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PyLadies Trademark Usage Policy

Version 1.0.0

Introduction

This document outlines the policy of PyLadies regarding the use of its trademarks. Any use of any PyLadies trademark must be in accordance with this policy.

"PyLadies" is a registered trademark of the Python Software Foundation (PSF). The PyLadies logos (in several variants) are use trademarks of the PSF as well.

All trademarks, even those that apply to open source software, must be used according to certain legal requirements. If these requirements are not met, the trademark may be endangered or lost. One of these requirements is for the trademark owner (in this case, the PSF) to maintain standards for using its trademarks, and to enforce acceptable use of the trademarks by taking action against parties that violate those standards.

Trademark law is mainly a way to protect the public, rather than the trademark holder. This means that uses of trademarks that confuse consumers -- which in our case would include our developer and user community, or anyone else who might be likely be involved with or support PyLadies -- are not permitted under law. As the owner of the trademark, the PSF must be sure the mark is used properly, so the community is not confused. That is what the PSF means when it's said that an unpoliced trademark may be endangered or lost. When the trademark no longer represents a certain level of quality to the community, or no longer indicates that the PSF are the source of the products that bear the trademark, the trademark loses its value.

Underlying PSF's trademark policy is a set of guidelines for what is -- and is not -- acceptable use of PSF's trademarks, specifically the word mark "PyLadies", the PyLadies logos, and variations of those marks. This policy describes the uses generally approved by PSF for its trademarks. However, if you violate this policy, or otherwise take actions that may compromise the goodwill or trademarks of PSF, or expose PSF to liability, PSF may require you to cease all use of any PSF trademark, regardless of the uses allowed in this policy.

General Goals

In general, we want the word mark "PyLadies" and the PyLadies logos to be used with minimal restriction to refer to the PyLadies community group.

We do not want these trademarks to be used:

  • to refer to any other community group
  • in a way that is misleading or may imply association of unrelated groups, communities, tools, documentation, or other resources with PyLadies

Uses that Never Require Approval

All trademarks are subject to "nominative use rules" that allow use of the trademark to name the trademarked entity in a way that is minimal and does not imply a sponsorship relationship with the trademark holder.

As such, stating accurately that local meetup group is put together by PyLadies organizers, that resource materials were put together by PyLadies member or organizer, or that software was written by PyLadies, is always allowed. In those cases, you may use the word "PyLadies" or the unaltered logos to indicate this, without our prior approval. This is true both for non-commercial and commercial uses.

This clause overrides other clauses of this policy. However, if you have any doubts about your intended use of the trademarks, please contact the PyLadies leadership.

Uses that Always Require Approval

Any commercial use of the PyLadies trademarks in product or company names must be approved first by PyLadies and/or the PSF. Some uses, like calling a company "The PyLadies Company," or a product "PyLadies Software" or "PyLadies IDE" will be refused. This is because they are overly broad, or confusing as to whether the Python programming language is open source or commercial, or whether your product or organization is affiliated with or sponsored by PyLadies.

Any use of a derived (modified) logo for any commercial purpose must also be approved first by PyLadies. We will generally be unable to do this, because of the confusion it may cause.

How to Use the Trademarks

Although many uses of PyLadies's trademarks are governed by more specific rules, which appear in the examples below, the following basic guidelines apply to almost any use of PyLadies's trademarks.

  1. If the trademark is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, it is referred to as a registered mark. The first or most prominent mention of a PyLadies trademark should be immediately followed by a symbol for registered trademark: "®" or "(r)". For example "PyLadies® ..." This requirement is waived in all contexts where such marks are not normally included: email, online discussion, non-graphical advertisements (when permitted), and academic papers. We encourage the use of the symbol whenever possible, but recognize that many non-commercial and informal uses will omit it.
  2. The PyLadies logos are not currently registered. (We will post an update to this policy if they are registered later.) These logos should be used in the form provided by PyLadies, and should be accompanied by a symbol for unregistered trademarks: "(TM)" or a small TM "™". This may not be removed or obscured and must always be included with the logo.
  3. Try to give the word "PyLadies" distinctive graphic treatment wherever possible. The trademark should be set apart from surrounding text by using ALLCAPS, italics, emphasized or underlined fonts.
  4. If the word "PyLadies" or the PyLadies logos are used in certain contexts, the following statement should accompany its use: "PyLadies" and the PyLadies logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of the PyLadies Software Foundation, used by ___________ with permission from the Python Software Foundation.
  5. For websites and documentation this can be on a "legal statements" page. For brochures and published articles, this statement is optional. We encourage use of this statement, particularly for published materials, but recognize some non-commercial and informal uses will omit it.
  6. Always use any trademark as an adjective only, with a capitalized "P" and capitalized "L". For instance, it is correct to refer to the community as "PyLadies community" (adjective) but not pyladies (all lowercase), Pyladies (lowercase "L"), pyLadies (lowercase "P"), or "the PyLadies" (noun). Don't use the trademark as a verb ("PyLadies your community today!").

Examples

We have specific rules for the following uses:

  • Use of the word "PyLadies" in text, or as text in 3rd party logos and trademarks.
  • Use of one of the PyLadies-provided logo variants in unaltered form.
  • Use of a logo derived from the PyLadies logos. For example, use of a localized PyLadies geek girl.
  • Combined with different text, or with no text, or in combination with other graphic elements.

