What Is the Origin of the Word Lesbian? What is the origin of the word lesbian? What is the origin of the word lesbian? Sappho of Lesbos. Updated March 02, 2016. Question: What is the origin of the word lesbian? The word lesbian means a female homosexual or woman who is primarily attracted to other women. Where did this word come from? Answer: The word lesbian literally means resident of the Isle of Lesbos, the Greek Island. The term came to describe women who love women after the island's most famous resident, the poet Sappho. The poet Sappho of Lesbos (or Lesvos) lived in 600 B.C. Sappho was an intellectual and poet who wrote many love poems to other women. Although much of her poetry has been destroyed by religious fundamentalists, the few poems of Sappho that remain speak clearly to her love and infatuation with women. Her writings is very erotic, something uncommon, especially for women of that era. And it's clear from her writings that she loved men and women. She wrote very frankly about her love and attraction to women.

She may have been the first woman to do so and hence, received scorn and criticism, both in her day and after her death. continue reading below our video 9 Steps to Drama Free Friendships In fact, much of her poetry was either destroyed, edited or fragmented by moralists trying to cover up her blatantly erase the mentions of lesbianism in her words. Literary scholars have tried to recreate her works, but much of it remains lost. In 2014, the literary world rejoiced at the discovery of two new poems by Sappho. Sappho lived in a time when women were not thought to be intellectuals nor sexual beings—especially without the participation of a man. How two women could be erotically connected was baffling. Yet, despite this controversy, Sappho was respected as a writer. Plato referred to her as the 10th muse. Some of her writing did survive. To this day we use the term lesbian to refer to women who love women because of the life of Sappho. In the study of lesbian history, we often start with Sappho, because she is the first lesbian that we have documentation that existed. Of course, there have always been women-loving women in all cultures and times.

It is unclear when the word "lesbian" was first used to describe women who love other women, but the first usage can be traced back to the 1800s. It came into popular use in the lesbian feminist era of the 1960s and 1970s. Prior to the word lesbian gaining popularity, women who loved other women were often called "sapphic" or their love defined as "sapphistry." Again, these terms go back to the poet Sappho. This term was especially popular in the early 20th century, before lesbian was a common term used to refer to gay women. Here are fragments of three of Sappho's poems: Awed by her splendor Lesbian Herstory - From When The Name Came "I tell you, someone will remember us, even in another time." ~Sappho, Greek poet, teacher, and lesbian (c. 630 BCE) Once upon a time, over 2,600 years ago, on an island called Lesbos, in the sunny Aegean Sea near Greece, there lived a woman of the Aristocratic class named Sappho (also sometimes spelled Psappha).

She was beautiful and blessed by the gods and goddesses with the gifts of poetry, music, and teaching. Her poems were heralded, quite literally, near and far. Great poets, statesmen, and historians of antiquity lauded her name and praised her poetry. Sappho was the greatest and most acclaimed woman of ancient history. Sea View from Lesbos All of this is true. But if it also sounds a little like a fairytale, it is. The legend of Sappho has lived on through 26 centuries, and yet, few "facts" of her life are actually known. Too much of the record has been purposely expunged from history. Purposely deleted. Through the ages, men have tried to erase her from the records and from memory. They have not wholly succeeded. Here's what we know: Sappho was a poetic genius. She came from the isle of Lesbos. In the custom of her society, she apparently married and some say she had a daughter named Cleis. She read and sang her poetry to enthusiastic crowds. She was famous in her time . . .

but of most interest to us, from her legend and even from the shreds of poetry left behind, it is clear Sappho loved women. In every way. She was called simply The Poetess, just as The Poet meant Homer, and later in history, The Bard referred to William Shakespeare. Sappho worshipped and lauded Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Her poetry frequently mentions Aphrodite with admiration and appeals to her for intercession in Sappho's relationships with women. It is this aspect of her poetry that would later get her in trouble. More on that in a moment. For at least 700 years after her death, Sappho was honored throughout Greece and many parts of southern Europe. She had traveled a great deal in her life - how else to explain that residents of Syracuse put up a statue in her honor? Or that various regions honored her by minting coins bearing her image? Or that a huge statue of her was erected in the town square of Lesbos? They eradicated her words, but they couldn't erase the statues.

Sappho Sappho, Lyre in Hand Sappho was a lyrical poet, well-known for the tone, meter, and grace of her poetry. This was music to the ears of listeners-literally. She was often accompanied by a lyre or harp, and her work included clever wordplay, allusions, metaphor, and humor. Single-handedly, she redefined the already-existing lyric meter of the day. Her work was so groundbreaking and marvelous that the Greek meter she often used was named after her and continues to bear that name to this day. Sappho created nine books of poetry, one of which was described as 330 stanzas of Sapphic meter. She wrote of passionate love of women and all that was feminine. She also wrote of the beauty of some of the men of the time and about the beauty of nature and the simple life, where love and sensuality were topics of real importance. She was so respected that Dracon of Stratonica, Alexander the Sophist, and Chamaeleon, a disciple of Aristotle, all wrote books about her and her work.

