July 22, 2008

Court rules: there are 2 types of lesbians

Posted by: Andoni

I've written here  and here about the lawsuit a group of residents from the Greek island of Lesbos filed against a Greek gay rights group that uses the word lesbian. The islanders wanted the political group to stop using the word lesbian, claiming that they, the islanders, had the sole right to the word.

Today a court ruled  against the islanders, saying they did not have sole claim to the name. Thus, the court officially acknowledges that lesbian has 2 definitions, and for most purposes it all boils down to whether you capitalize or not. Lesbian, with a capital L, means of or pertaining to the island of Lesbos. Whereas, lesbian, small l, means pertaining to or characteristic of female homosexuality.

But then that's probably not a fool proof rule, because the group that was sued and successfully defended itself, was the Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece, with a capital L.