Drag queen and activist Pattie Gonia has called on Patagonia to drop its trademark lawsuit against them, claiming the clothing brand is "bullying" an individual over shared eco-goals.15:48, 29 May 2026Drag queen and environmentalist Pattie Gonia has called on clothing brand Patagonia to drop a trademark infringement lawsuit it filed against them on January 21.‌Wyn Wiley, who performs as Pattie Gonia, has built a platform of over three million followers across social media, using drag performance as a vehicle for environmental education, LGBTQ+ inclusion in outdoor spaces, and climate action. Last year, they raised $1m while hiking 100 miles in full drag to San Francisco.‌Patagonia claimed that branding associated with Pattie Gonia is “likely to cause confusion, mistake, or deception” among customers.‌It's suing Wiley for a "nominal" $1 in damages, plus legal fees after Wiley filed for a trademark application in September to use the brand Pattie Gonia to sell clothing and promote environmental activism, which it claims would “irreparably harm” the brand.The company said in January: "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.‌"We want Pattie to have a long and successful career and make progress on issues that matter – but in a way that respects Patagonia’s intellectual property and ability to use our brand to sell products and advocate for the environment."Taking to Instagram, Wiley asked Patagonia to drop the lawsuit. "This is not a joke. This is real," they began."Patagonia is taking me to court because they claim I’m causing 'irreparable' harm to their brand by doing, and wait for it, 'motivational speaking services in support of environmental sustainability' and 'organizing, arranging, and conducting trail and hiking events.'‌"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. 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 explained they were left with two choices, to erase their name, advocacy, community, and employees, or to "fight for myself and fight for us"."So I'm fighting, and I'm inviting you to join me in a simple call to action: Patagonia, drop the lawsuit," Wiley concluded.‌Wiley, who created the Pattie Gonia persona eight years ago said that this is "not a brand conflict" and claimed that this is "how corporations bully individuals who cannot match their resources".In an open letter sent to Patagonia's leadership, Wiley appeals to the brand's corporate and personal values "to save the home planet– a goal we both share."Content cannot be displayed without consent‌"If their executives and lawyers continue to pursue this lawsuit, it will make one thing clear: they are willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to grind me down so far that I can’t continue to operate," Wiley said.The Mirror has reached out to Wiley's team who stated that she was not adding to her public statements at this time.In an updated statement, Patagonia told The Mirror that it was unable to reach an agreement with Wiley.Article continues below"Over the past several years, we’ve tried to find a path forward that would allow Pattie Gonia to continue her work while also protecting the Patagonia trademark," the statement read. "These conversations have included multiple proposals—each intended to support that path—along with ongoing dialogue and genuine efforts to avoid this ending up in court. Unfortunately, we could not reach an agreement."Patagonia has a responsibility to protect the company that generations of employees have helped build. Not because a name matters more than people, but because that name carries trust, purpose, and decades of work connected to environmental activism, product, storytelling and community impact. Protecting the Patagonia trademark is part of protecting the ability of this company to continue doing that work in the future."This matter is not about seeking financial gain, nor is it about challenging anyone’s identity or right to advocacy, protest, or creative expression. The last thing we wanted was a legal fight with someone who shares our values, but we must protect our business and employees."