Offbeat: lesbians sue in court

Three citizens of the Aegean island of Lesbos are pursuing a lawsuit against the Greek Gay and Lesbian Union for its use of the term “lesbian”.

One of the plaintiffs, publisher Dimitris Lambrou argues that his fellow citizens have suffered “psychological and moral rape” due to the Union’s theft of their island’s name.

“Our geographical designation has been usurped by certain ladies who have no connection whatsoever with Lesbos,” said Lambrou. “My sister can’t say she is a Lesbian.”

In Greece the island is also known as Mytilini, after the capital.

Lesbos was the home in the 5th sixth century B.C. of Sappho, making the island in turn a place of pilgrimage.

And finally, I remember losing the question in Trivial Pursuit which asked: “What are the names of the inhabitants of the island of Lesbos.” Not surprisingly, I said: “Lesbians” and lost, because Trivial Pursuit said: “Lesbosians.”