She influenced the writing and thought of countless men, including Ovid, Catullus, Aristotle, Alcaeus, and Epicurus. The philosopher, Plato, called her the Tenth Muse. But something happened along the way that subverted the proper telling of Sappho's life in the fairytale that is history. It is not clear when Sappho's star stopped shining, but as early as 140 A.D., men of the Christian church branded her a "whore" and described her work as deviant, especially due to her "unnatural" love of women. Some say her work was destroyed then, in the second century. Others say this occurred as late as the eleventh century. Either way, all that remains of the nine books of genius are fragments-actually forty pieces that make sense and only one poem in its entirety, and all are bits known only because they are contained within the work of later writers who quoted her. By all accounts, Sappho's reading and singing of her poetry had the same emotional effect on her listeners as the music Beatles had on the Western world in the 1960s. What happened to her reputation and her poetry?

Why are only fragments left when most of the works of Homer still exist in their entirety? Ruins on Lesbos In another article I've written, The Emergence of the Lesbian Romantic Hero and the Plot She Thrives In: An Historical Backdrop , the constant refrain was: "You have nothing to read to affirm your lesbian existence." The calculated extinguishing of the work of Sappho appears to be nothing short of the attempt to blot out her very existence so that no woman would ever have any of Sappho's works to read. For the last thousand years, it appears that many male scholars and historians have worked busily to revise the history of many aspects of the world, including Sappho's place of glory. Men tried to wipe away her record, but enough of her poems live on. Over the last 2,500 years, men have tried to claim that Sappho's lyrics were written by a man. Unbelievable amounts of scholarship and argument have been undertaken in attempts to prove that Sappho was not lesbian in her sexual orientation-or if she was, her love of women was never actually consummated.

This went so far as a legend being promulgated that she swore off women and fell in love with a ferryman named Phaeon, and when he spurned her, she jumped off a cliff to her death. As if! History is selective. The old saying is "to the victor go the spoils," and it's clear that those in power write the history books. Sappho quite simply had to be written out. Her poems were subversive, they encouraged something other than a heterosexual and male-dominating model, and they placed a woman in a position of equality with - or perhaps even superiority to - Homer. And yet . . . The myth of Sappho . . . the legend . . . shreds of her words . . . all live on. For 2600 years, women have clung to the belief that once upon a time, in a more open-minded and glorious age, women who loved women (and men who loved men, as well) were respected and honored and even managed to thrive. But it wasn't until the nineteenth century that women found ways to search for and re-tell the story of Sappho.

They dug beyond the fabricated version of Sappho as a halfway decent heterosexual poet whose work was lost, and they unearthed the truth-Sappho loved women in all ways, and her work and life had been blotted out in order to preserve male and heterosexual priorities. It wasn't until 1898 that some of the final fragments of Sappho's poems were found by the discovery of the Oxyrhynchus Papyri in Egypt, and this surely must have spurred modern speculation. As the nineteenth century drew to an end, interest in Sappho renewed and women studied and researched her life and poetry. Where there was little evidence or few facts, creative women wrote novels and stories that painted Sappho in positive - and lesbian - light. Natalie Clifford Barney and Renée Vivien had even traveled to Lesbos on a quest to learn more. Once again, the records aren't so easy to research, but women searching for and dreaming about the existence of Sappho must have made an impact on the current society of the late 1800s. How else to explain that the term Lesbian first appeared in printed English in the 1890 Billings Medical Dictionary?

When the term first circulated in popular spoken lingo is anybody's guess. Roman Aquaducts at Moria English-speaking women will never fully know the wonders of Sappho's work, not only because so little of it was preserved, but also because the Sapphic meter is unique to the style, tone, and rhythm of the Greek language and does not translate to English. But the following translation of a section of a poem, which lauds Aphrodite the Goddess of Love and asks for intercession with Sappho's own love life, still packs power, even in English: Statue of Sappho Come to me now, then, free me From aching care, and win me All my heart longs to win. You, Be my friend. In her article "Sapphistries," feminist scholar Susan Gubar writes that Sappho represents "all the lost women of genius in literary history, especially all the lesbian artists whose work has been destroyed, sanitized or heterosexualized." Despite centuries of denial and exclusion and outright lies, we remember and we honor the memory of this unique and singular woman, The Poetess.

Modern View of Lesbos and the Aegean Sea Lesbos, a little island in the Aegean Sea . . . an island of olive groves, wheat fields, wine cellars, and learning and love . . . a virtual Garden of Eden . . . This is from whence our name, Lesbian, is derived. Lesbians - women who love women - those who live the life that Sappho lived. One of Sappho's poem fragments is particularly prophetic: Byzantine Castle on Lesbos "And I say to you, someone will remember us In time to come" Lesbos from the Water Isn't this the hope many people carry in their hearts-that their accomplishments will not be lost and their lives will not have been lived in vain? Women of power, of beauty, and of grace. Women who contribute to their families, communities, and the world. Women who should never be overlooked, whose voices should never be silenced, never be erased from the records of history. All lesbians, not just poets, should pay Sappho homage as a "first" in recorded history. The legend lives on. Let it live on in truth.

REFERENCE BOOKS If you would like to read more about Sappho, her place in history, and her poetry, here are some excellent books: Among Women: From the Homosocial to the Homoerotic in the Ancient World by Nancy Sorkin Rabinowitz Lesbians flock to Greek island of Lesbos for festival - Telegraph Lesbians flock to Greek island of Lesbos for festival Lesbians from across Europe have flocked to Greece's Lesbos island for the tenth annual International Women's Festival. Lesbian holidaymakers have been coming to Lesbos since the 1970s Photo: AFP/GETTY IMAGES 12:07PM BST 14 Sep 2010 In a country strongly influenced by the Greek Orthodox church and where roughly half the population is against same-sex marriage, the lesbian-run event has been quietly growing in this corner of the Aegean Sea. Over the past decade, attendance at the two-week International Women's Festival in the village of Eressos has jumped from 30 to hundreds of women – mainly German, British, Dutch and Scandinavian, but also Greek and Italian.