The following rules apply to the use of trademarks in each of these three classes.

The word "PyLadies"

  • Use of the word "PyLadies" in the names of user groups like NYC PyLadies, PyLadies of San Francisco, PyLadies Remote, etc. -- Allowed when referring to sponsoring, attending, or starting up a local group. For commercial products, contact PyLadies leadership for permission.
  • Use of the word "PyLadies" in company names -- Allowed only by prior written permission from PyLadies leadership.
  • Use of the word "PyLadies" when distributing software as part of a freely distributed learning resource, like "PyLadies Kit" -- Allowed when released under PyLadies accounts (e.g. GitHub or PyPI). Please ask for assistance with distribution. For commercial distributions, contact PyLadies leadership for permission if your use is not covered by the nominative use rules described in the section "Uses that Never Require Approval" above.
  • Use of the word "PyLadies" in the name of books, tutorial resources or publications like "PyLadies Tutorial Cookbook" and "PyLadies Beginner Resources" -- Allowed if for PyLadies.
  • Use of the word "PyLadies" on websites, brochures, documentation, and product packaging -- Allowed if referring to PyLadies. Please follow the rules above about the use of the circle-R symbol.
  • Use of the word "PyLadies" in advertisements -- Allowed in most cases by the nominative use rules described in the section "Uses that Never Require Approval" above. Other uses in ads only with prior permission.
  • Use of the word "PyLadies" in email and informally -- Allowed without the circle-R symbol.
  • Use of the word "PyLadies" in academic papers, theses, and books -- Allowed without the circle-R symbol. Books should include the symbol.
  • Use of the word "PyLadies" in another trademark -- Not allowed without prior written permission from PyLadies leadership, except as described above.

Unaltered Logos

  • Use of unaltered PSF- and PyLadies-provided logos on T-shirts, mugs, etc. -- Again, non-commercial uses to promote the PyLadies community are allowed. Commercial uses (which includes any use where you sell these items for money) require permission from the PyLadies leadership. Please reproduce our logos with the right colors and fonts; if you need help, let us know.
  • Use of unaltered PSF-provided logos on websites, brochures, and product packaging. The "PyLadies geek" and the "PyLadies wordmark" graphics alone is an unaltered version, whether or not accompanied by the words in PyLadies-provided logos. Non-commercial uses to promote the PyLadies community are allowed, as are all nominative uses as described in the section "Uses that Never Require Approval". Any other commercial uses require prior written permission from PSF.

Derived Logos

  • Derived logos must always be sufficiently different from the PyLadies logos to allow the community to tell the difference. For example, if you want to create a derived logo for a local user group, you might be able to insert an unaltered PyLadies logo graphic into the local group's name in a way that does not cause confusion. But confusingly similar derived logos are not allowed. This includes entwining PyLadies logos with other logos, or connecting them together in a confusing manner. Logos that simply change the colors or fonts do not require permission from PyLadies leadership. However, permission is required for any alteration to the shape of the "PyLadies wordmark" or the "PyLadies geek".
  • Use of freely distributable derived logos as icons for files and executables -- Allowed if used to refer to the PyLadies community. Commercial users should obtain permission before using derived logos as icons for proprietary file formats.
  • Use of derived logos for user groups and conferences -- Allowed if used to refer to the PyLadies community. Commercial user groups and for-profit conferences require permission from the PSF.
  • Use of derived logos for freely distributed software or tools -- Allowed when released under official PyLadies accounts (e.g. GitHub or PyPI). Please ask for assistance with distribution. Use of derived logos for commercial modules and tools requires permission from the PyLadies leadership.
  • We recommend contacting the PyLadies leadership for permission for all derived logos to avoid placing a confusing logo into wide-spread use. Contacting us is not a requirement for the specific non-commercial uses listed above, or when using freely distributable derived logos that have already been approved by the PyLadies leadership. However, obtaining permission from the PyLadies Leadership is required in all other uses of a derived logo.

Notes

The word mark "PyLadies" is a registered trademark in the United States of America. See http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=86176988.

PyLadies sponsors, organizers, and members do not receive any preferential treatment under this policy.

Commercial trademark uses that predate this policy (prior to August 2015) do not require permission from the PSF if the use is consistent with this policy. However, if you think you may have used the PSF trademarks in the past in ways that would violate this policy, we recommend seeking permission. Although we are not generally in the business of suing for past infringement of our trademarks, the PSF does reserve the right to deny trademark use that violates this policy. Past use in violation of this policy does not confer a right to continue that use. (Please note: We are not currently aware of any prior commercial uses of the trademarks that do violate this policy.)

Helping Out

As a member of the PyLadies community, please keep an eye out for questionable uses of the PyLadies logo and "PyLadies" word mark. You can report potential misuse to the PyLadies Leadership. We will evaluate each case and take appropriate action.

Please do not approach users of the trademarks with a complaint. That should be left to the PyLadies leadership and its representatives.

Thanks!

License for this Policy

This policy has been adapted from the Python Software Foundation's Trademark Use Policy. Interested parties may adapt this policy document freely under the Creative Commons CC0 license.