Miriam Saphira

Miriam Edna Saphira (; born 24 July 1941) is a New Zealand lesbian activist, poet, artist and psychologist. Her 1981 publication, The Sexual Abuse of Children, was the first book on sexual abuse in New Zealand. Saphira founded New Zealand's only museum of lesbian culture, the Charlotte Museum, and in 2022 was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the LGBTQIA+ community.

Early life and education Saphira was born Miriam Edna Gibson at Kaimiro, near Inglewood, on 24 July 1941, the daughter of Sheila Joan Gibson (née East) and Norman Parau Gibson. She was educated at New Plymouth Girls' High School and Kelston High School, and went on to train at Palmerston North Teachers' College. She later studied at the University of Auckland, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1973, a Master of Arts in 1976, a Diploma in Clinical Psychology in 1977, a Diploma in Educational Psychology in 1984, and a PhD in 1991.

Career Trained as a psychologist, Saphira has researched and written about topics including incest, the sexual abuse of children, prostitution, rape, lesbian and gay rights, and violence against women. She worked with sex offenders, and supported incarcerated women. Her 1981 book, The Sexual abuse of children, was the first book on sexual abuse in New Zealand and became an important work for people working with either children and offenders. The museum is named for two members of the KG Club committee, Charlotte Prime and Charlotte Smith, who died around the time of the museum's founding. In 2008, The Charlotte Museum Trust published a book edited by Saphira, about lesbian history. In April 2024, the museum held a pop-up exhibition dedicated to Saphira when she retired for health reasons from her positions as secretary of the board and museum trustee.

Honours and awards Saphira was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal and the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993.

Selected works

Miriam Saphira, editor (2008). Remember us, women who love women, from sappho to liberation. Charlotte Museum Trust. ISBN 090870699