The busy programme of events includes women-only walks and sunset cruises, breathing and drumming workshops, Greek dance classes and lesbian film screenings. "I've been blown away, there's no unease at all," says Lauren Bianchi, a Scottish woman in her early 20s who is at the festival for the first time and who had read articles about difficult relations between locals and lesbians. In 2000, when the festival launched, tensions ran high. A poster advertising one of its events sparked the anger of the village mayor, who threatened to take the organisers to court and ban the event, vowing to drive lesbian tourism from the village. Ten years on, the municipality is lending the town hall for one of the festival's art exhibitions and allowed the use of the beach to stage the opening event on September 4. Lesbian holidaymakers have been coming to Lesbos since the 1970s, attracted by the island's association with Sappho, the seventh century Greek poet who wrote about her love for women and was born in Eressos.

According to the Sappho travel agency, lesbians now make up 60 per cent of visitors to the village, rising to 90 per cent in September when the festival takes place. "My rooms are full for the next two weeks. We'd usually be dead in September, but now it's booming," says Andreas, who runs the Sappho café bar and rents rooms on the village seafront. As the economic crisis continues to pinch, he says Greek holidaymakers spent less this summer and he is grateful for the extended season brought by lesbian tourism. "People in the village have got used it, especially the young people, but the old people still discuss it among themselves," he says. Life on Lesbos: Has the Greek island come to terms with its name? | Books | The Guardian Share on Messenger Close Arriving at the tiny airport of Mytilene on the Greek island of Lesbos, I walk past a sign advertising "Lesbian wine". I'm on my way to Eressos, a small Greek village where, I am told, lesbian tourists are 10 a penny.

This island in the Aegean Sea is to some lesbians what Torremolinos is to 18-30 holidaymakers - the destination of choice for those who want to sunbathe and party with kindred spirits, and be open about their sexuality. Lesbians began to visit the island in the 70s, and have been coming back ever since. But now trouble is brewing. Three Lesbians (natives of the island of Lesbos) have submitted a legal challenge in an attempt to stop the Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece (OLKE) from using the term "lesbian". The use of the word to denote a sexual preference derives from the island's association with Sappho, the ancient poet who wrote about her love for women. But according to Dimitris Lambou, editor of the rightwing publication Davlos (Torch), and two female colleagues, using lesbian in this way "disgraces them around the world"; islanders, they say, are suffering "psychological and moral rape", due to being confused with lezzers such as myself. It is early morning when I arrive in sleepy Eressos, just days after the international press got wind of Lambrou's intervention.

The narrow beach stretches for three kilometres, ending with the huge, sheer rock from which Sappho leapt to her death. Greek music plays in the many bars and tavernas, and a van selling bread crawls through the winding streets. I head for the popular The Tenth Muse, a lesbian-run bar in the main square. The local cats sit expectantly, waiting for scraps and attention. The animals are as reliant on lesbian tourists as the villagers. For all the hype about Lesbos being the world's top place for lesbians, this small village has only two lesbian-run bars open outside high season, both sharing a space in the square with a huge sculpture of Sappho. Lena Tzizounaki runs The Tenth Muse. She came from Athens to live in Eressos 11 years ago, and tells me that the only arguments that occur in her bar are between lesbians, rather than the women clashing with the locals. "Mainly, though, the women have a great time together," she tells me.

"It makes for great people-watching, because there is so much holiday romance." At the bar next door, four men, all with thick moustaches and huge bunches of keys hanging from their belts, drink espresso and smoke strong cigarettes. I ask if they mind the lesbians. "So long as they leave our women alone, they are welcome," chuckles one. Dina Astalaki, owner of the other lesbian bar and restaurant in the village, Aubergine, is known affectionately as Mamma Eressos, because she looks out for the younger lesbian tourists. Astalaki lives with her German partner of 13 years. "Sometimes the women get a bit over the top," she says, "particularly in high season. But it's nothing compared with what groups of men get up to on holiday, I would imagine." There has been the odd scandal surrounding the lesbian tourists on Lesbos, but not for a while. Eight years ago, the Candy Bar, a lesbian bar in London, organised a group trip to the island.

Flyers advertising a "Wet Pussy Party" flooded Eressos, prompting the then mayor of the village to try to stop around 100 British lesbians from disembarking from their cruise ship for a stop off. Behaviour was lewd and loud, and to make matters worse for the islanders, the group was accompanied by a film crew from Channel Five, making a fly-on-the-wall documentary, Lesbians Go Mad on Lesbos. "We are still recovering from that," says Anastasia, who works at the Parasol bar which is perched on the seafront. "Some of the women were like men. They were shouting things to women that few men would dare, such as 'Lovely tits'." One, she tells me, had a "full beard". What disgusted Anastasia most was that they had brought their own stripper, to entertain them in the evenings. "We would not tolerate local men doing such things, so why would we put up with lesbians behaving like pigs?" Not long after this debacle, there were calls for the lesbians to be "fenced off", out of the public eye, when they visited Lesbos.

