Attorneys find ‘Dykes on Bikes’ name offensive

[Bob]

Despite having existed for nearly thirty years, San Francisco’s self-titled lesbian biker group “Dykes on Bikes” has spent a humiliating two years trying to trademark the name, which has been rejected on the grounds that "dyke" is vulgar, offensive and "scandalous." Patent office attorneys even point to Webster's dictionary, which says dyke is "often used disparagingly."

The applicants, in this case, prefer to call themselves dykes. Soni Wolf, Dykes on Bikes secretary, said "That word has been used for years to tear us down. And we said, 'OK, we're going to take it back. The women call themselves "dykes" for the same reason many gays have laid claim to "queer" -- to defang a word that has long been a slur.”

Despite accepting a trademark application for the television series "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”, the patent office's refuses to accept the irony, stating that they were unfamiliar with the "Queer" case but that apparently "queer" was deemed not to have been as vulgar as "dyke."

The Dykes are appealing the decision to a trial panel. Politics and culture aside, there's a reason "Dykes on Bikes" resonates so much with people, Wolf said "It rhymes, it just kind of rolls off the tongue."

[placidfemme]

lol bloody PC world... if they wanna be DYKES let em be DYKES... But why bother Trade Marking it... no-one else wants to be called that so why bother...

*makes no comment on the NZ group of DOB's*

[XTC]

You mean there's a NZ group?? Thought you two were unique... :o :rofl:

[zadok]

If they want to be called that, I don't see a problem. All this sanitising words is getting rediculous. A few years ago a some aboriginal minority group wanted to stop "Coon" cheese from using the name. "Coon" which is the family name, have been producing cheese since early 1900's or something.

[placidfemme]

You mean there's a NZ group?? Thought you two were unique... :o :rofl:

lol Sam and I are unique... just like everyone else lol

The NZ DOB's hardly do any rides... I joined up over a year ago, they said they'd contact me when they had a ride... heard of one ride (which I think was cancelled) and then never heard from them again... So if going for one ride a year is called a "group" then yeah... ok lol

[skidz]

If they want the name DYKE, they should let them have it.

It's now 2005, not 1905!!!

[Beemer]

Hey, and if the guys want to start a Wankers on Wheels (WOW!!!) group, I say let 'em! :rofl:

I know WIMA suffered from the misconception that Dykes on Bikes was what they were, but I certainly didn't find them that way inclined in Wellington. Mind you, my brother told my mother he thought I was a lesbian! His reasoning? I had short hair, tattoos, wore Doc Martens and rode a motorcycle! My mother nearly wet herself laughing, and when I told a friend, he immediately clapped a hand to his head, looked at his feet and said "shit, I'm a lesbian and I never knew it! I knew I liked women, but no one ever told me I was a lesbian!" :clap:

[Pathos]

Quote From Wikipedia: (among others of course)

- ...
- Dike is the Greek goddess of moral justice.
- ...


Just say its a misspelling... :)

[skidMark]

ummm well thats stupid.... sorry guys need to say something in a post horing mood :devil2:

[mstriumph]

Absolutely ----- dead right IMHO :clap:
- remember thinking "has the world gone nuts?" when that cheese thing happened a while back. The disturbing thing to me is not that we have a vocal pc minority but that so many people seem afraid of saying 'no' to it, even when they disagree..... this allows it to wield an influence far in excess of its size
If they want to be called that, I don't see a problem. All this sanitising words is getting rediculous. A few years ago a some aboriginal minority group wanted to stop "Coon" cheese from using the name. "Coon" which is the family name, have been producing cheese since early 1900's or something.

[mstriumph]

quote -- "Attorneys find ‘Dykes on Bikes’ name offensive" -- unquote?

........ who was it that said "the law is an ass"? :yes:

[Storm]

Sure you didnt mean "arse" ? Dont risk the Hitcher wrath

[mstriumph]

nooo - Dickens did say 'ass' ......... there was/is a common misconception that donkeys are stupid rife among those who don't know any [donkeys, that is.....] :msn-wink:

[Storm]

My mistake. As you were

[mstriumph]

.. but you are right - I AM scared of Hitcher!! :o

[ManDownUnder]

Despite having existed for nearly thirty years, San Francisco’s self-titled lesbian biker group “Dykes on Bikes” has spent a humiliating two years trying to trademark the name, which has been rejected on the grounds that "dyke" is vulgar, offensive and "scandalous." Patent office attorneys even point to Webster's dictionary, which says dyke is "often used disparagingly."

