Funny, but not

OK, so this is something that I've never thought of. From the Associated Press story:

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.

(I think it's less the world's gay women and more one Greek organization of gay women that uses "Lesbian" in its name, as is stated in the second paragraph of the story.)

(Dimitris) 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.

Lambrou complains that his sister can't say that she's a Lesbian because of "certain ladies" who have usurped the island's "geographical designation."

Lesbos is the birthplace of the lyric poet Sappho, many of whose works make reference to love for other women.

Lambrou says Sappho was not gay. "But even if we assume she was, how can 250,000 people of Lesbian descent — including women — be considered homosexual?"

I guess that's a fair point, but made rather late in the day.

Lambrou and two (female) plaintiffs on April 10 filed a lawsuit asking that the group (The Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece) be barred from using the word "Lesbian" in its name.