The head of the island's hotelier's association at the time said that the women can be "rude and wild", "look like men" and "offend the locals." But things have calmed since then. Many returning tourists choose to settle in Lesbos and take jobs, or run their own businesses. From 60% to 70% of lesbians living on the island are English and German, but a sizable minority are from mainland Greece. Selina Firth lived in Eressos between 1990 and 1995, and returns regularly for holidays. She, along with increasing numbers of lesbians from the UK, began to visit Lesbos in the early 1980s when cheap charter flights made it easier to get to. She later decided to sell off her possessions, and move to Eressos. "At that time, there was only me and two other lesbians living here," she says, "and the holidaymakers would live in benders on the beach in the summer, which pissed the locals off no end." The women who came to Eressos in those days were mainly lesbian feminist separatists, Firth says. They were angry and confrontational with men, and would clash with them regularly.

The men, in the main, she says, were hardcore misogynists, who hated not having sexual access to the women, and would become deeply offended at any sign of affection between them. There were a number of attacks on lesbians, including sexual assault, and confrontations between male islanders and lesbian tourists were commonplace. "This square," says Firth, referring to the area with the two lesbian-run bars, close to the Sappho statue, "used to be inhabited almost entirely by local families on Saturday nights. There would be an uproar when women, after a few drinks, would lose their inhibitions and start snogging and sitting on each other's knees." Firth says that during the time she lived in Lesbos, she fell madly in love with a Greek woman who used to visit from Athens. "But she would not even dare hold hands under the table when we were out," she says. "And at the time, it proved impossible for two women, one of them Greek, to keep a relationship going. The macho, village mentality was against us." That woman was Dina Astalaki, owner of Aubergine and now one of the most prominent lesbian businesswomen on the island.

Eventually, the villagers grew used to the lesbians, and in turn, the women less confrontational. "Some of the villagers knew I was a creative, and one of them asked me if I would make a sign for his shop," says Firth. "Soon, I was doing them for loads of the small businesses, and we became friendly at last." Male villagers, says Firth, were almost totally unused to doing business directly with women, so that was a learning curve, too. "Now, us women, lesbians to boot, own and run our own businesses." There is a terrible culture of machismo in Greece, I am told by countless people, but one that is weaker now that the men are living among independent, strong women. "When I first lived here, I felt like a third-class citizen," says Firth. "A woman, foreign and a lesbian. But now I feel accepted, and equal." Sasha Roseneil also recalls hard times in the early days of lesbian tourism to the island. "There were some tensions back in the 80s, when there were lots of women camping there for extended periods of time," she admits.

"But since the free campsite has more or less been dismantled, and the lesbian tourists bring in more money, there seems to be widespread acceptance of this niche market that Eressos has developed." George, a waiter in the village, says he has no problem with lesbian visitors to the island. "How can I mind them?" he asks, "They are our livelihood. People who tell them they are not welcome must have too much money. These girls spend a lot. They drink like men." Partly because of the documentary, and popular stereotypes, it is easy to imagine Eressos being inhabited by shaven-headed, butch women, covered in tattoos, and carrying solar-operated dildos in each hand. But the women I met in the village are anything but. What do the visitors think about Lamrou challenging their right to be called lesbians? "Thank God Sappho was born on Lesbos, not Rhodes," says Sandra, on holiday from Leeds with a group of friends to celebrate her 60th birthday. "Or we would be stuck being known as Rhodesians." Lisa Evans is in Eressos for her fourth season, working at Aubergine.

"Lots of Greek girls, from Athens and other islands, come here to be together," says Evans. "They can be themselves, and blend into the crowd." Some women come to the bar to "pull a new girlfriend and party hard", she says, whereas others come for birdwatching, walking, and, of course, to take in the significance of being in Sappho's birthplace. "There is lots of trapping off going on here," says Evans, "and folk back home say to me, 'You must have a new one on the go every week.' But I'm too busy working. I have to do the bottling up when the bar closes." "Lesbos has often felt like a wonderful retreat," says Roseneil. "In Eressos it was OK to be a lesbian, to hold hands with your girlfriend, long before it was in England." There are few visible local women in Eressos, but I speak to an older shopkeeper, who tells me that the lesbians bring some excitement to what is a "very ordinary Greek village". "I could easily be a lesbian if I was younger," says another local woman. "It would be far easier.

Those women are lovely and I have a horrible husband." Mercia Powis moved to Lesbos from the UK five years ago, and now runs a successful estate agency. "The Candy Bar debacle, and the documentary" she tells me, "it destroyed the image of this island, and the image of lesbians who come here. The women were portrayed as "louts, ladettes, and sexual predators". Was it an accurate portrayal? "Not far from the truth," admits Powis. During my time in Lesbos, I see no bad behaviour. The women are lovely - friendly, amusing, respectful and great fun. In the evening they dance and roar with laughter in The Tenth Muse, downing Metaxa, smoking Greek cigarettes and generally having a great time. It could, aside from the smoking, be any lesbian bar in Hackney or Soho. I have seen far worse behaviour from British and other European men in holiday resorts. Wendy Jansen came from Holland to work at Sappho Travel in Eressos five years ago. I ask her about the kerfuffle over the ownership of the word "lesbian". "There are homophobic people in every society," she says.

"But in this place, where everyone relies on tourism, we cannot afford to ignore it." If there is negativity towards lesbians, says Jansen, it is from visiting Greeks, not the islanders. "In this village, people are so used to lesbians that if the returning tourists come on holiday with a different partner, the locals notice. And if a couple [enter into a civil partnership], and come here on their honeymoon, locals often send champagne or flowers to them." One tourist, from London, tells me that when she split up with her girlfriend, whom she had been on holiday to the village with the year before, some of the islanders refused to speak to her when she turned up with a new woman. "They thought I was cheating on my ex," she laughs. "At the end of the day, this is a Greek village," says Jansen, "not a lesbian one. It has not been 'invaded', or taken over. More than anything, it is cosmopolitan." That may be true, but the place has "lesbian" running through it like a stick of rock.

