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People of Lesbos sue gay groups
Topic Started: Apr 30 2008, 07:32 PM (216 Views)
George K
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Finally
Ya know, you just can't make this stuff up...


People of Lesbos take gay group to court.

By NICHOLAS PAPHITIS, Associated Press Writer
Wed Apr 30, 5:04 PM ET

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.
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pianojerome
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HOLY CARP!!!
George K
Apr 30 2008, 11:32 PM
home of the ancient poet Sappho, who praised love between women

another one of CrashTest's sockpuppets?
Sam
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kenny
HOLY CARP!!!
Oye!
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Daniel
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HOLY CARP!!!
:blink:
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jon-nyc
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Cheers
That is brilliant. I love it.
In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
They have a point. I guess the Greeks could have a gripe over some common sexual terms too - not to mention the French.

All that said, that train left the station a long time ago. I'd guess all they can really expect to do is raise awareness of the original meaning of Lesbian.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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Pianolicious
Senior Carp
When I lived in Greece as a teen I had a very hip doctor. He introduced himself to my card-carrying conservative mom saying "I'm Dr. Mxxxxxxxxxtikopoulos, I'm from the island of Lesbos. You know what that makes me? A LESBIAN!!!!!

Ba Doom Shi!!!

I thought it was funny at 16. I'm not sure if she even got it.
Sit tibi vita longa et omnia bona!!! -- Dr. Spock
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