Lawsuit of the Day: What We Talk About When We Talk About … Lesbians?
Any story that gives us the chance to deploy our Lesbians category is a good thing. Here’s the latest Lawsuit of the Day, from the AP:
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.
Leggo my… lesbo?
More lesbianic discussion, after the jump.
This suit may strike some of you as dubious, or even homophobic. But the plaintiffs claim to harbor no animus towards homosexual females:
“This is not an aggressive act against gay women,” [plaintiff Dimitris] 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.
With respect to the “lesbian” label, Lambrous argues for a “first in time, first in right” position:
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.
But does anyone know Greek law on standing? Plaintiff Dimitris Lambrou is a male islander of Lesbos. Can he demonstrate actual injury? Isn’t he still free to call himself a “Lesbian” without negative repercussions (other than the occasional titter)?
People of Lesbos take gay group to court over term ‘Lesbian’ [AP]
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Too funny oh and first
First to say that this lawsuit is awesome!
Let's all list words these groups can use in their names instead of "lesbian"
I'm expecting a follow-up suit by an association of earthen flood-protection barriers from the Netherlands.
And what about "gay"? That used to mean happy. Leave it to the girls who dress like boys but don't like boys to stomp all over this man's heritage. I thought chicks were supposed to be sensitive....
to 3:25, for many men, 'gay' still does mean happy. And why blame the wimmens for what men call themselves?
This should have been posted by Kash.
"My sister can't say she is a Lesbian."
If you are from Lesbos, and are not gay, whouldn't it be Lesbosian?
--Just wondering
Best post in months!
I'm Greek and I think this post is hilarious. Well done, you Lesbians!
Lesbian ... titters.
Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week. Try the veal and don't forget to tip your lesbian waitress.
lipstick lesbos are hot- the bull dyke lesbos should be confned to an encampment.
While we're at it, I am from the little known country of Carpet Munchtoria. I am COMPLETELY offended that my sister cannot proudly call herself a Carpet Muncher anymore!
5 Points for Raymond Carver reference in headline.
Any attractive ladies care to share stories regarding their lesbo experiences?
This is a great post. I'm looking forward to learning more about corporate practice in Asia in the next few weeks.
4:14: What would you like to know?
Rubbish dog breed. Now I can't say I'm Dalmatian anymore.
I've been to lesbos and *gasp* I'm a lesbian. I sorta feel for this guy. Seriously, the place is overrun by hot (non-American!) lesbians. It was awesome for me but kinda sad for all the straight dudes who knew we didn't give care about them. Plus, one of the top nude beaches in the world is in Skala (a small town), which happens to be home of the all-night lesbian-only beach bars and bon fires. What am I doing in corporate america??
I'm waiting for the feminatzis at WCL to begin commenting on this article!
As I understand it, the theory of this case is essentially the same as France suing California wine makers over use of the term “champagne” (only sparkling wine actually made in the Champagne region can be called Champagne) or Italy suing American cheese makers over use of the term “Parmasean” (only cheese actually made in Parma can be called Parmasean).
5:00 - No. It is more like Turkey suing Butterball over use of the term "turkey"
The guy's an idiot. 90% of their tourism comes from lesbians. If they lose that, they lose a lot.
Also, the term has definitely gained secondary meaning. If anything, lesbians should be suing the Lesbians to have THEIR names changed.
The oddity is that in Greek the words sound the same, too. But some people pronounce it differently.
5:00 - no, that's not the theory. I think/hope you're just struggling because you're unfamiliar with that island.
The theory is not that only lesbians (small L) from Lesbos can call themselves lesbians. The argument is analogous to this hypo: "Californian" means a person from California. This group is a group of water-skiing enthusiasts, who call themselves "californians." The name of this group creates a risk of confusion whereby a person from San Diego, if they introduce themselves as a Californian, would be immediately perceived to be a water-skiing enthusiast and not necessarily simply as a person from California.
Did you really misunderstand, or are you just showing off your knowledge about parmesan cheese?
5:28, go back to work, 5:11 already nailed it (that's what she said).
5:52: lol
Is ellen a lesbian? The greek kind or the gay kind?
4:07 - best post of the day. nicely done!
South Park had a great episode where the name of the (lesbian) bar Mrs. Garisson attended was named "Lesbos."
http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/1106/
I don't like the negative connotation that "lawyer" has taken on. Therefore, we should outlaw all lawyer jokes. It's not fair that I can no longer proudly call myself a lawyer.
(Also, notwithstanding their protestations to the contrary, they are in fact being a bit homophobic if they find it "insult[ing]" to be linguistically associated with homosexual women. Certainly it's no worse than being named Mulva or Enos).
As a Greek it is unfortunate that the name of the island is also used to describe female homosexuality. But there is a different name for the island, Mytillini, and that's how I always refer to it when speaking Greek. So this lawsuit sounds pretty ridiculous to me, although I would think there would be some islanders who feel wronged by the use of one of the names in this way.
It is, by the way, a great island for a vacation, and not just for lesbians.
If you use your imagination, the Lesbos island with the harbor looks like a vagina.
Just sayin'.
Lesbosite
Lesboser
Lesbosan
Lesbosian
4:14: What would you like to know?
Where you nervous? drunk? excited? all of the above? Where did it happen? with Who? details! Wow this is hot
So what do you call a Lesbian from Lesbos?
1. A lesbian lesbian.
2. Happy
3. A criminal attempting to confuse the public as to which of her identities she is referrign to.
The girls gone wild people are going to want to know about this. Funniest post I've read all day.