Climate activist and drag queen Pattie Gonia is speaking out against outdoor clothing and gear brand Patagonia for dragging the carabiner-earring-wearing man through the legal mud in an effort to take away his name.
Pattie Gonia, whose real name is Wyn Wiley, says the adventure company has no right to demand the drag queen’s name because he named his drag persona after the South American region, not the company.
“Patagonia told the media they’re only suing me for a $1, what they’re actually trying to do is take away my name permanently, and threaten me with more than $1 million in legal fees.
“This is not a brand conflict. This is a corporation trying to erase an activist,” Wiley added.
Patagonia sued Wiley for “irreparable” damage, claiming in its lawsuit that the brand “must protect its iconic trademarks, even when it supports or agrees with Pattie Gonia’s views, message, or objectives.”
Wiley came to an agreement with the company in 2022 that he would respect the brand’s trademarks — but then turned around and filed an application with the US Patent and Trademark Office to use the “Pattie Gonia” brand for a host of commercial endeavors two years later, according to court docs.
Wiley’s trademark application showed he intends to “launch a wide-ranging commercial enterprise under the PATTIE GONIA brand” including apparel sales, and using the name to promote his upcoming shows and appearances, according to the complaint filed recently in US District Court for the Central District of California and obtained by Bloomberg Law.
The trademark application “reflects a departure” from the drag performer’s agreement to use his name for activism, Patagonia alleged.
Emails exchanged between Wiley and Patagonia from 2022 reveal that the company specifically asked he refrain from using the company’s logos “or any substantially similar designs,” including Patagonia’s familiar Belwe font.
“Patagonia remains supportive of your work but must insist that the Pattie Gonia persona not be commercialized and continue to adhere to the commitments made in 2022,” the email reads.
“Unfortunately, these latest product sales force Patagonia’s hand and so I’m asking that you discontinue sales of t-shirts and stickers (or any product) using Pattie Gonia branding or designs substantially similar to Patagonia’s logos.”
Wiley maintains that Patagonia is mistaken and called it out for the lawsuit against him.
“Patagonia Inc. claims ‘they’re in business to save the home planet’ if this is what saving the home planet looks like to them, then one of us has profoundly misunderstood the assignment, and it’s not me,” he wrote on Instagram.
“Over the last 4 months since the lawsuit was filed, i have stayed silent and worked every channel i had to resolve this without going to court,” Wiley continued, saying they had the option to endure “the erasure of my name” or fight against the lawsuit.
“So i’m fighting, and i’m inviting you to join me in a simple call to action: patagonia, drop the lawsuit,” he concluded.
Wiley claims that Patagonia is suing him for “irreparable harm” related to his “motivational speaking services in support of environmental sustainability” and “organizing, arranging, and conducting trail and hiking events.”
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