Greek Lesbians go to court over name .

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » 2008-05-01 08:58am

Lesbos islanders dispute gay name
By Malcolm Brabant
BBC News, Athens

Campaigners on the Greek island of Lesbos are to go to court in an attempt to stop a gay rights organisation from using the term "lesbian".

The islanders say that if they are successful they may then start to fight the word lesbian internationally.

The issue boils down to who has the right to call themselves Lesbians.

Is it gay women, or the 100,000 people living on Greece's third biggest island - plus another 250,000 expatriates who originate from Lesbos?

The man spearheading the case, publisher Dimitris Lambrou, claims that international dominance of the word in its sexual context violates the human rights of the islanders, and disgraces them around the world.

He says it causes daily problems to the social life of Lesbos's inhabitants.

Injunction sought

In court papers, the plaintiffs allege that the Greek government is so embarrassed by the term Lesbian that it has been forced to rename the island after its capital, Mytilini.
An early court date has now been set for judges to decide whether to grant an injunction against the Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece and to order it to change its name.

A spokeswoman for the group has described the case as a groundless violation of freedom of expression, and has pledged to fight it.

The term lesbian originated from a mythological goddess and poet called Sappho, who was a native of Lesbos.

Sappho expressed her love of other women in poetry written during the 7th Century BC.

But according to Mr Lambrou, new historical research has discovered that Sappho had a family, and committed suicide for the love of a man.

What? It's a perfectly accurate thread title!

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2008-05-01 09:11am

So... why not call them Sapphians?

Darth Yoshi · Post by **Darth Yoshi** » 2008-05-01 09:46am

Social inertia, most likely. Sort of like how in the US, black people are still "black", despite the official term being "Afro-American" or something like that.

If those campaigners weren't so conservative, then this wouldn't even be an issue.

TheMuffinKing · Post by **TheMuffinKing** » 2008-05-01 10:08am

Darth Yoshi wrote:Social inertia, most likely. Sort of like how in the US, black people are still "black", despite the official term being "Afro-American" or something like that.

If those campaigners weren't so conservative, then this wouldn't even be an issue.

The term afro american seems to me anyways, way to specific a description for many. I feel it would be more appropriate for those who are directly from Africa and/or those who hold dual citizenship within an African nation.

Is black considered too negative? What am I missing here, I hope someone can explain it to me.

Kanastrous · Post by **Kanastrous** » 2008-05-01 10:11am

How about, gay women get to use the word lesbian, and people living on the island, can call themselves lesbozos.

Post by **K. A. Pital** » 2008-05-01 11:31am

Lesbosians could also work

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2008-05-01 01:08pm

on a not so unrelated note, I knew a guy in school whose last name was Astropenis. Greece amuses me.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2008-05-01 01:14pm

Col. Crackpot wrote:on a not so unrelated note, I knew a guy in school whose last name was Astropenis. Greece amuses me.

He must have been popular with the ladies. I'd never stop making jokes about having a rocket in my pocket with a name like that.

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2008-05-01 01:15pm

I have relations that come from Lesbos, they would never refer themselves as 'Lesbians' (like I would refer to myself as Macedonian), but 'we come from Lesbos'.

Interstingly though, this could be easier to fix, buy altering the spelling of the island to Lesvos rather than Lesbos, since it will actually bring it closer to the Greek pronunciation. Win-Win .... sort of.

Jade Falcon · Post by **Jade Falcon** » 2008-05-01 02:20pm

TheMuffinKing wrote:The term afro american seems to me anyways, way to specific a description for many. I feel it would be more appropriate for those who are directly from Africa and/or those who hold dual citizenship within an African nation.

Is black considered too negative? What am I missing here, I hope someone can explain it to me.

One of those equal opportunities bits you get on some job applications can sometimes handle things better. This is the UK so it might be phrased different in the US, but the most common for Black is...

Black-African
Black-Caribbean (sp?)
Black-Other

This is of course in addition to all your Indian, Pakistani, etc, but that covers most bases, and the forms do usually say descent or ethnic origin, while your nationality is handled seperately.

Havok · Post by **Havok** » 2008-05-01 04:18pm

Jade Falcon wrote:
TheMuffinKing wrote:The term afro american seems to me anyways, way to specific a description for many. I feel it would be more appropriate for those who are directly from Africa and/or those who hold dual citizenship within an African nation.

Is black considered too negative? What am I missing here, I hope someone can explain it to me.
One of those equal opportunities bits you get on some job applications can sometimes handle things better. This is the UK so it might be phrased different in the US, but the most common for Black is...

Black-African
Black-Caribbean (sp?)
Black-Other

This is of course in addition to all your Indian, Pakistani, etc, but that covers most bases, and the forms do usually say descent or ethnic origin, while your nationality is handled seperately.

That's stupid. Do you prefix different Caucasians or Asians with White/Yellow and then where they are from? I hate that shit on applications here too.

There are African-Americans in the US, but it is not the majority of the black population here. They are actually black people that have recently moved here from Africa and have achieved citizenship.
As far as "black" being offensive, it comes and goes. Right now, I believe it is acceptable. The whole Afro-American thing fizzled in the mid 90's IIRC.

Jade Falcon · Post by **Jade Falcon** » 2008-05-01 05:23pm

havokeff wrote:That's stupid. Do you prefix different Caucasians or Asians with White/Yellow and then where they are from? I hate that shit on applications here too.

There are African-Americans in the US, but it is not the majority of the black population here. They are actually black people that have recently moved here from Africa and have achieved citizenship.
As far as "black" being offensive, it comes and goes. Right now, I believe it is acceptable. The whole Afro-American thing fizzled in the mid 90's IIRC.

Well, the usual one here is...

Black African
Black Caribbean
Black Other
Chinese
Pakistani
Indian
Bangladeshi
One or two others that I can't remember off the top of my head
Sometimes Irish gets its own
And White is just one big homogenous category.

Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba · Post by **Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba** » 2008-05-01 05:31pm

Man, those Greeks are really fucking touchy about names. First Macedonia and now this.