Climate activist and drag performer Pattie Gonia, the stage persona of Wyn Wiley, is publicly pushing back against an ongoing trademark lawsuit filed by outdoor apparel company Patagonia. The dispute, which began after Patagonia sued in California in January, centers on the company’s claim that Pattie Gonia’s branding and business activity violate a prior trademark agreement and create confusion with the Patagonia name.
Pattie Gonia, who has built a large following by combining environmental advocacy, LGBTQ+ visibility, hiking culture, and drag performance, says the lawsuit is unfair and threatens the work behind her platform. In an open letter posted Wednesday on Threads and Instagram, she urged Patagonia to drop the case and asked followers to pressure the company to back off. She argued that she has not used Patagonia’s logo, font, or official branding on merchandise, and said the legal fight is putting pressure on her ability to continue operating.
In the post, Pattie Gonia described the company’s claims as extreme and said Patagonia is accusing her of causing “irreparable” harm through activities such as motivational speaking in support of environmental sustainability and organizing hiking events. She framed the lawsuit as more than a trademark dispute, arguing that it also affects the employees, nonprofits, and communities connected to her climate and queer advocacy work. She said that if Patagonia is choosing to sue a queer climate activist ahead of Pride Month, then the conflict is revealing a deeper contradiction between the company’s public image and its legal strategy.
Patagonia has defended the lawsuit by saying it spent years trying to resolve the matter privately before filing in court. In a statement shared with Outside Magazine, the company said it made multiple proposals and tried to protect its trademark while still allowing Pattie Gonia to continue her work, but said no agreement could be reached. Patagonia argued that protecting its trademark is necessary to preserve the trust, identity, and mission built by generations of employees, and that the legal action is part of safeguarding the company’s long-term ability to support environmental activism and community impact.
The company is reportedly seeking only $1 in nominal damages. Its main goals are said to be preventing Pattie Gonia from obtaining a federal trademark and stopping the sale of merchandise that Patagonia believes infringes on its brand.
The dispute has drawn attention because both sides are associated with progressive and environmental causes. Patagonia has long cultivated a reputation as a socially conscious outdoor brand, while Pattie Gonia is known as a prominent queer climate activist. That shared public image has made the lawsuit especially striking to observers, particularly because it is unfolding just before Pride Month.
Patagonia has also pursued trademark disputes in the past, including actions involving Gap and Anheuser-Busch, indicating that the company has a history of aggressively defending its brand. The current case, however, has become a highly visible clash between two influential figures in environmental and LGBTQ+ spaces, and the conflict appears unlikely to end soon.