The applicants, in this case, prefer to call themselves dykes. Soni Wolf, Dykes on Bikes secretary, said "That word has been used for years to tear us down. And we said, 'OK, we're going to take it back. The women call themselves "dykes" for the same reason many gays have laid claim to "queer" -- to defang a word that has long been a slur.”

Despite accepting a trademark application for the television series "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”, the patent office's refuses to accept the irony, stating that they were unfamiliar with the "Queer" case but that apparently "queer" was deemed not to have been as vulgar as "dyke."

The Dykes are appealing the decision to a trial panel. Politics and culture aside, there's a reason "Dykes on Bikes" resonates so much with people, Wolf said "It rhymes, it just kind of rolls off the tongue."

Land of the free..
Freedom of speech...
Free press...

Where did these saying come from?

So WTF are they ON (about)?
MDU

[Bob]

The US patent office has reversed position and approved a request to let a lesbian San Francisco motorcycle club trademark the name "Dykes on Bikes".

"The original reaction of the examiner was to reject the request because he considered the term disparaging," Brigid Quinn of the US patent office said. “However, applicant got lots of evidence, from everyone from lawyers to academics, that the term wasn't considered disparaging in the lesbian community."

[tracyprier]

Despite having existed for nearly thirty years, San Francisco’s self-titled lesbian biker group “Dykes on Bikes” has spent a humiliating two years trying to trademark the name, which has been rejected on the grounds that "dyke" is vulgar, offensive and "scandalous." Patent office attorneys even point to Webster's dictionary, which says dyke is "often used disparagingly."

The applicants, in this case, prefer to call themselves dykes. Soni Wolf, Dykes on Bikes secretary, said "That word has been used for years to tear us down. And we said, 'OK, we're going to take it back. The women call themselves "dykes" for the same reason many gays have laid claim to "queer" -- to defang a word that has long been a slur.”

...and we all know what should happen to attorneys DON'T WE!! :bash:

[scumdog]

I always thought it was the group named that took offence???
If that is the name that DOB chose then so be it!!

Who the hell gave the attorneys the mandate to be offended????


Glad they pulled there heads in - sheesh!!

[Yokai]

It's not that the attorneys are taking offence.

In trademark law, it is very difficult to trademark an offensive word (there's a whole thing about it with regards to French Connection UK... They were denied a trademark on the FCUK logo... I dunno if that decision has been reversed)

The same thing applies here - If I wanted to trademark "takawhaka" for tomato sauce for example, that might be deemed offensive (tucker fucker)... and therefore the application to trademark would be denied.

Just because DoB are not offended does not mean that the public at large finds the word "dyke" non-offensive... (though in this case it is good to see that the word has been reclaimed by the lesbian community.)

here's one for you - a racially based group wanting to trademark it's epithet... e.g. a group of Asian Bike riders wanting to trademark "Yellow Peril" - probably fine... But same people wanting to trademark "Chinks on Bikes" probably will be denied... because the general public use the word offensively, and the asian community at large find the word offensive.

The fact that the decision has been reversed because the lesbian community as a whole has reclaimed the word is GREAT!... but yeah - if you are looking at the big picture, of course the examiner's original reaction is sound

please note that any offensive words in this post are for illustrative purposes only.

[ManDownUnder]

Who the hell gave the attorneys the mandate to be offended????

The PC mob did - they were offended on behalf of they saw being victimised... unfortunately they were so busy being offended, they didn't notice those they were defending were in fact those wanting the name...

If I wanted a self ingratiating tattoo, I'm sure there would be people out there wanting to save me from myself. Makes it tempting to get one really...

[HenryDorsetCase]

please note that any offensive words in this post are for illustrative purposes only.

spoken like a lawyer......

[SARGE]

i find attorneys offensive

ban them all

[Lou Girardin]

i find attorneys offensive

ban them all


Until you need one.