DENVER (AP) 鈥� Days before the beginning of Pride Month in June, a glamorous drag queen with long, wavy red hair, a matching mustache and carabiner earrings stared into a camera and levied a against a famous sustainable outdoors apparel brand: 鈥淭his is a corporation trying to erase an activist.鈥�
The drag queen, Pattie Gonia, said in the video she was breaking her silence on a lawsuit filed against her by Patagonia, a brand blazed across the chests of adventure athletes and midtown Manhattan investment bankers alike. The apparel company is suing her for $1 for alleged trademark infringement, although experts say legal fees could easily surpass $1 million.
A maelstrom of social media posts quickly followed, as drag has a long history of parodying famous names. Many that a climate-friendly clothing brand would appear to go after a beloved climate activist. Pattie Gonia for leveling the accusation against Patagonia, a company considered by many as a leader in sustainability, without painting a full picture of the case.
Why Patagonia is suing Pattie Gonia
Pattie Gonia, whose given name is Wyn Wiley, is a drag queen based in Bend, Oregon. She is known for her climate activism and has a combined following of nearly 3 million people on TikTok and Instagram. She first went viral in 2018 after posting a clip wearing high heels while camping.
She makes short, educational videos about climate change, with the 鈥淪ave Her! Environmental Drag Show,鈥� and is known for mobilizing climate activists and raising money for climate organizations.
Patagonia says that Pattie Gonia infringed on its trademark by selling clothing and products under the 鈥淧attie Gonia鈥� name, which they say confuses consumers.
鈥淭here doesn鈥檛 have to be actual consumer confusion to win a trademark infringement suit. If consumers are likely to be confused, that is sufficient,鈥� said Tim Holbrook, an intellectual property professor at the University of Denver.
The company filed , which included screenshots of consumer confusion, on Jan. 21. Pattie Gonia announced, and criticized, the lawsuit on May 27. This initially sparked confusion, with many believing Patagonia had filed the complaint around Pride Month.
Pattie Gonia declined to say whether the timing of her announcement was intentional.
In September 2025, she filed a trademark application for the 鈥淧attie Gonia鈥� name to, among other things, sell apparel. Several months later, Patagonia sued.
According to the complaint, the clothing company reached out in 2022 after hearing about a fundraising collaboration between the performer and Hydroflask, an outdoors accessory brand. On a phone call, it asked the performer not to sell products with the Patagonia logo, font or the name 鈥淧attie Gonia,鈥� and outlined the points over email.
The company then followed up over email three years later when Pattie Gonia began selling clothing with her name on it. After a brief exchange, the clothing brand asked the performer to meet and discuss 鈥渄ifferent understandings of where we left things related to Patagonia’s trademarks when this last came up.鈥�
The performer called the complaint one-sided and said it 鈥渕isrepresented not only the facts but also my personal integrity.鈥�
It’s common for companies to sue to stop trademark filings
McDonald’s sued a dental practice with the name 鈥淢cDental.鈥� Starbucks sued 鈥淪ambucks,鈥� an Oregon-based coffee house. Even Patagonia has fought off brand copycats 鈥淐atagonia,鈥� 鈥淔ratagonia鈥� and others, according to the complaint.
It’s a high bar to clear to trademark something similar to an existing brand, said Carmel Imani, a trademark lawyer who represents small creators and brands.
鈥淚 get rejections for trademarks for my clients that are way less similar than these brand names,鈥� she said about Pattie Gonia and Patagonia.
In trademark law, a complaint is about far more than a singular dispute 鈥� it’s about the big picture of whether a brand will be protected from future disputes by others, said Lara Pearson, trademark attorney with Brand Geek.
By allowing similar brands with similar goods and services, 鈥淎re we setting a precedent that we鈥檙e not going to be able to walk back from later?鈥� she said.
The backlash has been swift
After Pattie Gonia alleged erasure, supporters and allies quickly spoke up, asking how such a reputable company could sue a queer climate activist, some going as far as donating Patagonia clothing.
The day after Pattie Gonia’s announcement, supporter Jim Gregory posted a to TikTok outside of a Goodwill donation center where he said he was dropping off his Patagonia hat.
鈥淚 think that you just completely wrecked your company, at least from my demographic, the LGBTQ demographic,鈥� Gregory said to the camera.
Cleo Schroer, a Brooklyn-based researcher on queer politics and culture who has also been about the case, said she initially felt like Patagonia was in the wrong, but that something didn鈥檛 sit right. Then she read the complaint.
鈥淪aying that Patagonia was trying to silence a drag queen or a queer activist … it just felt inaccurate,鈥� she said.
Patagonia took its name from the region
Patagonia is a diverse region in southern Chile and Argentina, with glaciers, mountains and fjords to the west, stretching into steppe and desert toward the east. It has long been occupied by Indigenous peoples, including the Mapuche, Tehuelche and others.
Founder Yvon Chouinard decided the name would be perfect for an apparel brand targeting a range of outdoors enthusiasts. After more than a decade of selling clothes as 鈥淧atagonia,鈥� the company filed for and was granted the trademark.
鈥淵ou can certainly protect a name even if it’s the name of a geographic region or location,鈥� said trademark attorney Josh Gerben. 鈥淭here’s Chevy Tahoe, GMC Denali, Arizona Tea Company and many more,鈥� he explained. It’s nuanced, but how well known the region is at the time of the trademark is a factor the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office would weigh, he said.
Since 1973, the apparel brand has built a profitable business off of Patagonia, now a sought-after destination for outdoors enthusiasts.
Some progress has been made toward resolving the dispute
If Pattie Gonia’s application is eventually approved by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Patagonia would be able to file an opposition, which could take years to resolve, Gerben said. But it’s a moot point.
鈥淭he lawsuit will control the situation,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f Patagonia wins the lawsuit, the Federal Court can tell the USPTO to deny the application.鈥�
Still, both sides have made small steps toward the middle, Imani observed. Pattie Gonia said she would drop the trademark application if Patagonia drops the suit. The clothing brand issued a statement that recognized 鈥渁ny hurt (the lawsuit) has caused, especially in the LBGTQ+ community,鈥� but said the suit could only be dropped if Pattie Gonia stops using their logo, font and her name in 鈥渟elling and promoting apparel and other products.鈥�
Pattie Gonia agreed to the first two but not the third. At some point, her website went from to , a change the performer did not answer questions about.
鈥淲e are very open and want to find a resolution,鈥� said Corley Kenna, chief impact and communications officer for Patagonia, but did not offer details.
The best resolution, said Gerben, would be to avoid court and reach an agreement.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always more ideal because it provides certainty to both parties. And you鈥檙e not going in front of a jury wondering who鈥檚 gonna win,鈥� he said.
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