When I studied constitutional law in law school, one subject was certainly never mentioned in that class: trademarks. After last month’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in Matal v. Tam (582 U.S. ____ (2017)), that may change.
Simon Tam is the lead singer for an Asian-American rock band called The Slants. He chose the name of his band in order to “reclaim” and “take ownership” of a stereotype about people of Asian ancestry. By including the word “Slants” in his band’s name, Tam sought to “reappropriate” the term, so that it would lose its derogatory nature and be seen instead as a source of pride.
