With claims of trademark infringement, Pride Houston files a federal lawsuit against New Faces of Pride Houston.
Pride Houston 365, a long-running organization that has planned parades and festivals honoring the LGBTQ+ community in the city, filed a trademark infringement lawsuit this week against a recently established nonprofit that has similar plans for the upcoming summer.
New Faces of Pride Houston is accused of trademark dilution and unfair competition by Pride Houston in a federal lawsuit that was filed in Houston on Wednesday. The latter organization was founded earlier this year, and the suit requests that a judge grant a temporary restraining order against it in addition to both temporary and permanent injunctions that would prohibit New Faces of Pride Houston from “marketing, advertising, soliciting donations, or offering for sale services.”
A downtown parade and festival is being promoted by New Faces of Pride Houston on June 22, 2024, which is one week prior to the Pride Houston events. The group with a longer tenure claims that prospective vendors, supporters, and attendees are confused as a result of the conflicting events and the new organization’s similar name and logo.
“(New Faces of Pride Houston) has contacted (Pride Houston’s) consumers directly under the guise of being identical to (Pride Houston’s) organization,” the complaint states. “The goal of the defendant’s actions was to gain a commercial and competitive edge over the plaintiff. Such behavior is unlawful, tortious, and wrongful. The defendant’s conduct is not in line with ethical business practices. Plaintiff has been harmed directly by the acts of the Defendant and will continue to be harmed directly by them.”
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