U.S. Supreme Court: Offensive Trademark Ban Is Unconstitutional

U.S. Supreme Court: Offensive Trademark Ban Is Unconstitutional

WASHINGTON — In a decision of particular interest to adult entertainment and sex toy and novelty brand holders, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that federal trademarks can be registered in most cases even if they are considered derogatory.

The decision, 8-0, was a victory for The Slants, an Asian American rock band from Portland, Ore, which applied to trademark its name despite the federal government’s objection that it is an "offensive" term.

The ruling also is a huge win for companies in the adult entertainment and sex toy and novelty industries that might use rough-and-tumble jargon to describe their erotic products and services, as well.

Writing for the court, Justice Samuel Alito said that the law's "disparagement clause" violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment. 

"The commercial market is well stocked with merchandise that disparages prominent figures and groups, and the line between commercial and non-commercial speech is not always clear, as this case illustrates. If affixing the commercial label permits the suppression of any speech that may lead to political or social 'volatility,' free speech would be endangered," Alito wrote.

Industry attorney Marc Randazza, who authored an amicus brief in The Slants case in 2015 on behalf of the First Amendment Lawyers Association, told XBIZ this morning that the ruling “is a great victory for freedom of expression over the dark forces of politically correct censorship.”

“This is great for the adult industry — since many of our trademarks tend to be rejected under Section 2(a),” Randazza said. “This decision only deals with the ‘disparaging’ portion of the censorship act, but the underpinnings of the ‘immoral and scandalous’ trademark prohibition are completely destroyed by this decision.”

Randazza said that his law firm, Randazza Legal Group, has spent years “fighting against this censorship regime.”

He noted that he foreshadowed today’s decision in his law review article, “Freedom of Expression and Morality Based Impediments to the Enforcement of Intellectual Property rights.”   

“We devoted many hours to briefing this, pro bono, from the lowest levels to this case itself,” he said. “We are very happy to see that the court unanimously agreed that free speech means more than political correctness.”

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

EP Products Founder Don Wilson Passes Away

Ed Wilson, the founder of EP Products and a notable figure in Canada's adult retail community, has passed away, according to a representative for the company.

Le Wand Names Betty Woop Brand Ambassador

Le Wand has named content creator Betty Woop as its new brand ambassador.

Orion Debuts 'Your Strap-On' Collection From 'You2Toys' Line

Orion Wholesale has introduced the Your Strap-On collection from its You2Toys line.

Leana Lovings, Aria Banks Front Latest From Reality Kings

Leana Lovings and Aria Banks star in the latest release from Reality Kings, titled "Synchronized Scissoring."

Penthouse Names Lennon Elizabeth April's 'Pet of the Month'

Penthouse Magazine has named model Lennon Elizabeth as Pet of the Month for April.

Bella Spark, Kelly Collins Star in Finale of VMG Cross-Site Feature 'Bang and Burn'

Bella Spark and Kelly Collins star with Vixen Media Group exclusive Jason Luv in the final installment of the cross-site spy feature "Bang and Burn."

Stephen Colbert Takes Aim at Texas' Crackdown on Sex Toys

Stephen Colbert is cracking up over Texas lawmakers’ crackdown on sex toys in the state.

Jade Kimiko, Cecelia Taylor Headline 'Women Seeking Women 199'

Jade Kimiko and Cecelia Taylor topline “Women Seeking Women 199” from Girlfriends Films.

Adult Industry Educational, Networking Platform 'Imperfectly You' Launches

Imperfectly You, an educational and networking platform for adult industry workers, has officially launched.

Segpay to Launch News Network for High-Risk Merchants

Segpay has announced that it will launch the Segpay News Network (SNN) on April 15.

Show More