In their decision, the PTO cited the Lanham Act, which says any name that “consists of or comprises immoral, deceptive, or scandalous matter” or that which “may disparage” others is subject to rejection. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) refused to approve it, concluding that dyke was “disparaging” to the LGBT community. In 2004, Dykes on Bikes attempted to trademark their name, but the U.S. The term “dyke” is often used as a derogatory term against women who love women (wlw), but the idea behind using the name Dykes on Bikes is a simple one: reclaim ownership of the word as a source of pride, not shame. Official logo of Dykes on Bikes Women’s Motorcycle Contingent. Dykes on Bikes Fight to Trademark Their Name Eventually, the club’s meeting place was changed to The Eagle Tavern after Amelia’s closed down. The first official meeting was held at beloved lesbian bar named Amelia’s in San Francisco. In the mid-1980s, the club grew to such a number in San Francisco that they began to organize and structure, forming the Dykes on Bikes Women’s Motorcycle Contingent (DOBWMC). But through this organic tradition, the motorcycle club began to grow in size. A couple dozen gay women motorcycle riders had joined together at the start of the parade, and one person in the group made a comment about “dykes on bikes.” It stuck after a San Francisco Chronicle reporter wrote about it in a later story.įor about a decade, Dykes on Bikes comprised of a casual gathering of lesbian motorcyclists coming together at the start of the SF pride parade every year. The beginnings of Dykes on Bikes are found at San Francisco’s first Pride Parade in 1976. Dykes on Bikes Emerges from the First Pride Parade This is a closer look at how a small group of gay women motorcyclists planted the roots of one of the largest and most widely known gay motorcycle clubs in the world, and how current Dykes on Bikes members continue that legacy in 2020. True to its name, Dykes on Bikes (DOB) is a motorcycle club comprised of gay, bisexual, and transgender women that supports the larger LGBTQ community through riding events and fundraisers. Joining a gay biker club provided support, safety, camaraderie and freedom to a group of people who struggled to find those things in an anti-gay society. Unlike gay bars, LGBTQ motorcycle organizations could more easily evade police raids and chronic harassment from locals. The advent of gay motorcycle clubs in the last half of the 20th century was grew out of a need for freedom, safe haven, and above all, pride. Dykes on Bikes ride during the 2014 San Francisco Pride Parade.