A court in Athens today rejected a law suit from some residents of the island of Lesbos that attempted to stop homosexual women from using the word ‘lesbian’ to define themselves.
Three islanders took gay rights group OLKE, the Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece, to court to get a ban on anyone except islanders and their descendants using the term lesbian.
The court ruled that they do not have sole claim to the word.
The Greek island, home to the 6th Century BC poet Sappho, who wrote about female same-sex love, lends its name to the term ‘lesbian.’
“My sister can’t say she is a Lesbian,” islander and plaintiff Dimitris Lambrou told AP at the start of the case last month.
“Our geographical designation has been usurped by certain ladies who have no connection whatsoever with Lesbos.”
Andrea Gilbert, spokesperson for Athens Pride 2008 and a member of OLKE, has drawn attention to the amount of money from tourism that lesbians bring to the island when visiting Eressos, the birthplace of Sappho.
She told PinkNews.co.uk:
“The claim is based in serious prejudice and hatred, a ridiculous claim that most Greeks find laughable.
“However, the underlying homophobia and reactionary sentiment is no laughing matter.”
Mr Lambrou said they will take their case to the European courts.
The banner reads “Silence no more. If you are not from Lesbos, you are not a lesbian”
I am sure the case will be laughed out of the European court too !
Gay in Greece on September 16th, 2009
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No to Gay Rights on October 8th, 2008
Lesbians and Colbert on July 26th, 2008
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There seem to be no limits to Greek stupidity and time-wasting. Meanwhile, legal actions (by Greek friends) demanding that certain Greek state institutions obey the antidiscrimination laws get nowhere, because the Greek state (and apparently the Council of State) thinks that it is above the law. Long live racism in Greece!
http://toomanytribbles.blogspo.....lbert.html
toomanytribbless last blog post..lesbians, lesvos and colbert
[...] Colbert Published by deviousdiva July 26th, 2008 in Personal. Stephen Colbert laughs at the lesbian dispute. Yes, most people think this court case is a joke. Thank you toomanytribbles for the link. [...]
Greeks know the difference, and the can accent the word differently. In English, there’s a solution:
Lesvian=from Lesbos
Lesbian=gay woman
Simple, not problem.
I think most people know the difference don’t they George ?
Of course, they do. The whole thing is hillarious.
On the other hand, there are too many people who wouldn’t see reality even if it smacked them on their head. They prefer the illusion to dealing with life’s issues in a rational, mature way.
Georges last blog post..Biblican Heroes not as Perfect as Greek Gods! And, a Way to Lower Gas Prices!
If you deliberately and consciously divert attention away from the corruption, dirt and general malaise of Greek society with such trivia, then you achieve something: you stop all change. At the same time you make sure that you perpetuate the mythology of how wonderful Greeks are… I see this as a nationalist issue, designed cynically to waste everyone’s time and energy while promoting the traditional lies and propaganda.