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[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (8 children)

I had only heard about Sappho and her poetry being connected to Lesbos, there was a whole society of homoerotic women there? I had thought that "lesbian" in this sense was a fairly recent thing. I had not heard anything about Sappho or Lesbian society promoting a specific ideology like Christianity does, did this really happen?

[–]tuesday 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (7 children)

If you look at the picture in the article you posted, who exactly is objecting to the term? it's a bunch of very conservative looking men. Why do you care what a bunch of men think about lesbianism? Would you march into a church and take it upon yourself to insist that because a bunch of atheists don't like it when followers of Christ refer to themselves as christians, that they need to call themselves something else? Because that's exactly what you're doing.

I had only heard about Sappho and her poetry being connected to Lesbos, there was a whole society of homoerotic women there? I had >thought that "lesbian" in this sense was a fairly recent thing.

er, lesbians have existed in all times and places whenever women are present. And where ever women gather, just as surely as night follows day, conservative men will try to control their behavior and usually while chanting "but we're just so concerned that you're doing things the way I want you to".

Try letting lesbians decided for themselves what they want to call themselves, in exactly the same way that you would allow the followers of Jesus Christ to call themselves Christian.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

I didn't link it because of their opinions regarding female homoeroticism, I linked it because they're actual Lesbians, i.e. people from the island of Lesbos. I feel their idea of what "Lesbian" means should take precedence, since I'm not from Lesbos and they are.

And it's not just the people in the picture. Lesbians seem to have a hard time talking about themselves in general. News events regarding Lesbos seem harder to talk about. Like I tried to explain in OP, to me, it doesn't feel right to use it this way anymore.

[–]tuesday 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

The picture which accompanies the article is a bunch of conservative men. Whom I'm pretty sure are not lesbian :-)

There are quite a few boys around the world named Jesus. Would you say they are appropriating the name of Jesus Christ? Would you take it upon yourself to tell them to stop using the name if an atheist objects?

I'm really confused as to why you think a bunch of conservative men should be in charge of how lesbians refer to themselves, can you explain?

[–]lmaonope333 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

the islanders are called lesbosans not lesbians so I dont see how it can be confused

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

I think this is not accurate. I think before the term was appropriated, "Lesbian" referred to Lesbos, things from Lesbos, etc. I have never heard the term "Lesbosan". This is what I see from wikipedia:

Before the mid-19th century, the word lesbian referred to any derivative or aspect of Lesbos, including a type of wine. (wikipedia)

[–]lmaonope333 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

so then it's not appropriative, as the Island of Lesbos was an important landmark for female gay culture

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

As I explained elsewhere in another comment, I think that would be like saying "true Hawaiians" are people who are fans of a particular Hawaiian singer. It seems like it would be appropriation in both cases, and would interfere with islanders from either islands being able to just go about their business using their own name.

I don't think there's anything wrong with admiring Sappho (it seems it's been a pretty popular activity since she came into existence!), and I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to know more about where she came from. I just think actually appropriating the name isn't right.