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