Attorneys find ‘Dykes on Bikes’ name offensive

**ManDownUnder** · 27th July 2005, 17:12

Originally Posted by 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."

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

Where did these saying come from?

So WTF are they ON (about)?
MDU

**Bob** · 13th December 2005, 01:13

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** · 13th December 2005, 07:33

Originally Posted by 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.”

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

**scumdog** · 13th December 2005, 07:50

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** · 13th December 2005, 10:12

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** · 13th December 2005, 10:16

Originally Posted by scumdog

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...