A Greek court has dismissed a request by residents of the Aegean island of Lesbos to ban the use of the word lesbian to describe gay women.
Three residents of Lesbos, the birthplace of the ancient Greek poetess Sappho whose love poems inspired the term lesbian, brought a case last month arguing the use of the term in reference to gay women insulted their identity.
The Athens court said the word did not define the identity of the residents of the island, and so it could be validly used by gay groups in Greece and abroad.
The ruling ordered the plaintiffs to pay court expenses of 230 euros ($366).
Not so incidentally, several residents testified during the trial that the use of the word lesbian had brought recognition to the island and boosted its tourist trade.
Some “moral” nutball just had to have their day in court.
Must be hell, living in Gay, Michigan.
What do they call somebody who lives there… a gayee, a gayite, a gayan???
Here is a working link:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25798114/
Also, here is an article which has more background:
” In the past 30-40 years, Lesbos has become a major tourist destination for lesbians. While island business—particularly in the town of Eressos, where Sappho is said to have been born—benefit greatly from the lesbian tourism trade, there have been occasional conflicts between the traditional Greek culture of Lesbos and the somewhat unconventional behavior of some of the lesbian visitors.
“There were some tensions back in the ’80s, when there were lots of women camping [at a free campsite] for extended periods of time,” Sasha Roseneil, founder of the Lesbian Avengers, told the Guardian.
At the same time, most residents recognize the value of the island’s popularity with lesbians from around the world.
“How can I mind them?” a waiter in an Eressos café asked the writer from the Guardian. “They are our livelihood. People who tell them they are not welcome must have too much money. These girls spend a lot. They drink like men.”
The mayor of Lesbos has publicly come out against the lawsuit. The court in Athens is expected to hear the case June 10.”
http://www.inlamagazine.com/1107/world_news/index.html
#3 Ah_Yea
Now that’s funny. Who would have thought that there was a group called the Lesbian Avengers?
Not sure exactly what they are avenging, but you can be sure that part of their roll as superhero includes diving for the not-so-elusive creature known as the muff.
#1, We’ve even got a city named Gaylord.
So male citizens of Lesbos are also Lesbians. And all the women, too. Perhaps they could boost their tourist business by announcing that all visitors to the island could apply for honorary Lesbian status. 100 euros later—prang!—you’re an official Lesbian.
After a few;
“Dig chicks? I guess that makes me a lesbian, too.”
“Oh, yeah, well see that certificate above the bar. Read it and weep.”
#6, That’s a GREAT idea! Funny too..
#4, I also thought it was funny! I wonder what their superhero costumes look like?
I also laughed out loud at the quote “These girls spend a lot. They drink like men”.
#1 – edwinrogers – … Gay, Michigan
The soccer capital of North America.
Actually, they are Lesbosians. Lesbians would be from Lesbia.
I glad these complainants had to pay court costs. Might’ve stopped the Muslims complaining about Macleans in those Cdn tribunals.
In other news, the citizens of the Greek island of Lesbos have decided to change the name of their island. They are tired of the jokes related to the slang term for homosexual women. The new name will now be “Rug Muncher Island”.
Geographically this is island is just a few clicks from the Greek Isle of Fudgepacker.
#2 – an photographer
#1, must be gay to live in Hell, Michigan.
It’s always fun waiting for Hell to freeze in the winter.