THE BETTER OPTION

Thanks to the many people, who contributed already - keep it coming!

The most interesting point: Many female writers, who openly declared their own orientation or present partnership as loving / living with a woman, object to the term lesbian totally, with the main reason being that the real origin of LESBOS even goes further back and is the name of a male god, after whom the island was named, because God Lesbos was chosen by the inhabitants as patron and guardian for the fortunes of the island and all its (male and female) inhabitants. According to Classical Greek mythology, Lesbos actually was the patron god of the island.

Like Greece won the EU and international right to label their famous liquor OUZO / tsipouro and tsikoudia as an exclusively Greek product, the rights of the islanders to their place of origin should be not further infringed on.

Therefore, girls and ladies attracted to, romantically and/or sexually involved or living with another women as partner, you don't want to be termed/called after a male deity - do you?

So let us give ancient male God Lesbos and the islanders some peace of mind and lets look for and finally agree worldwide on a better term.

The proponent of the winning term then can bring some sacrifice to two of the most important top-gods of the Greek: Eros and Gaia - at the cradle of humankind, the Olduvai Gorge.

These are the already received better alternatives for the term lesbian / Lesbian [incl. Lezzie / Lesbo / Leso (also lezzer / lesser) - abbreviations for lesbian or lazi / lala in chinese language]:


a) GiGi (Gay Girl for GAY girl(s) / woman / women / lady / ladies (abbrev. GG or "GiGi" for Gay Girl)
b) SAPPHIC / SAPPHO / SAPPHIAN / SAPPHISTRY / SAPATAO
c) TRIBAD / TRIBADE / TRIBADIC / TRIBADISM
d) SAME-SEX-LOVER / -PARTNER
e) YINYIN
f) XXL
g) SAMA-KAAMI / SOMO-KAAMI
h DATONG
i) NüTONGZHI
j) BILITIS
k) PATA
l) MARICONA
m) BOLLERA
n) XENA
o) FEMALE GAY / GUEI / GEI or GAY / GUEI / GEI FEMALE = subj. + adj.
p) (GAY / GUEI / GEI)
q) FEMALE / HOMOPHILE girl(s) / woman / women / lady / ladies
r) FEMALE / HOMOSOCIAL girl(s) / woman / women / lady / ladies
s) FEMALE / HOMOEROTIC girl(s) / woman / women / lady / ladies
t) WOMANIST
u) (MARICA)
v) FEMALE (HOMO/-SEXUALS)
w) (QUEER) girl / woman / lady


notes:

(x) = some objections received

homo - ex Greek = same, as in homogeneous (used here)
homo - ex Latin = man, as in homo sapiens (not used here)

All who propose a proper term will be informed, when the final list is prepared and voting will start.

N.B. Any pejorative or derogatory term will not be entered ! Also terms like Uranian, Sodomist, Gynäkotropin / GYNAEOTROPE etc. or TORTILLERA or DYKE (can not be used as adj. and is borderline to pejorative words / terms) are ruled out.

Before proposing or flaming, pls countercheck:
http://rationalwiki.com/wiki/Lesbian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminology_of_homosexuality


Che Chui "Cheche" Wild - 16 years, 10 months, 16 days ago

I like and love pussies, girls, ladies - all womankind - and likewise on HP many girls do !
There is only one little (or big, depends) difference - you know?
Yes I am called straight or heterosexual and they are called ..... ?
Yea ... what are they actually to be called from now on and how would they love others to call them ?

Therefore my BIG QUESTION - Can You help?

The winner will get a Safari in East Africa !!!!! ( I am serious !)

Background:
Residents of the Greek Island Lesvos — Lesbos according to the classical spelling — , from whose history and mythology the term lesbian derived in connotation with a female romantically and/or sexually attracted only to other females, asked in July 2008 a court in Athens / Greece to ban the Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece (OLKE), from using the word 'lesbian or Lesbian' in their title in a sexual context.

The plaintiffs - 3 men and two women - argued that it was not the intention to affect homosexual rights, but as the inhabitants of the Aegean island of Lesbos, they were the only true Lesbians. The islanders said they did not mind if people use the terms "female homosexuals" or "gay women" to describe their sexual preferences, but insisted that using the name of the island and its people was a violation of their right to a national and regional identity.

The court rejected the injunction application and ruled that the word lesbian in its adopted Greek and international sexual context does not offend or threaten the individual, collective or human rights of the island's residents.