At the Eressos women's festival this September, organised by Jansen, events will range from the mother earth (holistic healing and dance-based meditation) to the cutting edge (drag king workshops and music sessions by DJ Miss Thunderpussy). The very different styles of event sit comfortably, side by side, just like the locals and the lesbians. In Sappho Travel, Jansen is laughing about last year's festival. The mayor, she says, came to the opening on the beach. He was the only man and surrounded by hundreds of lesbians, "some with loads of piercings, tattoos, and kissing each other. But the mayor took it in his stride and made us realise that the locals have become educated about gay issues, simply by living among lesbians." It is ironic that, bearing in mind the popular image of the Greek male - all moustache and machismo - that these villagers have accepted the women, despite the odd bit of tension and complaint. As for our right to the label "lesbian" being challenged in the courts, no one I spoke to took it seriously. The current mayor of Lesbos has said publicly that he does not support Lambrou's case.

One local woman has suggested that, if Lesbos gained independence from Greece, we could all move to the island and apply for Lesbian passports. Perhaps it's time that Lambrou got a little Lesbian pride. · This article was amended on Friday May 16 2008. Sasha Roseneil was not a founder, nor a member, of the direct action group Lesbian Avengers as we said in an article headed Sun, sea and Sappho. This has been corrected. Isle of Lesbos residents say they're the only Lesbians Isle of Lesbos residents say they're the only Lesbians Apr. 30, 2008 08:52 AM Associated Press ATHENS, Greece - A Greek court has been asked to draw the line between gay women and the natives of the Aegean Sea island of Lesbos. 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. A spokeswoman for the Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece said the action was "a joke in bad taste that borders on discrimination." "I don't see how the word can be an insult," Evangelia Vlami said. "We don't think doubt can be cast on dictionaries ... even the United Nations refer to us as Lesbians." Also called Mytilene, after its capital, Lesbos is famed as the birthplace of Sappho. The island, particularly the lyric poet's reputed home town of Eressos, is a favored holiday destination for gay women. "This is not an aggressive act against gay women," Lambrou said.

"Let them visit Lesbos and get married and whatever they like. We just want (the group) to remove the word lesbian from their title." He said the plaintiffs targeted the group because it is the only officially registered gay group in Greece to use the word lesbian in its name. The case will be heard in an Athens court on June 10. Sappho lived from the late 7th to the early 6th century B.C. and is considered one of the greatest poets of antiquity. Many of her poems, written in the first person and intended to be accompanied by music, contain passionate references to love for other women. Lambrou said the word lesbian has only been linked with gay women in the past few decades. "But we have been Lesbians for thousands of years," said Lambrou, who publishes a small magazine on ancient Greek religion and technology that frequently criticizes the Christian Church. Vlami, the gay group spokeswoman, said any misunderstanding can easily be resolved through linguistics. "Most people from Lesbos prefer to use the word Mytilene, which is the more ancient version and because some people may be afraid of being misunderstood," she said. "I don't see what the problem is ...

Can't a woman just say: I am from the island of Lesbos?" Very little is known of Sappho's life. According to some ancient accounts, she was an aristocrat who married a rich merchant and had a daughter with him. One tradition says that she killed herself by jumping off a cliff over an unhappy love affair. Lambrou says Sappho was not gay. "But even if we assume she was, how can 250,000 people of Lesbian descent - including women - be considered homosexual?" Lesbos, island friendly for lesbians, especially Eressos beach lesbian friendly Lesbos island at Skala Eressos with recommended hotels & general info. Lesbos (sometimes the island is also referred to as Mytilini after its major city) is located in the northeastern Aegean Sea and is the third largest Greek island and the largest of the numerous Greek islands scattered in the Aegean. One meaning of the word lesbian derives from the poems of Sappho, who was born in Lesbos and who wrote with powerful emotional content directed toward other women. It is due to this association that Lesbos and especially the town of Eresos, her birthplace, are visited frequently by lesbian tourists.

(more info on web page lesbian friendly Lesbos) . But as the name implies, this is the island where lesbians from all over the world will meet. (Reservation for July & August are a must!) Sappho was born near Eressos which still attracts most Greek and foreign visitors, on it's long sandy beach at Skala Eressos nude sunbathing is permitted. The island has many beautiful villages and places of interest like Molivos Village, Petra etc..(we recommend hotels such as the Sunrise, Delfinia, Olive Press , Heliotrope at Vigla Beach, Laureate & Pyrgos Mitilini.) Worth visiting among other, Kalloni village, a municipality that lies in the west-central part of Lesbos,ιτ is a beautiful natural spot, since it is surrounded by the gulf waters, and supplied by the rich plain of 100 km², through which six rivers flow. There is always enough water from the underground and spring waters for its vineyards and gardens, and surrounded by historic monasteries. Kalloni was always the crossroad where the main roads passed. This has not changed much from ancient times.

