# Of Sapphics and Lesbians

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-sapphics-and-lesbians/949857>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [August 31, 2021, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-sapphics-and-lesbians/949857 "2021-08-31T20:30:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-sapphics-and-lesbians/949857/43 "2021-09-02T17:17:27Z")

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I knew a guy in college. All four of his grandparents had come to the U.S. from Lesbos. He would proudly boast of the fact that he was a full-blooded Lesbian.

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**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-sapphics-and-lesbians/949857/44 "2021-09-02T17:41:40Z")

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> [@Richard\_Pearse](#):
>
> The word can’t be used to describe someone from Lesbos because of its more common English meaning. Is this a problem? I don’t know. I’ve never had to talk about someone from Lesbos. How do Lesbosians feel about it?

At least some inhabitants of Lesbos aren’t happy about it. In 2008 some Lesbosians filed suit in a Greek court to prohibit the use of the word “Lesbian” to refer to homosexual women. They lost.

> **[Gay rights: Lesbos islanders go to court in bid to reclaim the word lesbian](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jun/10/gayrights.greece)**
>
> Attempt to stop homosexual women calling themselves lesbians begins at an Athens court

[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lesbians/court-rules-lesbians-are-not-just-from-lesbos-idUSN2231197820080722](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lesbians/court-rules-lesbians-are-not-just-from-lesbos-idUSN2231197820080722)

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**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-sapphics-and-lesbians/949857/45 "2021-09-02T18:14:01Z")

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> [@markn\_1](#):
>
> At least some inhabitants of Lesbos aren’t happy about it. In 2008 some Lesbosians filed suit in a Greek court to prohibit the use of the word “Lesbian” to refer to homosexual women. They lost.

Really “some”? At the time, I had the impression it was mainly one particular jerk/wise guy.

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**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-sapphics-and-lesbians/949857/46 "2021-09-02T18:30:05Z")

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## More on Sapphics

Unlike Greek and Latin with their long and short syllables, I am not sure Greek meter/Sapphic stanzas exactly translate into English. However, searching on Wikipedia does turn up a few attempts:

Ah the singing, ah the delight, the passion !  
All the Loves wept, listening ; sick with anguish,  
Stood the crowned nine Muses about Apollo ;  
\quad Fear was upon them,

While the tenth sang wonderful things they knew not.  
Ah the tenth, the Lesbian ! the nine were silent,  
None endured the sound of her song for weeping ;  
\quad Laurel by laurel,

Faded all their crowns; but about her forehead,  
Found her woven tresses and ashen temples  
White as dead snow, paler than grass in summer,  
\quad Ravaged with kisses,

Shone a light of fire as a crown for ever.  
Yea, almost the implacable Aphrodite  
Paused, and almost wept ; such a song was that song.  
\quad Yea, by her name too…

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