Patagonia Sues Drag Queen "Pattie Gonia" for Trademark Infringement
Outdoor apparel company Patagonia has sued drag queen and environmental activist Pattie Gonia— the persona of Oregon-based Wyn Wiley—for trademark infringement, prompting backlash from activists and LGBTQ+ advocates. Pattie Gonia said Patagonia filed the lawsuit in January seeking $1 plus attorneys’ fees, which she estimated could total around $1 million, and argued the case is an attempt to “erase an activist” with 1.8 million Instagram followers who says she has raised nearly $5 million for nonprofits supporting outdoor access for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities. Patagonia, described as a $3 billion clothing brand, alleges in filings in US Federal Court in Los Angeles that Wiley violated a prior agreement by attempting to commercialize the parody mark “Pattie Gonia” after filing a trademark application covering merchandise and motivational speaking services related to environmental sustainability. Wiley denied Patagonia’s claims and said her work falls within performance art traditions of parody, while Patagonia said the lawsuit is about protecting its ability to continue its mission and not about financial gain or challenging identity or advocacy.
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