Drag queen activist blasts clothing giant over trademark infringement lawsuit

Drag queen and environmentalist Pattie Gonia poses for portraits during Mountainfilm documentary festival in Telluride, C.O., on Saturday May 25, 2024. (Photo by Sarah Silbiger for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

A popular drag queen and environmental activist known as “Pattie Gonia” responded Wednesday to a lawsuit filed by clothing giant Patagonia, claiming the company is trying to erase an activist.

In its trademark infringement lawsuit, Patagonia says the drag queen’s products and services are a direct competitor and that it must protect the brand it has spent 50 years building.

Patagonia, which gets its name from a large geographical region spanning Argentina and Chile, filed the lawsuit against Wyn Wiley, who performs as Pattie Gonia, on Jan. 21 in Los Angeles federal court.

The company, which is seeking $1 in damages plus legal fees, said it took action after Wiley filed a trademark application to use the name Pattie Gonia to sell clothing and promote environmental activism. Patagonia claims the move would “irreparably harm” its brand.

Wiley posted a video on social media Wednesday addressing the lawsuit and shared an open letter sent to the company.

“Patagonia told the media they’re only suing me for a dollar. What they’re actually trying to do is take away my name permanently and threaten me with more than $1 million in legal fees,” Wiley said in the video.

The drag queen argues the dispute is not a brand conflict but an example of a corporation trying to erase an activist.

“This is how corporations bully individuals who cannot match their resources, because this would take away not only my activism and my career, but also the livelihoods of the team I employ,” Wiley said.

Patagonia’s social media accounts have been flooded with comments from Pattie Gonia supporters, calling on the company to drop the lawsuit.

“This is a betrayal of Patagonia’s core mission. Because if they’re ‘in business to save the home planet,’ why are they suing a climate activist?” Wiley said.

Wiley said they have tried to reach an amicable settlement with the company, without success. They acknowledged their merchandise has involved “playful parody” of Patagonia but denied ever using its branding, logo or font.

“While we wish we didn’t have to do this, and actively engaged with Pattie for several years to avoid this, it has become necessary to protect the brand we have spent the last 50 years building,” the company said in a January statement. “We want Pattie to have a long and successful career and make progress on issues that matter, but in a way that respects Patagonia’s intellectual property and ability to use our brand to sell products and advocate for the environment.”

Last year, Wiley, who has millions of followers online, raised $1 million while hiking 100 miles in full drag from Point Reyes National Seashore to San Francisco.

They also partnered with The North Face for their 2022 “Summer of Pride” series, which was comprised of four outdoor community-building events focused on local LGBTQ+ engagement and acceptance.

https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/pattie-gonia-drag-queen-patagonia-lawsuit/