: Popular fiction often incorrectly uses "bar sinister" to describe a mark of "bastardy" or illegitimacy. While diagonal batons or bends were sometimes used for this purpose in specific regions, there was never a universal heraldic symbol for being born out of wedlock. Cultural Evolution: From Social Stigma to Radical Identity
: A diagonal line is called a "bend." When it runs from the top left (sinister) to the bottom right, it is a "bend sinister". bar sinister
: The name continues to resonate in modern L.A. through the Bar Sinister nightclub, a long-standing gothic and alternative venue. For its regulars, the name represents a boldness to defy the mainstream and a sanctuary for those searching for an alternative to conventional social scenes. : Popular fiction often incorrectly uses "bar sinister"
The "bar sinister" remains a potent literary trope. Authors like Vladimir Nabokov have used the related term "bend sinister" to explore themes of a "distorted" or "wrong" world. The phrase persists in the public consciousness because it sounds inherently "sinister" to modern ears, providing a convenient linguistic shorthand for anything outside the accepted "proper" line of descent or behavior. : The name continues to resonate in modern L
The phrase has moved far beyond the shields of medieval knights to represent those on the fringes of society:
: In the 1970s, a group of radical lawyers in Los Angeles adopted the name Bar Sinister for their "law commune". They represented marginalized groups, such as Chicano activists and women fighting sexist airline employment practices, effectively reclaiming a symbol of "illegitimacy" to challenge the status quo.