TikTok’s Jools Lebron in Trademark Dispute Over Viral Catchphrase

The content creator behind TikTok’s “demure” trend is now tangled in a trademark dispute over the viral catchphrase.

Jools Lebron gained attention with a satirical clip suggesting women should present themselves conservatively in the workplace, advising employees to choose “demure” and “mindful” looks. Lebron, who identifies as a transgender woman, has collaborated with brands like Netflix and Verizon due to the trend’s popularity, even funding her gender transition with the earnings from her videos.

However, Lebron recently revealed in a now-deleted video that she “didn’t trademark fast enough.” TMZ reports that a man from Washington named Jedderson Bates has filed to trademark “very demure…very mindful” after Lebron’s catchphrase went viral.

“I wanted to do so much for my family and provide for my transition,” Lebron said in the now-deleted post. “I just feel like I dropped the ball.”

If Bates’ application succeeds, Lebron won’t be able to use the catchphrase on official merchandise or in sponsored content in Washington unless she obtains a federal trademark.

Meanwhile, Raluca Pop, founder of Hive Social, told NBC News she filed an application for the phrase “very demure, very cutesy” in California to support Lebron. “Once I saw that this other guy tried to steal it out from under her, I realized that he didn’t trademark the remainder of her phrase, ‘very cutesy,’” Pop explained. She intends to transfer the trademark to Lebron so she can benefit from it.

The “demure” trend has soared on TikTok, with over 86,200 videos using audio from Lebron’s initial post. In the short video that catapulted her to fame, Lebron says, “A lot of you girls go to the interview looking like Marge Simpson and go to the job looking like Patty and Selma. Not demure. I’m very modest. I’m very mindful. You see my shirt? Only a little chee chee out, not my cho cho. Be mindful of why they hired you.”

Lebron then adds, “Here’s your reality check, diva. What’s the name you’d like me to make it out to?”

Thanks to Lebron, internet users everywhere are now placing the word “demure” in new contexts, such as eating doughnuts and buying groceries.

Lebron has amassed 2.1 million TikTok followers and over 100 million likes across her profile’s videos.