A drag queen and environmental activist has gone public with a legal battle they are facing against a well-known clothing brand that shares the same name. Pattie Gonia, a drag queen from the United States who uses their platform to spread awareness about environmental initiatives, has informed their millions of followers about the efforts of outdoor clothing brand Patagonia to sue them for filing a trademark for their name.
The Legal Dispute
Pattie, whose real name is Wyn Wiley, said that while the brand is only suing for one dollar, they would also be responsible for paying the “more than $1 million dollars in legal fees” from the lawsuit. Patagonia filed a lawsuit against the performer on January 21, which alleged that Wiley committed trademark infringements likely to cause “confusion, mistake, or deception” and “dilute Patagonia’s famous and distinctive marks by diminishing their distinctiveness and singular association with Patagonia.”
The legal document, published on the Patagonia website, states: “As a direct and proximate result of Pattie Gonia’s conduct, Patagonia is entitled to recover nominal damages in the amount of one dollar ($1.00) and an award of attorneys’ fees.”
Previous Agreement and New Products
The filings also included emails from the Patagonia team to Wiley detailing negotiations made when Pattie Gonia was planning to collaborate with the brand Hydroflask in 2022. These emails indicated that the drag queen was asked not to use ‘Pattie Gonia’ on any form of product. Patagonia argues that the release of recent products from Wiley, including apparel featuring their stage name, breaches this agreement.
In a statement, Patagonia expressed support for Pattie Gonia but said the drag queen had refused to adhere to the previous agreement. “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 statement said. “Pattie Gonia’s use of a near-copy of our name commercially – including as a brand for environmental advocacy – and their trademark application seeking to obtain the exclusive right to use that name going forward, pose long-term threats to Patagonia’s brand and our activism.”
Pattie Gonia’s Response
Pattie took to Instagram to share their thoughts about the ongoing legal dispute, posting a two-part video series and an open letter to Patagonia’s senior leadership teams. In the first video, they explained the situation from their perspective and suggested that the original terms of their agreement did not apply beyond the 2022 brand collaboration. “Patagonia, a multi-billion dollar corporation, went to federal court in January to say that I am causing irreparable harm for their brand by doing ‘motivational speaking services in support of environmental sustainability’ and ‘organising, arranging and conducting trail and hiking events,’” they said.
The second video saw the renowned drag queen offer the brand a new deal. Pattie referenced a video of Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert saying the lawsuit was mainly “a trademark issue.” “We have never had an interest in taking Pattie’s name away, identity away. Stopping them from performing drag or keeping them from engaging in environmental activism or more equitable access to the outdoors,” Mr Gellert said in the video. Pattie responded with a proposal: they would drop the trademark claim if the brand dropped the lawsuit against them. “The lawsuit hurts not only me and everything I’ve built but also the people I employ, the millions of people I try to inspire, and dozens of non-profit organisations that I have supported,” Pattie wrote in their open letter on May 27. “This lawsuit serves no good purpose. Let’s make peace and get back to our common love of the planet including our namesake region in South America named Patagonia.”
Public Reactions and Ongoing Conflict
The brand responded by releasing a statement on social media to update their customers. “We wish this lawsuit had not been necessary, and we want to acknowledge any hurt it has caused, especially in the LGBTQ+ community,” they said. The statement noted that the brand “don’t want to argue trademark law on social media” but reiterated that “we share common ground with (Pattie Gonia)” and reaffirmed their previous stance on the use of the Pattie Gonia name on products.
Pattie Gonia responded, saying the brand was trying to “erase my advocacy” and limit the partnerships that help fund their activism. “If I can’t do partnerships as Pattie Gonia, it breaks the whole ecosystem of advocacy and community engagement,” they said in a post on Monday. The performer has been in an ongoing dispute with the brand since January 2026.
In a statement published to their Instagram page, Pattie Gonia shared their feelings about the clothing brand’s actions: “(Patagonia) understand this because their work is built on the same model – advocacy work funded through commercial work. No deal, Patagonia.”
The lawsuit has divided public opinion online, with comments supporting both Pattie and the brand. Many compared the situation to another drag queen, Jan Sport, who collaborated with the brand of the same name and negotiated to drop the ‘Sport’ from their name for copyright reasons.
