Outdoor clothing company Patagonia has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Wyn Wiley, the environmentalist drag performer known as Pattie Gonia. The lawsuit, filed on 21 January in federal court in Los Angeles, seeks a nominal $1 in damages plus legal fees.
Patagonia claims that Wiley’s September trademark application for the brand Pattie Gonia to sell clothing and promote environmental activism would “irreparably harm” its brand. The company stated, “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.”
Wiley, who has raised nearly $4 million for non-profits through their drag persona, responded publicly on Instagram on Wednesday, calling the lawsuit a “betrayal of Patagonia’s core mission.” They said, “If they’re ‘in business to save the home planet’, why are they suing a climate activist?” Wiley added that the legal fees to fight the case would be substantial, accusing the company of “trying to erase an activist.”
Wiley acknowledged that their merchandise involved “playful parody” of Patagonia but denied using its branding, logo, or font, stating, “Drag is built on parody, puns and jokes.” Thousands of Pattie Gonia fans have flooded Patagonia’s social media, calling on the company to drop the lawsuit.
Patagonia responded by saying it had tried to find a path forward through multiple proposals but could not reach an agreement. The company emphasised, “This matter is not about seeking financial gain, nor is it about challenging anyone’s identity or right to advocacy, protest, or creative expression.”
