Hello, loves! Today, on a happier note than last week, I bring you a slightly different post. I love consuming sapphic media, so before Pride Month ends, here is a list of some of my favorite wlw books and movies that I think should be on your radar (in no particular order). If you click on the title, it’ll take you to either the Letterboxd or the Goodreads page.

Favorite sapphic movies

Imagine Me and You directed by Ol Parker

“The lily means… the lily means I dare you to love me.”

A florist. A bride. A doomed wedding. A blooming love (see what I did there?). What else could I want from the best sapphic romantic comedy of the early 2000’s? Imagine Me and You is my go-to feel-good movie for when I need something to cheer me up. It was one of the first movies I watched where two women fall in love, and it will always mean a lot to me. Way before we asked “do you listen to girl in red?” we used to say “lilies are my favorite flowers.”

Portrait of a Lady on Fire directed by Céline Sciamma

“Do not regret. Remember.”

Brittany, France. Late 18th century. An artist is commissioned to paint a portrait of a high-born woman who is set to marry a Milanese nobleman. As they spend time together, a love affair arises, forever changing their lives.

I watched this one quite recently, and I fell completely in love with it. Now, it has become one of my favorite movies of all time, and a spot in my Letterboxd’s big four will always be reserved for it.

Bottoms directed by Emma Seligman

“Okay, I might be ugly, but these aren’t overalls.”

Unapologetically queer. Unbelievably funny. Bottoms is a story about two lesbians in high school who accidentally come up with a very problematic plot to become popular and win over their crushes.

In this movie, you never know what comes next, but you can be sure that it is going to be a good time. The amazing cast and the immaculate performances of Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennott make the already-good nonsensical plot even better.

You Can Live Forever directed by Sarah Watts and Mark Slutsky

“You’re not gonna let me go?”

“Not yet.”

A lesbian teenager is sent to live with her aunt in a Jehovah’s Witness community, where she falls in love with another girl. They start a forbidden relationship and have to navigate their secret affair while actively participating in religious life.

A story about queerness, religious guilt, and internalized homophobia that portrays the harsh reality of growing up gay in bigoted communities.

The Children’s Hour directed by William Wyler

“I have loved you the way they said.”

Running a girls’ boarding school with your best friend might sound like a dream, but what do you do when a student accuses you of having a lesbian romantic affair? And what happens when you realize that the lie could lead you to losing each other?

Filmed in the early 60’s, this movie tells a heartbreaking story about friendship, love, and the devastating consequences of homophobia.

Aftersun directed by Charlotte Wells

“It’s nice that we share the same sky. Sometimes . . . I think about the fact that we can both see the sun.”

Sophie, who now has a baby with a woman, remembers a vacation she took with her father two decades earlier. Through videotapes and her own memories, she reflects on the events of that summer and tries to make sense of them.

Although not inherently sapphic, this movie reflects the queer experience through Sophie. I thought it was a very realistic and clear representation of what it is like to grow up as a girl who hasn’t yet realized that she likes women.

But I’m a Cheerleader directed by Jamie Babbit

“One, two, three, four. You’re the one that I adore. Five, six, seven, eight. Don’t run from me, ‘cause this is fate.”

Considered the lesbian classic, But I’m a Cheerleader tells the story of a girl, Megan, who hates kissing her boyfriend but loves looking at her teammates. Her conservative parents and friends think she might be a lesbian and send her to a “sexual redirection” school. There, she realizes that she is, in fact, homosexual, and tries to learn how to be straight. But in a house full of gay people, it is very easy to get distracted and, maybe, fall in love.

I cannot believe that it took me so long to watch this movie. It completely flips the heartbreaking stories about conversion therapy and becomes one of the best comedies out there. Nevertheless, it still reflects on the harm that conservative loved ones inflict on queer kids who dream of being accepted.

Favorite sapphic books

Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Howarth

“There is evil in my yearning, I know. I just can’t see where yet.”

A story about girlhood, identity, and religious guilt. Lucy lives in a small conservative village in Ireland, and everyone believes she is destined to marry her best friend, Martin. But Lucy’s heart is set on loving the infatuating Susannah. Soon, Lucy will have to choose between being accepted and being herself.

This is one of the most devastatingly beautiful stories I have ever read. I loved every page, every sentence, and every word. Any sapphic woman who reads this will see herself reflected in both Lucy and Susannah. Alexa, play Good Luck Babe by Chappell Roan!

Outdrawn by Deanna Grey

“I’m glad I get to heal with someone who knows how it feels to be torn apart.”

Noah and Sage are both webcomic artists who met in college. Years later, they have to work together on the most popular comic of their company while also competing for the number one spot in an online competition. With time, their rivalry turns into something far more complicated.

Outdrawn is my favorite romance ever. The first time I read this book, I felt so seen and understood. The sapphic relationship is incredibly beautiful, and the back stories of both characters are very realistic and well thought out. I genuinely think about this book every day.

Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Winser

“Her gaze felt like something physical. The pressure of it, dragging up and down Erin’s body. She wanted to lean into it. So yes, what she wanted was the problem.”

