Obscenity or discrimination? Applicant decries rejection of SOAP PICKER mark in Taiwan

In a story which has gained traction in Chinese language media, a homemade soap company has raised an outcry over the fact that the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) has rejected its application for a trademark which translates roughly to ‘soap picker’. TIPO reportedly reached the decision because the proposed mark “refers to gay sex” and was “detrimental to public morals”. However, one commentator argues that the decision is more nuanced.