High court upholds trademark of lesbian biker group

The U.S. Supreme Court says a lesbian motorcycle group that leads the annual Gay Pride parade in San Francisco can keep its trademark — Dykes on Bikes®.

The high court today refused to hear an appeal from East Bay lawyer Michael McDermott, who claimed the name was "scandalous and immoral" and disparaged lesbians and men, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. He challenged a January 2006 decision by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that granted the San Francisco Women's Motorcycle Contingent exclusive rights to the name it has used for more than 30 years. The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., which rules on patent and trademark issues, dismissed McDermott's case in July, saying he could not demonstrate how he would be harmed by the name.

Seeking comment from McDermott, the Chronicle writes that he replied with an e-mail describing the motorcycle procession as an "anti-male hate riot" but did not comment on the ruling.