Cassie tries to escape Family Weekend at her college by going to an off-campus bar. There, she meets Erin, and they have a very short one-night stand in her car. Unfortunately, the next day they find out the age gap between them, and (worst of all) that Erin is Cassie’s friend’s mother. They try to put an end to the affair, but the chemistry between them turns out to be very difficult to ignore.

Am I a fan of age gap romance? Not really. But it is hard not to love this book. The story is beautiful, and the power dynamic is very balanced. Ever since I read it, I believe that there is a correct way to portray an age difference in fiction. Cassie and Erin’s love story had me hooked from the beginning, and there wasn’t a single moment when I wasn’t rooting for them.

Make Room for Love by Darcy Liao

“She was afraid to look at Isabel. It would be too much like looking at the sun.”

Mira needs a place to live, and Isabel needs a roommate. When they meet at a party, they agree to live together. Mira, a trans woman who believed she was straight until now, quickly realizes her attraction to Isabel. But Isabel is wounded by grief and tries to keep her distance. Until they both can’t help it anymore.

My favorite part about this book is the amazing diverse representation and how the very important social commentary throughout the story never takes away from the beautiful romance.

Experienced by Kate Young

“You’re really good, I think, at performing happiness. At convincing yourself—at convincing everyone—that things are exactly as you want them.

Bette is in love for the first time. When she came out at almost thirty years old, she started a relationship with Mei, and she is happy. Until Mei suggests they should take a break so Bette can explore her sexuality. Bette is set on dating as many women as she can with the sole purpose of getting back together. But her first date after the breakup is a disaster, and the woman, Ruth, agrees to be her dating guide. After spending time together, they become really good friends. When the time comes, will Bette want to go back to before she knew Ruth?

This book is the perfect mix of literary fiction and romance. It depicts the experiences of queer women who have come out later in life and are still discovering themselves. Bette and Ruth’s story is a very realistic portrayal of intertwining sapphic love and friendship.

The Art of Us by K.L. Hughes

“I never really had a home. Nothing permanent. Nothing precious. Not until you . . . I made my home in you. With you.”

Charlee and Alex met on their college’s parking lot at eighteen, and from that moment on, they loved each other more than anything. Until Alex had to leave Boston to pursue her career. Now, five years later, Alex is back in the city, and she runs into her ex-girlfriend at an art gallery. Both of them have partners now, but they still have a hard time navigating the remains of their relationship every time they see each other.

I completely loved this beautiful second-chance romance. When done well, it is one of my favorite tropes, and in this book, I think, it is perfectly written. All characters are three-dimensional and important to the story. I also really liked that the focus is on the present, and although there are flashbacks, they appear only when necessary.

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

“She wanted the woman who had held a knife to her heart.”

A sapphic epic fantasy inspired by India’s history and epics. Malini is imprisoned in the ruins of the Hirana, an ancient temple that held the powerful deathless waters. Priya, who used to be part of the children of the Hirana, now works there in hiding as a servant. Soon, Malini realizes who Priya is, and they make a pact to change the fate of the empire.

The best sapphic fantasy I have read so far. Although I started reading fantasy fairly recently, it is one of the genres I enjoy the most, and I think it is always better when it introduces a romance subplot. The politics of the world are thoroughly thought out, and the magic system is very unique. I also loved the Hindu themes because it is not something that appears a lot in traditionally published fantasy books. The Jasmine Throne is part of a trilogy, and I cannot comment on the next two books because I haven’t read them yet, but based on the way this one introduces the story, I have really high hopes.

Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin

“I exchange a pitying look with my reflection to communicate with myself that I feel sorry for me.”

Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead tells the story of Gilda, an atheist lesbian in her twenties who accidentally stumbles into a job as a receptionist at a Catholic church and gets obsessed with the death of the last receptionist.

I read this book a few months ago, and it has become one of my favorite comedies because it felt like someone got into my head and wrote all my darkest secrets for me to read. Dealing with themes of extreme anxiety and OCD, this story narrates the day-to-day life of a young woman who is completely mentally unstable (one could say… exactly like me). I felt more represented than ever before, and if you deal with these issues, I think you will find comfort in this book.

Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

“But to die as lovers may—to die together, so that they may live together.”

One of the earliest vampire stories (preceding Dracula). And it’s sapphic! Laura lives with her father and their maids in an isolated castle in the Austrian forest. When a carriage carrying a woman and her daughter crashes into view, they decide to take in the young and beautiful Carmilla until her mother returns. Laura and Carmilla immediately become friends, but the situation quickly becomes strange and dangerous.

In the story, Le Fanu uses vampirism as a metaphor for homophobia. Carmilla is deemed a monster. She only expresses desire for other young women, and is repulsed by anything religious, which represents the intolerance of the society of the time. This book is a very quick and interesting read that sets a precedent of vampires as metaphors for social issues.

Watchlist

The Handmaiden directed by Park Chan-Wook

Saving Face directed by Alice Wu

My First Summer directed by Katie Found

The World to Come directed by Mona Fastvold

Summerland directed by Jessica Swale

Love Lies Bleeding directed by Rose Glass

TBR

Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden

Mongrel by Hanako Footman

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi

Do I consume sapphic media, or does the sapphic media consume me? Probably the latest. If you are like me, and every piece of art you come across bleeds into your whole being and builds a forever home in your heart, just know that I really, really like you. Keep living as intensely. Always <3