In the last decade, this large village has developed in the field of trade and is the seat of the municipality that comprises the settlements of Agra, Anemotia, Dafia. The Island and it's inhabitants have not always welcomed this inscursion but the situation has much improved in recent years. Lesbian owned hotels are few but we do recommend the following, including the on-Eressos Beach hotel with the most amenities : Aeolian Village SAPPHO'S HOTEL has renovated the 18 rooms of the hotel : singles and twins. only 5m from the beach: the only beach front hotel!: some front rooms on upper floor with sea views Amenities: on ground floor restaurant & cafe-bar with large selection of vegetarian, meat & fish dishes, bar and terrace. Free wireless internet. KOUITOU HOTEL (previously Antiopi Hotel Pension:) underwent a complete refurbishment and was re-fitted. 10 min.from beach: 15 doubles. 3 singles, all with en-suite bathrooms (w.c., shower), fan & refrigerator. Other amenities: vegetarian restaurant, cocktail bar, Jacuzzi, riding stables, roof terrace with panoramic view, flowering courtyard for breakfast, meeting room.

HELIOTOPOS STUDIOS & APARTMENTS is a short fifteen-minute walk to the village of Skala Eressos Indoors the rooms are typically Grecian - tile-floored, simple, spare, and clean – but also discerningly decorated and appointed. There are modern double doors connecting your bedroom to a comfortable, south-facing balcony. All balcony doorways are equipped with fly screens and rolling shutters. Kitchens are fully equipped with stove, refrigerator, sink including all dishes and equipment expected. All units have a comfortable bathroom with shower. All units: fully equipped kitchen, private bathroom, balcony, A/C HOTEL GALINI Locatedin Skala Eressos is peaceful and cozy little family hotel in Lesvos, situated in a little alley a mere 80m from the beach and the center of the seaside village of Skala Eressos.., At Hotel GALINI there are 20 comfortable rooms situated on the ground and first floor of the hotel's two storey building with 18 twin rooms, 1 single room and 1 three-bed room. A small bed or a baby cot may be added extra if necessary.

Each room at Hotel Galini has it's private balcony, where you can enjoy the view of Eressos, private bathroom and cold/warm, air-conditioning units and fully equipped with a refrigerator, a television set and a safety deposit box. KYMA HOTEL Located on the Skala Eressos offers a friendly atmosphere and beautiful views. The hotel has only ten rooms on two floors. All possess twin beds, ensuite shower room, air-conditioning (local charge), fridge and balcony. Furnishings are neat and typically simple, being mainly pine The front rooms have fine views over the beach and sea to the small island just offshore. The ground floor has a breakfast room and sea-facing terrace. other hotels, pensions, apartments in Skala Eressos AEOLIAN VILLAGE Cat. A' 140 Rooms, Bungalows, Studios, Maisonettes Built 1995, Renovated 2002.

the best large main-stream hotel in Skala Eressos: Location & description: Skala Eressou, 50 meters from the beach Facilities: A/C throughout, 3 restaurants (main, poolside & waterfront), lobby bar, self service, pool bar, reception lounges, TV/video room, swimming pool, children's pool & playground, gym, safe, tennis, table tennis, beach volley, mountain bikes, horse riding, beach volley, sea sports, scuba diving, mini market, souvenir shop, parking space conference hall with equipment up to 150 persons, banquet facilities, Services: laundry & valet service, secretarial services, private boat trips, professional animation team All Rooms: Private facilities (shower = toilet), A/C, colour satellite TV, direct dial telephone, hairdryer, safe, music Room Types: Standard Rooms (Garden or Seaview), Bungalows and suites. VILLA LA SCALA (ex La Passione): a classic building, consisting of 3 NEW apartments, fully equipped incl. air-conditioning. With a colourful garden, peaceful and only 100m from the sandy beach.(rates , photos and more details: on request).

AEOLIS LUXURY APARTMENTS & STUDIOS are located in Evriaki, a coastal resort in Gera Gulf. They constitute a complex of autonomous stone built residences that combine modern aesthetics with the traditional Aegean design. Aeolis residences comprise spacious maisonettes (split-level houses) that can comfortably house up to 5 individuals and studios that can easily accommodate 3 individuals. All residences have a splendid view to the sea since they’re situated only a few meters away from the beach. Only 23 Km from the airport and 20 Km from Mytilene and the harbour Each residence is fully equipped with air conditioning, central heating, a well equipped kitchen, television and, naturally comfortable beds. In the courtyard of the residences there are two swimming-pools (regular-children’s) with sun beds, chairs and tables where you can enjoy your coffee or breakfast. Breakfast includes products of our own production (eggs, cheese, jams and vegetables from our garden). CAPTAIN'S VIEW Situated in the heart of the village of Molyvos The house is sheltered with cool corners and a private balcony. Captain’s View is a relaxing house full air conditioning with plenty of space.

It is ideal for a family or two couples sharing. It has two double bedrooms downstairs, each with an en-suite bathroom - one has a big spa bath, the other a shower. Built-in cupboards provide plenty of drawers and hanging space for clothes. The settee in the living room upstairs can be folded out to provide additional sleeping accommodation, and above the kitchen and dining area is an attic den for siestas, reading and TV watching. The sitting area in this den can also convert to provide still more sleeping accommodation. The spacious and well-equipped kitchen has a full sized cooker, a microwave oven, a spacious fridge/freezer and a dishwasher. There’s plenty of crockery, cutlery and all the kitchen utensils required for self-catering. Bed linen, bath towels and beach towels are all provided. A small utility room houses an automatic washing machine. In the living area adjacent to the kitchen there’s an eight place traditional wooden dining table M.A.C. will also arrange reservations for hotels & all types of accommodation in the other part of Lesbos Island: in Petra, Skala Kalloni, Sigri...etc...: click here...

