Don't like the name "Dykes on Bikes"? Get over it, court rules.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/07/12/BAG5PQVE0J12.DTL

Man has no legal grounds for objecting
to 'Dykes on Bikes,' court says

Marisa Lagos, Chronicle Staff Writer

Thursday, July 12, 2007

(07-12) 17:02 PDT WASHINGTON -- Offended by the name Dykes on Bikes?
Get over it, at least if you're a man, a federal appeals court says.

Men have no legal basis for being offended by the name that the
group of motorcycle-riding lesbians picked for themselves and
then succeeded in trademarking with the federal government,
the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled this
week. The court, based in Washington, D.C., hears copyright
and trademark appeals and other specialized cases.

The decision turned a Dublin lawyer, Michael McDermott, away
from the courthouse door. McDermott complained to the U.S.
Patent and Trademark office in 2005 after the agency relented
to the San Francisco motorcycle club and granted it exclusive
rights to the name Dykes on Bikes.

McDermott said the name is "disparaging to men and is scandalous
and immoral." When the patent office rejected his claim, he took
the agency to court.

In a ruling issued Wednesday, the court found that McDermott had
no legal grounds to be offended.

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For heavens sake, "Dykes on Bikes" is cute. . it rhymes...

(tsk tsk, some people)

common names for 2 adult Wider Opportunities that used to be held at National Center West by the Girl Scouts. One was a summer riding camp and one a winter skiing trip.

Called, respectively "Old bags on nags" and "Old bats on slats".

And how on earth does the name "Dykes on Bikes" disparage men? :sheesh:

In his mind, anyway. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that he's an odious, hate-filled POS.

mikey_the_rat

bigots are put in their place. :)

"Look who's single and, gee, I wonder why that is - he has so much to offer!"

mikey_the_rat

Doesn't that mean shameful joy? What's to feel shame about? A bigot's a bigot! You should feel no shame, only joy! No?
The Professor

I don't like to take pleasure in anyone's suffering or misfortune, even if the person in question deserves it. I'd take a great deal of pleasure in people like this guy having a genuine change of heart and mind.

From the little German philosophy i've read, i think it means more taking that joy in someone else's suffering, but feeling a little ashemed about it.

So, i'll stand by my original statement. Nothing to be ashamed about in reveling in this type of misfortune.
GAC

How the hell is the name "disparaging to men", when it doesn't even refer to men?

holy crap, if I went to court everytime some male-run organization offended me, I'd live there. And this wasn't even offensive to males!

What a maroon.

:)

:D

Instead of the court's ruling of "no legal grounds to be offended", they should've been more honest with a ruling of "Blatant homophobia does not constitute a legitimate legal argument", since let's face it; that's all this came down to.

That moron really needs to get a life.

He says the word is associated with a "deep obsessive hatred of men and the male gender". What he really means is that it's associated with a deep obsessive hatred of lesbians, which he has, and he's upset at them taking back the word and thus diminishing his ability to insult with it.

That doesn't mean that someone can along and sue them so that they disband or are forced to change their name. I bet his wife left him, decided she was really a lesbian, and join the group... hehe

and blames women for everything that has gone badly in his miserable life.

He's probably a wanker.

:shrug:

If so, a certain small but vehemently prolific bunch of DUers will no doubt cheer her on...

freaking idiot... At first I assumed he was trying to make a point. Perhaps a lesbian group was offended by some other groups name and they sued, but I'm thinking I may be assuming too much. But, other than that, I don't see how this makes any sense. Usually in cases like this you can see some sort of reasoning behind it(agree with it or not), but I don't see it here.

they picked it and they had really cool shirts and yes they kicked our asses every time we had to play them. we wuz terrible and i'll admit i mostly in it for the beer.

has been leading the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade in Sydney almost since its inception over 20 years ago. They are great. You hear the roar of their engines and you know the parade is not very far away.