spenac Posted July 23, 2008 Posted July 23, 2008 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25798114/?GT1=43001 Greek court rules lesbians not just from Lesbos Island residents asked for a ban on use of 'lesbian' to describe gay women Greek-American Paul Thymou, resident of the Aegean island of Lesbos, holds a banner reading: "If you are not from Lesbos, you are not a Lesbian," outside of an Athens courthouse on on June 10. View related photos Louisa Gouliamaki / AFP - Getty Images file updated 9:27 a.m. CT, Tues., July. 22, 2008 ATHENS - 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, according to a court ruling made public on Tuesday. 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. In a July 18 decision, 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 $366.2. "This is a good decision for lesbians everywhere," Vassilis Chirdaris, lawyer for the Gay and Lesbian Union of Greece, told Reuters. "A court in Athens could not stop people around the world from using it. It was ridiculous." He said the plaintiffs were free to appeal the decision in a higher court. Lesbos, which lies just off the Turkish Coast, has become a gathering spot for gay women from around the world, especially at the village of Eressos which is regarded as the birthplace of the poet in the 7th century B.C. Several residents testified during the trial that the use of the word lesbian had brought recognition to the island and boosted its tourist trade.
Just Plain Ruff Posted July 23, 2008 Posted July 23, 2008 But the sad thing is that this would have succeeded if it came to court in Californicationia
mobey Posted July 23, 2008 Posted July 23, 2008 What surprises me about this is that Spenac is sitting around on a Wed afternoon searching "Lesbian" in google (when he stumbled across a story he thought worthy of bringing to the city.)
chaser Posted July 23, 2008 Posted July 23, 2008 .... so it could be validly used by gay groups in Greece and abroad... I object to the word abroad
Richard B the EMT Posted July 23, 2008 Posted July 23, 2008 I object to the word abroad Whaddyawant? "Anarrow?" lol
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