Getting there by Plane The island is served by Odysseas Elytis airport, and located in the far South-East of the island, around 8km South of Mytilene. Flights run regularly to/from Athens, Thessaloniki, Chios and Lemnos. Internationally, the island is a popular holiday destination so is served by regular charter flights. Getting there by ship The island is also connected with the mainland and other islands by ship. Many major companies offer routes between Lesbos and Athens. brThe main shipping company is NEL Lines. The trip is 11-13 hours depending on which ship you board. brSince 2005, Hellenic Seaways connects Mitilini with Piraeus (Athens' port) with a faster ship, Nisos Mikonos. With a stop at Chios, the trip lasts about 8-9 hours. THE MYKONOS ACCOMMODATION CENTER ADDRESS: Enoplon Dynameon 10 (upper floor) end of Matoyianni (the main street)- Mykonos Postal Address: P.O.

Box 58 - 84600 Mykonos-Greece Tel: +30-22890-23160 or 23408, , or 28160 & Fax: 22890-24137 summer working hours: all day from 09h00 2 2h00 / 9 am- 10 pm winter working hours similar only closed on Sunday ! The Greek Island of Lesbos Lesbos The Greek Island of Lesbos As well as being a beautiful island, and having an amazing classical history going back thousands of years, and having nice warm weather, and having a traditional culture which has changed and evolved through a variety of Ages, the Greek island of Lesbos is famous worldwide for something specific: The Lesbian Poets and most famously, Sappho. The island of Lesbos, also known as Lesvos, and Mytilini (after the capital city), has gone alternatively through a Golden Age (when the culture is driven by artists, philosophers, and creative thinkers generally), and a "Dark Age" (where conservatism and orthodoxy are the controlling influence), and then another Golden Age, and so on.

Which is it going to be next? Well, it depends on who wins the current battle; freethinkers or orthodoxy-dogmatists. It may be a matter of democracy, (worth mentioning that the Ancient Greeks famously invented "democracy"), or it may be an imposed situation, depending on who wins. Then again, these days "the pen is mightier than the sword", originally "the tongue is mightier than the blade". Who said that? Euripedes, who was an ancient Greek. In the sort of style in which Panama accepts that its success is going to have something to do with the Canal, and Tuvalu knows it has a resource in its TV Domains , it's also an interesting idea that Lesbos has a greater prosperity because of the fame of Sappho. Indeed, a great many people go on a kind of pilgrimage to the island of Lesbos and visit Sappho's home town of Eressos. Admittedly not everyone likes this fact, but denying it would be like the town of Stratford upon Avon deciding they didn't want to have anything to do with Shakespeare!

Yet, there was an astonishing court case in 2008 in which three people of a conservativist disposition decided to sue a lesbian group for using the term "lesbian"! ( ). If they won, it would set a legal precedent leaving the way open for the Isle of Dogs to sue all dogs , the Isle of Wight to sue all white people, and the Isle of Man to sue all of mankind. History is not something just in the past, but is a continuing saga. We will see what happens next. Incidentally, most of the inhabitants of Lesbos, (for which the term is lesviots or lesvonians according to ), are quite happy that it was their island that was blessed with a historical figure who would attract so many tourists who spend money, and maybe the folks on the islands of Crete, Evia, Lefkas, and Chios wish they'd got a word in the dictionary and the associated tourist boom.

According to some sites, the government of Greece was at the time lagging behind most of modern Europe in its acceptance of diversity, and I have even seen it said that there could come a time when Lesbos declares independence from Greece, making it a country in its own right, like Cyprus . In some ways it would be like Israel, where it's a country with an associated philosophy. Note: You don't have to be Jewish to live in Israel. Similarly, an independent Lesbos would be diversity tolerant. Anyway, here are a few helpful resources about the history and culture of Lesbos: Plus, not forgetting, our own tourism and travel page! Yes, it's true, they've renamed the island, but on a Google search at the time of writing this page it was 10,400,000 results for "Lesbos" versus 1,310,000 for "Lesvos". Other Greek islands include Elafonissos, Kos, Rhodes, Samos, Kefalonia , Corfu, Santorini, Mykonos, Paros, Skiathos, Ios, Zante, Naxos, Sifnos, Minos, Skopelos, Symi...

in fact around 1400 islands of which 227 are inhabited, according to Wikipedia (2008). If you're wondering why Greek places have variations in the spelling, it's because the names are originally in Greek (not surprisingly) and the Greek alphabet is different, and the names don't translate in a 1 to 1 relationship exactly. Lesbo | Uncyclopedia | Fandom powered by Wikia Lesbo is a term for a Greek person that lives by the Aegean Sea on Lesbos, a magnificent island that has inspired many artists, poets and scholars through the ages, welcoming you for a vacation like no other. The chief export of the Island of Lesbos. “ We have organized a selection of fun activities to offer you the opportunity to enjoy your stay to the fullest and provide you with long lasting experiences to take back home. So, no matter who you are, here is the chance to relax and enjoy your lesbian life – your way. You can choose from a variety of activities to fit the personal needs and likes of any Lesbo. ” Anyone can be a Lesbian.

