People of Lesbos take gay group to court over term 'Lesbian'

[skivvynine (imported)]

People of Lesbos take gay group to court over term 'Lesbian'

By NICHOLAS PAPHITIS, Associated Press Writer

ATHENS, Greece - A Greek court has been asked to draw the line between the natives of the Aegean Sea island of Lesbos and the world's gay women.

Three islanders from Lesbos — home of the ancient poet Sappho, who praised love between women — have taken a gay rights group to court for using the word lesbian in its name.

One of the plaintiffs said Wednesday that the name of the association, Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece, "insults the identity" of the people of Lesbos, who are also known as Lesbians.

"My sister can't say she is a Lesbian," said Dimitris Lambrou. "Our geographical designation has been usurped by certain ladies who have no connection whatsoever with Lesbos," he said.

The three plaintiffs are seeking to have the group barred from using "lesbian" in its name and filed a lawsuit on April 10. The other two plaintiffs are women.

Also called Mytilene, after its capital, Lesbos is famed as the birthplace of Sappho. The island is a favored holiday destination for gay women, particularly the lyric poet's reputed home town of Eressos.

"This is not an aggressive act against gay women," Lambrou said. "Let them visit Lesbos and get married and whatever they like. We just want (the group) to remove the word lesbian from their title."

He said the plaintiffs targeted the group because it is the only officially registered gay group in Greece to use the word lesbian in its name. The case will be heard in an Athens court on June 10.

Sappho lived from the late 7th to the early 6th century B.C. and is considered one of the greatest poets of antiquity. Many of her poems, written in the first person and intended to be accompanied by music, contain passionate references to love for other women.

Lambrou said the word lesbian has only been linked with gay women in the past few decades. "But we have been Lesbians for thousands of years," said Lambrou, who publishes a small magazine on ancient Greek religion and technology that frequently criticizes the Christian Church.

Very little is known of Sappho's life. According to some ancient accounts, she was an aristocrat who married a rich merchant and had a daughter with him. One tradition says that she killed herself by jumping off a cliff over an unhappy love affair.

Lambrou says Sappho was not gay. "But even if we assume she was, how can 250,000 people of Lesbian descent — including women — be considered homosexual?"

The Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece could not be reached for comment.

[Blaise (imported)]

I'll be waiting for the decision of the court.

[DeaconBlues (imported)]

I also will wait and see what the Greek courts will say. I am not sure myself what side of the argument I would be on...

But if I were fortunate enough to live on Lesbos, I would actually be proud to say "I am a lesbian," if someone took that the wrong way, well that's their problem.

I live in Arizona, and here, we have Sedona, a really upscale and pricey place. It also is a popular destination for lesbians (that is to say, women who prefer sexual relations with women, NOT the Greeks from the island of Lesbos). If I coud afford to live in Sedona, I would not be ashamed to say that I was a Sedonan.

[Old Greebo (imported)]

I confess I do feel a measure of sympathy with the ladies of Lesbos.

If they win, I wonder if it will count as a legal precedent for rescuing the word 'gay' from it's current connotation?

I have absolutely no feelings against homosexuals of either gender. Indeed, I've already followed my own bi-curiosity into areas that give me a certain affinity to the fraternity/sorority.

Briefly. Unfortunately ...

But surely there are other labels that sound pretty and wouldn't give offence to anyone?

[MacTheWolf (imported)]

I've always considered myself 100% male but a closet lesbian I agree with the Lesbians, women are the best

[skivvynine (imported)]

You missed something in this post. Both male and female residents of Lesbos are Lesbians. The same way that both male and female residents of Malta are Maltese.

[kristoff]

The same way that both male and female residents of Malta are Maltese.

Is their football team called the "Falcons?"

[tugon (imported)]

Is their football team called the "Falcons?"

The Maltese Falcon, Kristoff you crack me up.

[Riverwind (imported)]

I am sure glad I stopped to read this thread.

I don't think the Greek government is going to be able to stop the people of the world using the term Lesbian, its just not going to happen. I think the people of Lesbos need to bite the bullet and change there name to no I am just not going to go there.

River

[MacTheWolf (imported)]

Is their football team called the "Falcons?"

Either Falcons, Butches or (censored)