The inhibitants of a Greek island called Lesbos (yes, very funny), known as Lesbians, have kicked up a fuss. They say that the shame brought on them by having the word lesbian to describe a homosexual female is just too much to bear any more – and want the word lesbian to be banned. Well, in Greece anyway. They’re petitioning for a gay and lesbian rights group called the Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece to be banned from using the word ‘lesbian’. They allege that it ‘infringes on their human rights’, and if they got the injunction, they would then try to fight the use of the word around the world.

Ironically, the word ‘lesbian’ originated from a poet called Sappho (a woman) who lived in Lesbos back in the 7th century BC, to describe her feelings of love for other women (again, something the ‘real’ Lesbians now deny).

I don’t know if this will even get anywhere, I sincerely hope not. Regardless of its origins, the word lesbian is a definite part of the English language, so what makes the Greeks think they can stop its use? Just goes to show that if you whinge loud enough, no matter how stupid you sound it will still get serious consideration.

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