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ARTICLE · 03 FEBRUARY 2020

.GAY To Come Out Next Month

Hogan Lovells
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For LGBTQ individuals, organizations, businesses and their allies, .gay will serve as a virtual Pride flag and inclusive badge of honor.

GlobalIntellectual Property
David Taylor
David Taylor
Jane Seager
Jane Seager

The launch of the .GAY Top Level Domain (TLD), initially scheduled for October 2019 but postponed, will be kicking off with two Sunrise periods for trade mark holders commencing in February and running until 6 May 2020.

The Registry for .GAY, Top Level Design, has stated that:

"For LGBTQ individuals, organizations, businesses and their allies, .gay will serve as a virtual Pride flag and inclusive badge of honor. From personal artist profiles to Fortune 500 companies, everyone is welcome in the .gay family."

The Registry states on its website that a "Start Date" Sunrise period (a Sunrise as defined by ICANN and the Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH)) for trade mark holders will begin on 10 February 2020 and end on 31 March. A second, "Sunrise II", that will broaden acceptable marks beyond the TMCH, is planned from 6 April 2020 to 6 May 2020. Both Sunrise periods will be subject to a Sunrise Dispute Resolution Policy.

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