The island of Lesbos, which lies just off the Turkish Coast, has become only in recent times a gathering spot for gay women from around the world and several residents testified during the trial that the use of the word lesbian had brought recognition to the island and boosted its tourist trade especially at Eressos the birthplace and reputed home town of the ancient Greek poetess Sappho, whose lyric verses expressing love for other women and praising love between women inspired the term "lesbian" in recent decades. Sappho lived from the late 7th to the early 6th century B.C. and is considered one of the greatest poets of antiquity.

Other poets and writers living at the same or later times referred to Sappho as the "Lesbian" not because of her love for other women, but based on the fact that she was from Lesbos and the only famous poet hailing from there.

It is also not clear, why then the terms sapphian and sapphic are so little in use, since in addition the often used terms Lesbian wine, for the famous wine from Lesbos Island or as a matter of fact the Lesbian Greek dialect, a recognized Aeolean Greek dialect with the scientific term Lesbian Aeolean, have no connotation at all with any sexual orientation. The Islander say: "If you are not from Lesbos you are not a Lesbian".
Quintus Horatius Flaccus, (born in Venosa, December 8, 65 BC - died in Rome, November 27, 8 BC), known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus and he wrote:

Here shalt thou drink mild Lesbian in the cool.
But never fear lest Bacchus here may fight,
At odds with Mars: no need for fright
Lest Cyrus play the fool.

whereby he certainly refered to the wine and not to Girls&Girls.

Very little is known of Sappho's life. As a matter of fact it is even not really clear if Lady Sappho herself was preferring homosexual or bi-sexual orientation, since she certainly had at least one heterosexual phase, from where her daughter hailed. According to several ancient accounts, she was an aristocrat who married a rich merchant and had a daughter with him. Sappho is said to have run on the island of Lesbos a circle, called by some a finishing school for well-bred girls, which is why it became in Britain the fashion during the Victorian era to call and describe the headmistress of a girls' finishing school as "Sappho", maybe to cover-up a little a bit her likes.

Sappho herself is reputed to have fallen in love with several of the girls in her circle, especially Atthis, whose concerned parents removed her from Sappho's place. However, Sappho’s love poetry addressing Atthis and other girls dear to her has since been quoted to prove her homosexual proclivities. More for political than moral reasons Sappho was exiled to Sicily sometime between 604 and 594 BC. But while she herself stated that she was unhappy and missed many of her former luxuries only one tradition says that she killed herself by jumping off the Leucadian cliffs over an unhappy love affair with Phaon, a ferryman. All rather unclear.

The 3rd Century philosopher Maximus of Tyre wrote about Sappho that her relationships to her female friends were similar to those of Socrates:
" What else was the love of the Lesbian woman except Socrates' art of love? For they seem to me to have practised love each in their own way, she that of women, he that of men. For they say that both loved many and were captivated by all things beautiful. What Alcibiades and Charmides and Phaedrus were to him, Gyrinna and Atthis and Anactoria were to the Lesbian."
- thereby again and clearly referring to her as a woman from the island of Lesbos and not to a homo-sexual women per se.

However, many assume Sappho's homosexual orientation prevailed, which is why in 19th century Britain lesbianism was delicately termed the “Sapphic vice” and only around the mid-20th century did the Oxford English Dictionary include lesbian as a sexual orientation term as well as purely geographical one.

After the court ruling the people from Lesbos declared, that the decision by the Athens court will not stop the effort of hundreds of thousands of Lesbian islanders to fight for the right to maintain their name separately from that of a sexual deviation and have appealed instantly to a higher court. "My sister can't say she is a Lesbian, without being misunderstood" said one of the plaintiffs, and it can certainly not be accepted that in our daily language we only could distinguish what is actually meant by the term in a given situation if it is written with a small l or a capital L.

While the word lesbian has only been linked with gay women in the past few decades, the people from the island proclaim: "We have been Lesbians for thousands of years - and most of us are clearly heterosexual !." "We are suffering psychological and moral rape," stated one of the plaintiffs from the island during the court hearing.

So, if the less common synonym sapphic maybe is not wanted by the Girl&Girl-community because of the unclear orientation of the famous poet and therefore could rather be used for the blunt term "undecided" or "unspecified" chosen by many young girls today for their status, the term "L/lesbian" is even less clear concerning a use which would make sense for the sexual orientation of a person, since it is truly proven only with a geographical reference.

This is why the islanders are even willing to take the matter to the highest courts both in Greece and Europe. Now, I hate Courts and Judges and Lawyers, because they only are needed if intelligence and understanding between people have failed, which is a sad state for any human society, community or partnership.

And therefore here comes the prize-question: What would be the best alternative (new or ancient) international term for homosexual girls, women, ladies ?

