurer gave them a sense of financial management and leadership.
“Being surrounded by like-minded people enriches your life in a way that is indescribable,” Smutzer said. “This club has helped me better accept myself fully and without shame, and I’ve enjoyed every second of being an officer for it.”
Mikayla Walker, media arts sophomore and social media manager of the Social Sapphics, moderates the organization’s Discord server where members can keep in touch and bond together outside of meetings. She manages the organization’s Twitter and Instagram accounts, and she said she works on spreading the word about their organization.
“As someone who came out to my entire family over the summer, I found it beneficial to have other people in the LGBT+ community to bond with,” Walker said. “I’ve made so many connections with the people in Social Sapphics, and I’ve even gotten to know someone I
now consider a best friend.”
Walker said the sense of responsibility she gained through Social Sapphics changed how her first semester went at UNT. She said she is glad she took a chance in joining it.
“As an officer, I’m proud to represent Social Sapphics and work to make UNT a safer and more enjoyable place for sapphic women and women-aligned people,” Walker said.
Featured Image: Crystal Lindsay, President and Founder of the UNT Social Sapphic Society, poses in front of a garden on Jan. 24, 2020. Image by Colby Zschiesche