Patent Law

Greek Island Seeks to Bar Gay Women from Using the Term "Lesbian"

By Les Weinstein, Michael Young, John Leo Wagner, Eric van Ginkel, and Victoria Pynchon

Too busy to comment, but couldn't resist posting this one.  Comments from the IP crowd?  Ideas for interest-based solutions from the ADR posse?  Mike Young?

ATHENS, Greece - A Greek court has been asked to draw the line between the natives of the Aegean Sea island of Lesbos and the world's gay women.

Three islanders from Lesbos — home of the ancient poet Sappho, who praised love between women — have taken a gay rights group to court for using the word lesbian in its name.

One of the plaintiffs said Wednesday that the name of the association, Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece, "insults the identity" of the people of Lesbos, who are also known as Lesbians.

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

The three plaintiffs are seeking to have the group barred from using "lesbian" in its name and filed a lawsuit on April 10. The other two plaintiffs are women.

And below -- a T.V. lesbian "mediator" gives warring parents a hologram of custody battles.   Funny.

Full post as published by IP ADR Blog on April 30, 2008 (boomark / email).