10 June 2008 | Three residents of the Greek island of Lesbos submitted a request to court against the Greek Association of the Communities of Homosexuals and Lesbians (OLKE), national media reported today.

The islanders demanded that the use of the words ‘lesbian’ and ‘lesbians’ be banned in the name of the association and by media, the Greek Naftemporiki newspaper reported. The submitters of the request claimed that the words’ adoption and use by the gay communities insults their place of origin and themselves. Many of the island’s women, they said, are ashamed to say where they come from.

Representatives of OLKE responded that the request is based on racist leanings.

The island of Lesbos, just off the coast of Turkey’s Anatolia, was the birthplace of the poet Sappho, who wrote about her love towards other women in the sixth century BC. Lesbian tourists have been known to favour the island because of this association and especially the resport of Eresos, Sappho’s birthplace.

Greeks often refer to the island as Mytilene, the name of its capital.

The name dispute comes shortly after the first two gay marriages were performed in Greece last week, which caused a great outrage in Greek society, generally not known for its tolerance towards homosexuals. Recent surveys found that 70 per cent of Greeks oppose gay marriages.

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