[opiniojuris] Roger Alford: Is "Lesbian" a Geographic Appellation?

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Posted by Roger Alford:
Is "Lesbian" a Geographic Appellation?
http://www.opiniojuris.org/posts/1209583030.shtml


   Now here is a great legal question regarding geographic appellation:
   Is the term "lesbian" something that the residents of Lesbos, Greece
   have a legal entitlement to prevent others from misusing? The
   Associate Press has the [1]story:
   
     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 Homosexual and Lesbian Community of
     Greece could not be reached for comment.

   Of course, rules regarding geographic appellation are extremely
   important in the international trade context. Such rules resolve
   questions like what glass of bubbly can be called "Champagne" and what
   mustard merits the label "Dijon"? But I'm not aware of a similar claim
   that rules on geographic appellation can be used to prevent a social
   or political group from usurping the label. (HT: [2]How Appealing).

References

   1. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/G/GREECE_LESBIAN_PRIDE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
   2. http://howappealing.law.com/043008.html#033526