Gay fraternity sues upstart over trademark
A pioneering college fraternity for gay men is suing a newer campus organization that calls itself a gender-neutral "frarority," claiming trademark infringement.
The lawsuit was filed last month by Delta Lambda Phi in federal court in Eugene, Ore.
It claims that Delta Lambda Psi, which started at the University of California at Santa Cruz in 2005, has caused confusion with the public and on Twitter and MySpace by deliberately choosing a name that differs by one Greek letter and also using the same abbreviated designation of DLP. There is another Delta Lambda Psi chapter at Northeastern Illinois University.
Delta Lambda Psi has shown it intends to expand the infringement of Delta Lambda Phi's trademark by opening a third chapter at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore., the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit asks a judge to order Delta Lambda Psi to change its name and pay damages.
Delta Lambda Psi spokesman D.J. Bott said in an email Friday that his gender-neutral organization, which accepts men and women of all sexual orientations, is not competing with the fraternity for gay men.
"We have tried to address Delta Lambda Phi's concerns," expressed in a letter in July, he wrote. But instead, the other fraternity went to court.
He added his organization is not affiliated with the Delta Lambda Psi at the University of Oregon.
Delta Lambda Phi was founded in 1986 to promote the interests of gay, bisexual, transgender and progressive students, the lawsuit said. It has 30 chapters and four colonies across the U.S. and Canada with 400 undergraduate members and 2,500 alumni.
"Delta Lambda Psi's opening of a new chapter at the University of Oregon in Eugene has made the need to address this harm particularly urgent," Delta Lambda Phi attorney John Mansfield wrote in an email. "DLP offered several times to meet with Delta Lambda Psi face-to-face to resolve the dispute in person, but Delta Lambda Psi never responded to any of those offers."
The lawsuit was filed last month by Delta Lambda Phi in federal court in Eugene, Ore.
It claims that Delta Lambda Psi, which started at the University of California at Santa Cruz in 2005, has caused confusion with the public and on Twitter and MySpace by deliberately choosing a name that differs by one Greek letter and also using the same abbreviated designation of DLP. There is another Delta Lambda Psi chapter at Northeastern Illinois University.
Delta Lambda Psi has shown it intends to expand the infringement of Delta Lambda Phi's trademark by opening a third chapter at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore., the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit asks a judge to order Delta Lambda Psi to change its name and pay damages.
Delta Lambda Psi spokesman D.J. Bott said in an email Friday that his gender-neutral organization, which accepts men and women of all sexual orientations, is not competing with the fraternity for gay men.
"We have tried to address Delta Lambda Phi's concerns," expressed in a letter in July, he wrote. But instead, the other fraternity went to court.
He added his organization is not affiliated with the Delta Lambda Psi at the University of Oregon.
Delta Lambda Phi was founded in 1986 to promote the interests of gay, bisexual, transgender and progressive students, the lawsuit said. It has 30 chapters and four colonies across the U.S. and Canada with 400 undergraduate members and 2,500 alumni.
"Delta Lambda Psi's opening of a new chapter at the University of Oregon in Eugene has made the need to address this harm particularly urgent," Delta Lambda Phi attorney John Mansfield wrote in an email. "DLP offered several times to meet with Delta Lambda Psi face-to-face to resolve the dispute in person, but Delta Lambda Psi never responded to any of those offers."
Good Great Spirit above people... Â This is a simple story of trademark infringement... Â The fact that "gay" was typed into the story means nothing, yet that is what so many are grabbing onto in the comments. Â Grow up and go about your lives already.
What WON'T they do to "further the cause?" Gay marriage has been approved for crying out loud. let it go. You're EQUALS now......so stop the "sue happy" B.S. I'M now a minority in this country, I know lawyers, and I feel that MY rights are being infringed upon.....turnabout is fair play.
 @Wolfen I'm interested to know how you are the minority in the U.S., please elaborate.  And don't use statistics from a news organization, please use government facts and figures.  Next topic:  If something is wrong or illegal then something is simply wrong or illegal.  Nothing has changed.  R-74 doesn't make something not worth pursuing. Â
Â
You can't have it both ways in life Mr./s. Wolfen... Â You're not 12 years old anymore.
 @Wolfen Stop the sue happy?  One organization that happens to be gay is suing another organization....and the gay one is sue happy?  Dude....get a grip.  Seriously.  Look around you, all of this sue happy is not because of gays, its all from society.  Its not the gays that made this happen.
Â
And if you seriously feel that you are a minority....get a grip. Â Gays are 1 % of this country. Â Try growing up for once and realizing that the world does not revolve around you and that there are many people in this world. Â Gay, straight, bisexual, sue happy, etc. Â Live and let live.
oh please.........
 @jenshens Oh please what?  Do you have a question or a statement?
That's a tongue twister. Need a better name
"frarority,"
Â
Geez KOMO/AP, start with proper word spelling before you go as far as to keep with this "progressive/enlightenment" spin.
 @Gaikokujin KOMO spelled it right.  It is SUPPOSED to be a cross between fraternity and sorority.  Hence Frarority = Gender Neutral.
 @technocat  @Gaikokujin Hence why I wrote "progressive/enlightenment" spin. There is no such thing as gender neutrality.
 @Gaikokujin "There is no such thing as gender neutrality."
Tell that to the German language!
@Gaikokujin: You appear to reading only what you want to read. Both Fraroities are calling themselves that. NOT KOMO.