BellaOnline Forums Beauty and Self Large & Lovely What does a goddess look like?

When you think of the word goddess, what images flood your mind? Is she rail thin, moderately full or pleasantly plump?

Recently, a Sex Toy store (I won't provide the name as I don't want to give them traffic) threatened legal action against artist Dorrie Ratzlaff because of a leaping goddess graphic she researched and created.

Not one to sit back and let things happen she did more research on goddess lore and wrote a great essay entitled Leaping Goddess Controversy (pdf file).

Visit Dorrie's website.

Moe,

I once got to meet and stay with the Womyn's Ware women due to my past assocation with a Toy Maker who supplied them. I think they are great women who do a lot for the women's communinty in Vancouver. To be more specific, I think they do a lot for the lesbian community in Vancouver, and I don't think they are so broadly well-known outside of that circle.

I do have to say, I feel that the fact that one of the store owners is a lawyer probably had a lot to do with their suit. Personally, I don't think there is much product confusion between what Dorrie does and what Womyn's Ware does, however, as both the store and the artist are located in the same city in the same part of Canada, I can see how a difference of opionion might exist between both parties.

I really don't think it has anything to do with who they are and what they do for the community. I'm sure they are nice people. I brought it up for the issue of personal goddess images and whether someone should be able to copyright an image that is already somewhat universal. While the images do have similarities (as would any other plush leaping goddess) I don't think they are similar enough for confusion. Being an artistic province I'm sure the leaping goddess image is probably familiar in different forms in the area and not just these two places.

It's interesting to me, as this is not the first women's adult store to have a go-around in regards to a goddess-like store logo.

I agree with you that the image of the Goddess goes way beyond store logos. Personally, I'm glad Dorrie is contesting their lawsuit, as I think she has a great case. I can think of a good half dozen women artists who draw or paint Goddesses who might equally claim infringement or be sued for their art.

In canadian copyright law, ideas cannot be copywritten. Here's how it goes: Copyright is restricted to the expression in a fixed manner (text, recording, drawing) of an idea; it does not extend to the idea itself. I suppose at one time the Vatican had hegemony over images of the sacred, and for sure any authority they had to exert control lay only in the extent to which it was recognized by those who would seek to express themselves. Well, i hardly think that Womyn's Ware has the absolute last word, nor the absolute correct word, on what is kosher and what is not for representation of female exuberance. I wonder though, if that sentiment might be what would drive an initiative such as this one in the first place, that is, the idea that only ONE source is the correct one and all others must defer?