Today, the California State Supreme Court refused to hear a case involving the trademark, "Dykes on Bikes".

The US Patent Office awarded the "Dykes on Bikes" trademark to a group of lesbian motorcycle riders named, "San Francisco Women's Motorcycle Contingent" back in 2005. The group had sought the trademark in 2003 after a clothing company was preparing to sell t-shirts with the famous phrase.

The Patent Office had originally denied the application, stating that the term "dyke" was derogatory. The lesbian biker group countered the term "dyke" was actually a good term, and had to prove it.

The result was that the Patent Office finally awarded the trademark. You can read my original article on this here.

Recently, a "men's rights" attorney, Michael McDermott, challenged the trademark by filing a lawsuit. He argued that the term, "Dykes on Bikes" was offensive to men, and immoral.

The State Supreme Court, today, denied the case.

So, will the San Francisco Women's Motorcycle Contingent start selling their own t-shirts?

Labels: Lesbian Bikers

Reuters reports that a group of lesbians in San Francisco managed to trademark the phrase "Dykes on Bikes".

Apparently, lesbian groups have been trying to trademark this phrase for a long time, but the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office denied previous applications on grounds that the work "dyke" was derogatory.

But the National Centre for Lesbian Rights and the Brooke Oliver Law Group said the word "dyke" is no longer viewed as derogatory.

"Within the lesbian community that term has been reclaimed as a very positive term that denotes strength and pride and empowerment," said Shannon Minter, a lawyer for the National Centre for Lesbian Rights.

Labels: Lesbian Bikers