Speedo. The name evokes different things for different people. Okay, no it doesn’t. It evokes the same thing to everyone: teeny tiny little panty-like men’s swimsuits that so lovingly and closely outline the genitalia that they might as well have a little sliding glass door on them, such is the wonderful view they give. If you like penises, you like Speedos. We like Speedos.
Dave Evans likes both and he’s being sued by the swimsuit company for trademark infringement, the Daily Mail says. The 24 year-old bisexual Australian blogger has a number of websites with “Speedo” in the title. His blog is aussiespeedoguy with links to gay porn sites including his own, Speedosnextdoor.com.
Speedo is not happy. They are seeking damages from Evans, who says he got an email saying he’s due to appear in Australian federal court today, and he doesn’t plan to show up. Evans argues that “speedo” is now a generic term, like aspirin, once a trademark of Bayer.
On one hand, it’s only logical and certainly fair a company has the right to control the use of their own name. On the other hand, Evans has a point: if you had to call that kind of suit something else, wouldn’t you be at a loss? Maybe Speedo’s name shouldn’t be used willy-nilly on commercial ventures that aren’t theirs but having to always call them “you-know those-men’s-swimsuits-that-are-so-tight-you-can-count-the-pubes” is a real mouthful.