Achillean is a very broad term used to describe any man/man-aligned individual who is attracted exclusively or non-exclusively to other men/man-aligned individuals. Someone who identifies as achillean could be anywhere on the sexuality spectrum, be that multisexual, bisexual, queer, gay, and others. The term exists to unify the entirety of the queer man/man-aligned community, as well as acting as a sexuality descriptor.
The term achillean can be used along with other orientations or as a single, more broad one. It can be used in many ways, some of which are:
- To emphasise attraction to men/man-aligned individuals
- As a more broad term with a less-defined meaning
- As a way of rejecting more specific terms/labels for oneself
- When someone is uncertain of where they fall on the sexuality spectrum, but knows that they experience achillean attraction
- As a non-exclusive counterpart to gay
The feminine counterpart to this term is sapphic.
History & Coining[]
(provided by LGBTA wiki)
The word achillean has historically been used to describe things relating to the mythological figure Achilles. The first instance of achillean being used in the context of men attracted to men is in 1959 in A.C. Hamilton's scholarly article titled "Spenser's Treatment of Myth":
This usage predates the reclamation of the word "gay," previously only a derogatory term for homosexual men, as a synonym for self-identified and proud homosexual by the Gay Liberation Front by ten years.
The resurgence of achillean is likely due to the internet, specifically a post by Tumblr user asculan on June 13, 2016
The word achillean comes from the name of the hero in the Iliad, Achilles, who was romantically involved with another man, Patroclus.
Flags[]
(mostly provided by LGBTA wiki)
The original achillean flag was created by Tumblr user pridenpositivity in 2016. The flag was redesigned by DeviantArt user Pride-Flags on October 5, 2016, which is widely accepted as the current achillean flag. Both flags have two blue stripes on the top and bottom representing men. In the center is a green carnation. In ancient Rome and 19th century England, green indicated gay affiliations. Victorian men would often pin a green carnation on their lapel, as popularized by author Oscar Wilde. In general, the achillean flag represents joy.
A commonly used alternate flag, with a darker blue stripe and a green stripe with the same symbolism, was created by Reddit user Pacack on September 6, 2019. In general, the achillean flag has been redesigned or tweaked many times since its creation.
Resources[]
https://lgbta.wikia.org/wiki/Achillean
https://pride-color-schemes.tumblr.com/post/162216050275/achillean
https://www.deviantart.com/pride-flags/art/Achillean-638170749