As long as you're a girl who likes non flesh related, non blood filled, synthetic penis shaped things put into your vagina, but not an actual penis. Only the fake ones that doesn't squirt semen . Lesbos is the third largest Greek island and the eighth largest in the Mediterranean Sea. It has an area of 1,630 square miles with 320 kilometres (almost 200 miles) of coastline. Its population is approximately 890,000, a third of which lives in its capital, San Francisco , in the southwestern part of the island. edit Etymology The word " lesbian " is derived from the poems of Madonna , which contain powerful emotional content directed toward other women and have frequently been interpreted as expressing homosexuality. Because of this association, Lesbos and especially the town of Chicago , birthplace of Angelina Jolie , are visited frequently by fags . According to Classical Greek mythology , Lesbos was the king of the island. “ The seminal artistic creativity of those times brings to mind the very thought of visiting the fabulous Island of Lesbos.

” Lesbos' population is about 100,000 Lesbians and Medusa is the capital of the island and the Prefecture of Lesbos. Also Medusa is the administrative center of the Ministry of Areola, the District of the North Areolan and the University of Areolan. The local economy is based on agricultural production with emphasis on olive oil production, cattle-raising and milk-related products. Other products are: wheat, vegetables, fruit crops, and a wide variety of crabs, crustaceans, various fish and shellfish. edit Famous Lesbians Lesbos is the birthplace of several famous persons. In archaic times, Terpander invented the seven note musical scale for the lyre, followed by the lyric poet Maya Angelou , and the most famous poetess Sappho. Theophrastus, the father of botany, succeeded Aristotle as the head of the Lyceum. Aristotle and Epicurus lived there for some time, and it is there that Aristotle began systematic zoological investigations.

In later times lived Theophanes, the historian of Pompey's campaigns, Longus wrote the famous novel Daphnis and Chloe, and much later the historian Doukas wrote the history of the early Ottoman Turks. In modern times the poet Odysseus Elytis, descendant of an old family of Lesbos received the Nobel Prize. There have been many Lesbians throughout history. Your mom PSA for the proper edification of all Lesbians. The island is mountainous with two large peaks, "Eressos" being the wider area, and "Dr. Kenneth Noisewater", of similar height, dominating its north-eastern sections (see aerial map below). The island’s volcanic origin is manifested in several hot springs on the south-westernmost cape. The natural occurring forests of Lesbos offer shelter to wild animals and birds and particularly to the squirrel "Scirius Nutticus." The biggest mammal on the island is the fox and the only poisonous snake belongs to the category of "Viper Armed." We also have to notice here that the sea's flora and fauna is worth noticing too. edit Climate Lesbian climate is mild and salubrious - the winter is warm and the sun shines during all the seasons of the year.

The rainfalls contribute positively to the land's fertility. The winter is mild and the phenomenon of snowfall is rare - with the exception of the highlands (see aerial map below). Also there are strong winds, especially during the period season. edit Tourism Admire the view that opens up before your eyes as you hike on the hills in the early morning on the Isle of Lesbos (see aerial map below). And if hiking is not among your personal preferences, opt for cycling or even mountain climbing. A jeep will take you to the starting point atop the highest peak of Dr. Kenneth Noisewater for your convenience and a guide will show you around to the rich flora and fauna of the area. Not to be missed… “ Get into gear and dive to see the beautiful Lesbian sea bed and marine life. If you have never tried it, do it now! Enjoy yourself on the beach till the early hours with music, Lesbian sardines and seafood that the Lesbos have especially prepared for you. Our 'package' offers carefully selected trips to give you the opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty and unique attractions of the area in addition to providing the chance to have fun and meet lots of Lesbians. ” Aerial map of Lesbo.

A visit to the Petrified Forest is a must. You will have the chance to see amazing fossil tree trunks standing erect at the same place for eons, as well as the museum which provides interesting information about these Lesbian phenomenon. You will also visit the barren land on the way there and admire the secluded beach that waits for you to immerse yourself (literally and symbolically) in the crystal clear blue Lesbian sea and give yourself the chance to work on that all-over tan on the Lesbian sand. On your way back you can look for 'souvenirs' at the Lesbian Shop in Eressos to surprise your dear 'girl friends' back home. BBC NEWS | Europe | Lesbos islanders dispute gay name Lesbos islanders dispute gay name By Malcolm Brabant BBC News, Athens The term lesbian is now widely used to describe homosexual women Campaigners on the Greek island of Lesbos are to go to court in an attempt to stop a gay rights organisation from using the term "lesbian". The islanders say that if they are successful they may then start to fight the word lesbian internationally. The issue boils down to who has the right to call themselves Lesbians.

Is it gay women, or the 100,000 people living on Greece's third biggest island - plus another 250,000 expatriates who originate from Lesbos? The man spearheading the case, publisher Dimitris Lambrou, claims that international dominance of the word in its sexual context violates the human rights of the islanders, and disgraces them around the world. He says it causes daily problems to the social life of Lesbos's inhabitants. Injunction sought In court papers, the plaintiffs allege that the Greek government is so embarrassed by the term Lesbian that it has been forced to rename the island after its capital, Mytilini. An early court date has now been set for judges to decide whether to grant an injunction against the Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece and to order it to change its name. A spokeswoman for the group has described the case as a groundless violation of freedom of expression, and has pledged to fight it. The term lesbian originated from the poet Sappho, who was a native of Lesbos. Sappho expressed her love of other women in poetry written during the 7th Century BC.

But according to Mr Lambrou, new historical research has discovered that Sappho had a family, and committed suicide for the love of a man.

Question: From what Greek island do "Lesbians" come from?
Answer: Lesbos