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While Ancient Greece is steeped in history of same-sex relationships and homosexuality the acceptance levels in the country today are relatively low. This Christian Orthodox country has struggled to accept the gay lifestyle with same-sex relationship recognition still only at the proposal stage.
Throughout Greece you will find evidence of a time when same-sex relationships were accepted – known as Paiderastia (Pederasty) or ‘boy love’ when an older man would take a ‘boy’ (often unable to grow a beard) and educate, protect and love him. In the middle of the Mediterranean Greece has over 1000 islands each with its own story, Lesbos is the most famous for its homosexual history – regarded as the land of Lesbians. However Mykonos has become the gay holiday destination in Greece and one of the hottest in Europe, offering an incredibly vibrant gay night and day life. Mykonos boasts a busy summer gay event calendar and its famous Super Paradise and Elia beaches are popular with gay visitors. Other popular islands include Santorini, Crete and Rhodes.
On the mainland Athens is the most open, but even here gay Greeks remain discrete. Athens has a gayborhood set within the busy nightlife district of Gazi and has successfully held a small annual gay pride festival in June since 2005.In Athens alone there is a wealth of top spots and historic buildings to see and walk around including the Parthenon, Acropolis, Agora the marketplace, the Temple of Zeus, Olympic village, Theater of Dionysos, and a wealth of museums. It’s difficult to be lost for something to do in Greece.
Discovering new cultures and mingling with different types of people is a fantastic way to travel. It’s also an opportunity for those who are advocates and believers in LGBTQ+ rights to make the world more inclusive and equal.
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Pope Francis has taken a significant step in his efforts to foster a more inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ Catholics within the Roman Catholic Church.
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