Australian disability sex aid startup Handi has changed its named to Bump’n following a trademark dispute with a Scandinavian company that makes a male masturbator called The Handy.
Handi founder Heather Morrison said they were approached by Norwegian sex tech company, who own the trademark for “The Handy”. They insisted the Australian startup change its name.
Bump’n’s co-founder and CEO said she tried to find a way for the two brands to co-exist.
By coincidence, the complained occurred around the time the Oslo-based parent company, Sweet Tech, posted a blog titled “The big problem of the small aggressions”, discussing “the microagressions that minorities face at work every day – and what can be done to help”.
Morrison said being forced to change her startup’s name was heartbreaking
“The name Handi meant so much more to us than a shorthand to hand job,” she said.
“It positively re-appropriated Handicapped, had deep meaning for us and the disabled community, and brought the fun and play that sex + disability deserves.”
Morrison co-founded Bump’n with disability consultant and activist Andrew Gurza two years ago to develop a line of sex tech for disabled people.
It emerged out of earlier research around the fact that millions of people around the world are prevented from masturbating due to hand limitations, from pain to immobility, a lack of dexterity and muscle weakness.
With the company still developing its sex aid to help disabled people, the main collateral damage for the business is a win for people keen to get a printed, limited edition copy of The Bump’n Book of Love, Lust & Disability, now heavily discounted – and with Handi on the cover.
The business took part in the Remarkable Tech accelerator program developed by the Cerebral Palsy Alliance in partnership with the University of Technology Sydney and FutureGov.
Morrison is upbeat about the new name and her company’s mission, especially because it puts an end to the trademark issues.
“Bump’n has so many reasons to swipe right: it beautifully expresses what we do with all the play and cheek we want; has undeniable sexual undertones without being crass – bump’n grind, bump’n uglies, bumps n lumps,” she said.
It nods to disability, We know that many people and disabilities come with bumps, bruises and scars – and that these points are often more sexually sensitive.”
More about Bump’n at getbumpn.com
Check out our bump’n new name! We’ve had to move away from Handi due to ™ issues. We know – how dare they! But we’re absolutely swooning over our new name and logo – Cuz you know we’re bump’n barriers to sexual pleasure 🙂 Read more here https://t.co/QrrROZoeK0#GetBumpn pic.twitter.com/P5pJRCOHkL
— getbumpn (@getbumpn) November 4, 2021
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