So, a Greek judge recently denied a suit seeking to issue a ban on using the word "Lesbian" to describe anyone who wasn't actually born in/on the isle of Lesbos. (As if any judge, Greek or not, could ever really 'ban' the current usage.)

Amusing true story.

But is such a case truly frivolous? Depends where you're born and raised, and your proclivities, I reckon.

Some Lesbos residents, (i.e., actual Lesbians) were apparently up in arms about the term being synonymous with homosexual women. Can't say I really blame them. Kind of puts a damper on that old home-town spirit for the straight natives, no?

"Hi, I'm Fritz…I'm German!" - "Hi, I'm Bob…I'm American!" - "Hi, I'm Kyros…I'm Lesbian!"

I’m thinking that if some long-deceased prominent homosexual poet, born in Georgia, somehow led homosexuals to call themselves "Georgians", some natives of Georgia might take a more, well, personal interest in such frivolity.

Change the state name to fill your needs accordingly.

Hell, I'm still pretty much up in arms about the words "queer" and "gay" being similarly co-opted by the homosexual community. Alas, I will still sing Hank Williams' "Jambalaya" every gig I play.

I couldn't care less about anyone's sexual preference, and fully endorse state-sanctioned same-sex unions. So spare me any nonsense.

I'm merely bemoaning the crime-less theft of some innocent, expressive - and in this particular case - dearly held terminology.

Being considerate and expecting consideration works for everyone. I'm thinking some homosexual females ain't really being too considerate to the Lesbos natives.

Could you not consider calling yourselves “Sapphites”? Isn't that much more indicative and much more a tribute to the gutsy poet from Lesbos than co-opting her entire island/nation, past and present?

Whatever. Just a rant. It's all Greek to me...lol.

Thankfully, I was born and raised in New York City. Nobody co-opting that shit any time soon.

GOW

Well, I mean—it’s a proud tradition and I feel for those who were Lesbians going way back and remain dedicated to all that means. We all should support Lesbians in their endeavors.

Well… couldn’t resist GOW. Actually—and somewhat ironically—what the inhabitants of the Isle of Lesbos were really known for in ancient times was the act of fellatio rather than the current meaning.

The 7th century greek poet Sappho is weeping somewhere. Unless Sappho has also figured out that “The L Word” on mute is quite entertaining (ducking before Dawn comes after me!—kidding, I’m kidding Dawn!)

The single funniest "Law and Order" line ever. When the blonde girl got fired by Fred Thompson.

No guy is ever turned off by a woman saying she's a lesbian. And if you hail from Lesbos, and are a guy, you can simply claim to be a lesbian in a man's body.

I'm just not seeing the pervasive negative connotations of "lesbian".

an underwear model, the actress playing her only slightly more likely than Colin Farrell to be a lesbian in real life. I suppose if she looked like A.J. Soprano in a military cut and flannel shirt, there's no need for the announcement in the first place, and hence no occasion for fears about whether men might thereby be Turned Off.

BTW, what do you think of Olbermann show and MSNBC election coverage regular Rachel Madow---is she or is she not a Lipstick Lesbian?

I mean, really. I personally don't find her to be an underwear model, so the lipstick designation doesn't apply. Also have absolutely no evidence on this issue. Merely an impression. Also, though she's diametrically opposite politically, her opinions on tactics are generally sound.

Olberman's an obvious shill. I'd rather watch Stewart and Colbert. At least they have competent writers.

And, more to the point, the Law and Order girl was hot. But the larger point was, the announcement of being a lesbian won't diminish your attraction. If you weren't attracted anyway, you're still not attracted. If you were kind of intrigued, the lesbian thing is a positive.

The long impotent academics who consign them to the dictionary, thus codifying our language, are ultimately slaves to repeated popular use.

That said, I enjoy dragging words out under the banners of their old meanings.

I rather like "Sapphites." Maybe we can get it to catch on . . .

. . . a fair number of underwear-model-hot lipstick lesbians. Not that I'm entirely partial to such; being a fan of short hair, tattoos, and ambivalent-to-negligent shaving among women, I think it's fair to say that I'm a reasonably out-of-the-closet dutch boy. :)

for a while like a hairdo or new purse? Not that they couldn't Walk the Walk, but likely after and before relationships with men, eh? To me, such are Bisexuals. Portia de Rossi is a lesbian like Anne Heche is (was) a lesbian. Not that there aren't women, as men, who are and have e'er been simply Gay. But these days they are well-outnumbered by the test-drivers and the moody.

. . . are merely test-drivers or moody; my wife and I are both at least bisexually responsive (though I suppose we've both been called "moody" on very different bases). I don't see someone who has sexual attraction, or sexual activity, with members of both genders as being notably different from someone who has such congress with both blondes and redheads.

In at least one case I'm thinking of, the lipstick lesbian in question has been in a relationship for almost 10 years now; it's hard to dismiss that as mere accessorizing.

it---my own S.O. says almost all of us are naturally bisexual, though that may be a precautionary measure more than anything else. I'm poking fun at the questionable use of "Lesbian" by bisexuals.

When one is in a homosexual relationship--not just engaged in a homosexual act, which can have all the staying power of an orgasm--one is, at least, functionally homosexual at that time, and whatever word one uses to describe that state of being and/or its attendant assertions of identity is functionally accurate, no?

I mean, I'm straight, for all practical purposes, at the moment. For the rest of my life, for all I know. I've been married 12 years, after all. It doesn't negate the fact that I can and do find men attractive, and can or have engaged men on that level. But I'm probably more defined by the relationship in which I find myself, not the latent potential for something quite different that I could also see myself doing.

poor judge. now he knows how this guy feels.

Read it on her wikkipedia page.

"Lesbian" as a term for, uh, lesbians, has been around since the 1870s, at least. Seems like the grammarian statue of limitations has run out.

or do we have to cover her up, too, like Lady Justice?

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