THE UNTOLD HISTORY OF ITALY SAINT SEBASTIAN Saint Sebastian is represented as a handsome and athletic young man in paintings. Semi-nude, tied to a post and pierced by arrows, he lived through this torture to continue his fight for Christianity. Whether he was the love interest of Emperor Diocletian, who ordered his execution twice, is up to discussion. Adopted in recent history as a gay icon, the pain and sorrow of his martyrdom is equated to the challenges of being homosexual throughout history. As a protector against the plague, Saint Sebastian’s iconography took on an even more special meaning in the LGBTQ+ community during the AIDS crisis of the late 20th century.
PORTIA AND NERISSA Characters in the Shakespearean drama “Merchant of Venice”, they share a deep and loyal connection that seems to go beyond friendship. The intimacy and closeness between the two women far outshines any of the relationships Portia has with her suitors, even conspiring together and cross-dressing to help a friend in need.
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