6 Historic LGBTQ+ Couples

Recorded evidence of diverse forms of love has had a firm presence in human history for thousands of years. From ancient Egyptian lovers to trans trailblazers, art and literature provides proof that queer love stories are not a recent development. Here are six prominent LGBTQ+ romances from history to look back on this Valentine’s Day.

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Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum

Often cited as the first recorded same-sex couple, Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum were ancient Egyptian royal servants, working in the Palace of King Nyuserre Ini. Buried together during the second half of the 25th Century BC, archeologists have inferred their romantic relationship from the positioning of their bodies and the way ancient artwork depicts them (frequently embracing, nose-to-nose).

For many years, Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum were inferred to be brothers, but many historians now dispute this due to their artistic portrayal being similar in nature to heterosexual couples.

Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West

Celebrated writer Virgina Woolf is considered as one of the pioneers for British literature and storytelling. Her most famous works include Mrs. Dalloway and Orlando, and she became a figurehead in feminist movements in later years. Many critics cite the best years of Woolf’s work to have been produced during her romantic relationship with Vita Sackville-West, author and garden designer.

The relationship sparked a number of renowned pieces, including prolific essays by Woolf such as ‘Mr. Bennett and Mrs. Brown’, and ‘A Letter to a Young Poet