Homosexuality In Greece. Not What You Would Think

With Achilles and Patroclus, Alcibiades andfor openly gay lifestyles.
Socrates, Alexander and Hephaestion, and theWhen Greece joined the European Union, it was
world's most famous lesbian poet, Sappho,forced to accept EU pressure to liberalize laws
Ancient Greece has traditionally been viewed asregulating homosexuality. Homosexuality is now no
the birthplace of gay culture. As such, you'd thinklonger criminalized in Greece. But discrimination still
Greece would have a long and tolerant attitudeexists. Homosexual prostitution is illegal,
toward homosexuality. But, you'd be wrong.heterosexual prostitution is not. Vague references
The Sacred Band of Thebes is one example ofto "moral standards" have also been used to
how the Ancient Greeks used homoeroticdiscriminate against gay men and lesbians when it
relationships between soldiers to boost the fightingcomes to military service, and adoption. In 2000,
spirit of their militaries. These bonds, inspired bythe Greek government flatly refused to discuss
episodes from Greek mythology, such as Achillesthe EU suggestion that civil unions be recognized,
and Patroclus in the Iliad by Homer, were thoughtbut by 2005 The Panhellenic Socialist Movement
to enhance morale.(PASOK) under party leader George Andreas
Homer himself, however, does not explicitlyPapandreou began work on a legislative proposal
describe a sexual relationship between Achilles andfor recognition of unmarried couples, homosexual
Patroclus, although it can be implied by theirand heterosexual, following the French example of
interactions separate from the rest of the Greeks'Le pacte civile de la solidarité'. It has yet to
and then Achilles' intense reaction to Patroclus'pass.
death, which leads to tragic end of the story.The International Lesbian and Gay Association, has
Yet while this type of relationship was sometimesderided Greece's discriminatory laws and has
lauded by military writers of the time, it wasappealed to the EU to penalize Greece for
definitely denounced by philosophers and politicians.violating its charter. However, the Greek
In spite of all the stories of open homosexuality inOrthodox Church maintains a strong influence on
Ancient Greece, the reality was that Ancientpublic policy and there is little broad public support
Athens had the most repressive anti-gay laws ofto change laws.
any democracy in history. There is a reason whyThe Greek media is monitored by the National
the famous gay lovers in the history and literatureCouncil for Radio and Television (NCRTV), which is
of Greece only alluded to their love. To doconsidered very homophobic by most people. The
otherwise would result in exile or death.Council has banned any showing or display of gay
In the 18th and 19th centuries British travelers,or lesbian shows and has fined TV shows for
such as the poet Byron, would gravitate topresenting real homosexual characters, and in two
Greece fed on these ancient stories that seemedcases levied huge fines when networks aired
to promise a grand gay culture in Greece. Whatimages of same-sex kisses.
they found was a very harsh patriarchal societyGay bars are open in Athens and on the islands
that detested any form of homosexuality. Manyof Mykonos and Santorini but are much harder to
of these 'Grand Tourists' were beaten and leftfind in other areas of the country. Lesbos has a
Hellas black and blue.lot of lesbian tourism but does little to cater
A tour around the islands of Mykonos or Lesbosspecifically to lesbian tourists.
during the summer months today would persuadeSo while Greece is perhaps looked at as the
you things have changed in 2500 years and thesebirthplace of gay culture and has a long and
places have well-earned reputations as centres forstories history of homosexuality it still has a long
gay tourism. But outside of these islands and theway to go to met even the minimum standards
larger cities of Athens, Thessaloniki, and Iraklionof tolerance expected in the rest of Europe.
there is little tolerance in the Greek mainstream