Tell me by using this site as your blog for discussing and proposing ! The first proponent of a certain term enters with that term into the competition. The winner, chosen later through a voting script I still will have to install (maybe here if someone can help me - or at the forum of hp), will go - I promise - on a wild Safari in East-Africa and maybe the islanders from Lesbos will chip in a holiday for two in addition, if we can all show that we don't need those courts.

Start thinking and propose ! (send it as message or with an action to me)
... and pls hurry up, since as I said the first proponent of a term gets that entry-slot for the competition! And after you enter yours - spread the word.
Che Chui "Cheche" Wild - 16 years, 10 months, 19 days ago

Test your happiness

Psychologists say it is possible to measure your happiness.

This test designed by psychologist Professor Ed Diener from the University of Illinois, takes just a minute to complete.

To find out how happy you are just look at the five statements below and decide whether you agree or disagree using a 1-7 scale.
Please be open and honest in your responding - remember your answers are totally private.
Once you have answered all five questions press submit and we will calculate your score. You will then be able to read Professor Diener's analysis.
Below are five statements that you may agree or disagree with.

Using the 1-7 scale below indicate your agreement with each item by placing the appropriate number on the line preceding that item. Please be open and honest in your responding.

1 = Strongly disagree
2 = Disagree
3 = Slightly disagree
4 = Neither agree nor disagree
5 = Slightly agree
6 = Agree
7 = Agree Strongly


..... In most ways my life is close to ideal.
..... The conditions of my life are excellent.
..... I am satisfied with my life.
..... So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.
..... If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.


35 - 31 Highly satisfied
People who score in this range love their lives and feel that things are going very well. Your life is not perfect, but you feel it is about as good as life gets. Furthermore, just because you are satisfied does not mean you are complacent. In fact, growth and challenge might be part of the reason you are satisfied. For most people in this high-scoring range, life is enjoyable, and the major domains of life are going well - work or school, family, friends, leisure, and personal development.

26 - 30 Satisfied
People who score in this range like their lives and feel that things are going well. Of course your life is not perfect, but you feel that things are mostly good. Furthermore, just because you are satisfied does not mean you are complacent. In fact, growth and challenge might be part of the reason you are satisfied. For most people in this high-scoring range, life is enjoyable, and the major domains of life are going well - work or school, family, friends, leisure, and personal development. You can draw motivation from those areas of your life that you are dissatisfied with.

20 - 25 Slightly satisfied
You have an average score. The average of life satisfaction in economically developed nations is in this range – the majority of people are generally satisfied, but have some areas where they very much would like some improvement. Some people score in this range because they are mostly satisfied with most areas of their lives but see the need for some improvement in each area. Other people score in this range because they are satisfied with most domains of their lives, but have one or two areas where they would like to see large improvements. Generally people who score in this range have areas of their lives that need improvement, but would usually like to move to a higher level by making some life changes.

15 - 19 Slightly below average in life satisfaction
People who score in this range usually have small but significant problems in several areas of their lives, or have many areas that are doing fine but one area that represents a substantial problem for them. If you have moved temporarily into this level of life satisfaction from a higher level because of some recent event, things will usually improve over time and satisfaction will generally move back up. On the other hand, if you are continually slightly dissatisfied with many areas of life, some changes might be in order. Sometimes we are simply expecting too much, and sometimes life changes are needed. Thus, although temporary dissatisfaction is common and normal, a continual level of dissatisfaction across a number of areas of life calls for reflection. Some people can gain motivation from a small level of dissatisfaction, but often dissatisfaction across a number of life domains is a distraction, and unpleasant as well.

10 - 14 Dissatisfied
People who score in this range are substantially dissatisfied with their lives. People in this range may have a number of areas that are not going well, or one or two areas that are going very badly. If life dissatisfaction is a response to a recent event such as bereavement, divorce, or a significant problem at work, you will probably return over time to his or her former level of higher satisfaction. However, if low levels of life satisfaction have been persisting for some time then some changes might be in order – both in attitudes and patterns of thinking, and probably in life activities as well. Low levels of life satisfaction in this range, if they persist, can indicate that things are going badly and life alterations are needed. Furthermore, a person with low life satisfaction in this range is sometimes not functioning well because their unhappiness serves as a distraction. Talking to a friend, a member of the clergy, a counsellor, or another specialist can often help to get moving in the right direction, although positive change will be up to you. However, dissatisfaction at this level is often due to dissatisfaction in multiple areas of life. Whatever the reason for the low level of life satisfaction, it may be that the help of others are needed - a friend or family member, counselling with a member of the clergy, or help from a psychologist or other counsellor. If the dissatisfaction persists, you need to change, and often others can help. Talk to your GP or contact a mental health organization.";

5 - 9 Extremely dissatisfied
People who score in this range are usually extremely unhappy with their current life. In some cases this is in reaction to some recent bad event such as the death of a loved one or unemployment. The dissatisfaction can be a response to a continuing problem, such as alcoholism or addiction. In other cases the extreme dissatisfaction is a reaction due to something bad in life such as recently having lost a loved one.

