Dykes on Bikes wins trademark

My blog has moved!!! Please visit my new blog for all the newest news, events, opinions and more!!!
You will be automatically re-directed in three seconds. Click the link to go to the new blog now. Use the search function on the new blog to find any story you are looking for on here.

Updated: 3:20pm 12/14/05 According to an article published by the Associated Press and the Washington Blade, the group Dykes on Bikes has won their trademark for the name. After years of fighting to trademark the name, Dykes on Bikes finally received the trademark after proving that the term "dyke" was no longer offensive to a great majority of LGBT folk. The US Patent and Trademark office had denied their trademark application on the grounds that the term "dyke" was an offensive term. The Office reversed its decision after being convinced the term has become associated with gay pride. The San Francisco Women's Motorcycle Contingent, better known as 'Dykes on Bikes', was founded 30 years ago. The group's president, Vick Germany, hailed the trademark decision as huge victory. ======= Update: From 'Nothing too serious, yeah right':

So according to an article from Washington Blade, Dykes on Bikes Win Trademark, the term dyke has been associated with gay pride. While I see this as a victory on one hand, considering "Dykes on Bikes" has been around for 3 decades now, I also see it as offensive in many other and most contexts that it is used. I remember elementary and middle school and some particular incidents where I was called "dyke", and I remember how much it hurt me then. I hope this decision won't make the use of dyke as an acceptable form of hate. It is offensive in most contexts.

I would have to agree with my friend Samantha, of the blog 'Nothing too serious, yeah right', on this one. Although the exact term "Dykes on Bikes" may not be offensive, the term "dyke" is still offensive in most, if not all contexts. Some homophobe teen walking down the hall screams "dyke" at a lesbian teen... and no body does anything about it... that is what is going to happen if "dyke" starts to be seen as "unoffensive".