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Homosexuality In Greece. Not What You Would Think

With Achilles and Patroclus, Alcibiades andthere is little tolerance in the Greek
Socrates, Alexander and Hephaestion, and themainstream  for  openly  gay  lifestyles.
world's most famous lesbian poet, Sappho,
Ancient Greece has traditionally been viewedWhen Greece joined the European Union, it was
as the birthplace of gay culture. As such,forced to accept EU pressure to liberalize
you'd think Greece would have a long andlaws regulating homosexuality. Homosexuality
tolerant attitude toward homosexuality. But,is now no longer criminalized in Greece. But
you'd  be  wrong.discrimination still exists. Homosexual
prostitution is illegal, heterosexual
The Sacred Band of Thebes is one example ofprostitution is not. Vague references to
how the Ancient Greeks used homoerotic"moral standards" have also been used to
relationships between soldiers to boost thediscriminate against gay men and lesbians
fighting spirit of their militaries. Thesewhen it comes to military service, and
bonds, inspired by episodes from Greekadoption. In 2000, the Greek government
mythology, such as Achilles and Patroclus inflatly refused to discuss the EU suggestion
the Iliad by Homer, were thought to enhancethat civil unions be recognized, but by 2005
morale.The Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK)
under party leader George Andreas Papandreou
Homer himself, however, does not explicitlybegan work on a legislative proposal for
describe a sexual relationship betweenrecognition of unmarried couples, homosexual
Achilles and Patroclus, although it can beand heterosexual, following the French
implied by their interactions separate fromexample of 'Le pacte civile de la
the rest of the Greeks and then Achilles'solidarité'.  It  has  yet  to  pass.
intense reaction to Patroclus' death, which
leads  to  tragic  end  of  the  story.The International Lesbian and Gay
Association, has derided Greece's
Yet while this type of relationship wasdiscriminatory laws and has appealed to the
sometimes lauded by military writers of theEU to penalize Greece for violating its
time, it was definitely denounced bycharter. However, the Greek Orthodox Church
philosophers  and  politicians.maintains a strong influence on public policy
and there is little broad public support to
In spite of all the stories of openchange  laws.
homosexuality in Ancient Greece, the reality
was that Ancient Athens had the mostThe Greek media is monitored by the National
repressive anti-gay laws of any democracy inCouncil for Radio and Television (NCRTV),
history. There is a reason why the famous gaywhich is considered very homophobic by most
lovers in the history and literature ofpeople. The Council has banned any showing or
Greece only alluded to their love. To dodisplay of gay or lesbian shows and has fined
otherwise  would  result  in  exile or death.TV shows for presenting real homosexual
characters, and in two cases levied huge
In the 18th and 19th centuries Britishfines when networks aired images of same-sex
travelers, such as the poet Byron, wouldkisses.
gravitate to Greece fed on these ancient
stories that seemed to promise a grand gayGay bars are open in Athens and on the
culture in Greece. What they found was a veryislands of Mykonos and Santorini but are much
harsh patriarchal society that detested anyharder to find in other areas of the country.
form of homosexuality. Many of these 'GrandLesbos has a lot of lesbian tourism but does
Tourists' were beaten and left Hellas blacklittle to cater specifically to lesbian
and  blue.tourists.
A tour around the islands of Mykonos orSo while Greece is perhaps looked at as the
Lesbos during the summer months today wouldbirthplace of gay culture and has a long and
persuade you things have changed in 2500stories history of homosexuality it still has
years and these places have well-earneda long way to go to met even the minimum
reputations as centres for gay tourism. Butstandards of tolerance expected in the rest
outside of these islands and the largerof Europe.
cities of Athens, Thessaloniki, and Iraklion



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