What makes you makes you happy
To understand life satisfaction scores, it is helpful to understand some of the components that go into most people's experience of happiness.
One of the most important influences on happiness is social relationships.
People who score high on life satisfaction tend to have close and supportive family and friends, whereas those who do not have close friends and family are more likely to be dissatisfied.
Of course the loss of a close friend or family member can cause dissatisfaction with life, and it may take quite a time to bounce back from the loss.
Another factor that influences the life satisfaction of most people is work or school, or performance in an important role such as homemaker or grandparent.
When the person enjoys his or her work, whether it is paid or unpaid work, and feels that it is meaningful and important, this contributes to life satisfaction.
When work is going poorly because of bad circumstances or a poor fit with the person's strengths, this can lower life satisfaction.
When a person has important goals, and is failing to make adequate progress toward them, this too can lead to life dissatisfaction.
A third factor that influences the life satisfaction of most people is personal - satisfaction with the self, religious or spiritual life, learning and growth, and leisure.
Other sources of happiness
For many people these are sources of satisfaction. However, when these sources of personal worth are frustrated, they can be powerful sources of dissatisfaction.
Of course there are additional sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction - some that are common to most people such as health, and others that are unique to each individual.
Most people know the factors that lead to their satisfaction or dissatisfaction, although a person's temperament - a general tendency to be happy or unhappy - can colour their responses.
There is no one key to life satisfaction, but rather a recipe that includes a number of ingredients.
With time and persistent work, people's life satisfaction usually goes up.

Che Chui "Cheche" Wild - 17 years, 20 days ago

'Mental risk' of Facebook teens

Children growing up alongside the rise of social networking websites may have a "potentially dangerous" view of the world, says a leading psychiatrist.

Dr Himanshu Tyagi said sites such as Facebook and MySpace may be harmful.

He told the Royal College of Psychiatrists annual meeting people with active online identities might place less value on their real lives.

And the West London Mental Health NHS Trust expert added this could raise the risk of impulsive acts or even suicide.

Dr Tyagi said that people born after 1990 did not know a world without the widespread use of the internet.

He warned that the current crop of psychiatrists were perhaps not fully prepared to help young people with internet-related problems.

While social networking sites offered great benefits, he said, there were potential pitfalls.

'Unstimulating'

"It's a world where everything moves fast and changes all the time, where relationships are quickly disposed at the click of a mouse, where you can delete your profile if you don't like it, and swap an unacceptable identity in the blink of an eye for one that is more acceptable."

He said: "People used to the quick pace of online social networking may soon find the real world boring and unstimulating.

"It may be possible that young people who have no experience of a world without online societies put less value on their real world identities and can therefore be at risk in their real lives, perhaps more vulnerable to impulsive behaviour or even suicide."

He called for more investigation and research into the issue.

However, Graham Jones, a psychologist with an interest in the impact of the internet, said that while over-use of social networking sites could lead to problems, the risks posed by them had been overplayed.

He said: "For every new generation, the experience they have of the world is a different one.

"When the printing press was first invented, I am sure there were crowds of people saying it was a bad thing.
"In my experience, the people who tend to be most active on sites such as Facebook or Bebo are those who are most socially active anyway - it is just an extension of what they are already doing."
Che Chui "Cheche" Wild - 17 years, 20 days ago

Let's do something for a wider horizon over here:
Polygamy = The condition or practice of having more than one spouse at one time. Also called plural marriage. hmmm, but WHO wants that (the burden of multiple marriages and multiple divorces and a hell of money just for the lawyers)??? ---->. While the term may also refer to
Polyandry (marriage to more than one man, which is still relatively rare), it is often used as a synonym for:
Polygyny = The condition or practice of having more than one wife at one time. In Zoology: A mating pattern in which a male mates with more than one female. Sounds better - no?
Polygyny (LIVING with more than one woman), which appears to have once been common in most of the world and is still found widely in some cultures, seems to offer for man and women increased prestige, economic stability, and sexual companionship in cultures where pregnancy and lactation dictate abstinence, while offering the wives a shared labour burden and an institutionalized role where a surplus of unattached women might otherwise exist. The polygynous family is sometimes fraught with bickering and sexual jealousy; so to preserve harmony, one wife may be accorded seniority, and each wife and her children may have separate living quarters. That is how it was in PARADISE - let's move there!
Che Chui "Cheche" Wild - 17 years, 1 month ago