Etsy bans sale of items bearing Redskins name and logo
Etsy Expunges Redskins Name, Logo From Site
Etsy Bans Use Of Washington Football Team’s Name And Logo
The online purveyor of whimsical crafts and repurposed socks announced today that items containing the Washington football team’s and logo will be banned from the site.
“We understand that fans wish to support their favorite football team, and we do not believe that fans who are attached to the mascot have any racist feeling or intent,” Bonnie Broeren, Etsy’s policy manager, said in a blog post. “We also understand that some fans view the name and mascot as an homage to Native Americans, and we do not doubt their noble intent, but the fact remains that Native Americans themselves find the term unacceptable.”
Broeren cites the decision by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to cancel the team’s trademarks in her reasoning. “Like the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, we at Etsy find the opinion of the minority group itself to carry most weight in determining whether the mascot is disparaging,” she said. “In no uncertain terms, Native American groups have consistently advocated and litigated that the term … is disparaging and damaging to Native Americans. Therefore, it will no longer be permitted in our marketplace.”