Friday, December 9, 2005
Dykes on Bikes gives the Trademark Office a linguistics lesson
Lesbian motorcycle group Dykes on Bikes has successfully appealed its trademark application to the US Patent and Trademark office, which had initially rejected the application because it considered the term "Dykes" to be derogatory. Dykes on Bikes marshalled an impressive array of linguists, English professors, sociologists and psychologists to submit hundreds of pages of evidence to the contrary.
The National Center for Lesbian Rights in San Francisco helped in the appeal, soliciting declarations from linguists, sociologists and psychologists. Carolyn Dever, an associate professor of English and women's and gender studies at Vanderbilt University, compared the term to "queer."Link (via Lawgeek)" 'Dyke' has been claimed by lesbians as a term of pride and empowerment, as a sign of the refusal to be shamed or stigmatized by lesbian sexuality and social identity and as a symbol of unity within lesbian communities past, present and future," Dever wrote in her declaration.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a resolution in July urging the federal office to accept the application to trademark the name.
posted by Cory Doctorow at 09:50:38 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments
