3 days ago
Archie MitchellBusiness reporter
Evan Benally Atwood
A drag queen named Pattie Gonia has urged outdoor apparel company Patagonia to drop a lawsuit in which it alleges the performer is causing “irreparable” damage to its brand.
Wyn Wiley, who performs as Pattie Gonia, said the firm was threatening “the erasure of my name, my advocacy, my community” and the livelihoods of those employed by the drag queen and climate activist.
“If Patagonia wants to celebrate Pride Month this year by taking a queer climate activist to federal court, then I’m here to fight for myself,” Wylie said.
Patagonia told the BBC “the last thing we wanted was a legal fight with someone who shares our values”, but that it was acting to protect its business and employees.
Wylie has amassed millions of online followers performing as Pattie Gonia, including through charity fundraisers such as a 100-mile (160km) hike in drag.
In an open letter to Patagonia’s leadership, Wylie said Pattie Gonia had raised $3.7m (£2.7m) for environmental causes altogether.
The performer said the Patagonia trademark lawsuit amounted to its CEO Ryan Gellert and other executives deciding that “I must cease to exist”.
It was the artist’s first time addressing the lawsuit, which Patagonia filed back in January in Los Angeles, California.
Patagonia’s legal action alleges Pattie Gonia competes “directly with the products and advocacy” upon which the firm built its brand.
The company said in the filing that it was responding to Wylie’s application to trademark Pattie Gonia as a brand, moving from simply using the persona to potentially selling products and organising events.
It accused the performer of breaking an agreement with the firm about how to use the Pattie Gonia name – including use of fonts and designs with similarities to Patagonia’s logo.
The company said it would have filed a lawsuit regardless of whether the Oregon-based performer shared its values.
The firm is asking for a nominal $1 plus legal fees, to stop Pattie Gonia from being registered as a trademark.
The company, named after a remote region of South America spanning Argentina and Chile, was founded in 1973.
