There’s Patagonia, the famous outdoor clothier, and then there’s Pattie Gonia, a dragster who enjoys poking fun at the former.
The clothier decided to put its foot down and filed a $1 lawsuit against poor Pattie, according to The Guardian.
Pattie is crying foul, claiming the clothing giant is “trying to erase an activist.”
Patagonia, which takes its name from an enormous geographical region spanning Argentina and Chile, filed its trademark infringement lawsuit against Pattie in Los Angeles federal court.
The company, which is suing Wiley for a “nominal” $1 in damages plus legal fees, said it took action after Pattie filed a trademark application to use the brand Pattie Gonia to sell clothing and promote environmental activism, which it claims would “irreparably harm” its brand.
“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,” the company said.
“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,” it added.
Wyn Wiley, who performs as Pattie Gonia, has accumulated millions of followers online for his/her/their environmental activism, raising almost $4 million for non-profits so far.
Pattie last year raised $1 million while hiking 100 miles in full drag from Point Reyes national seashore to San Francisco.
She/he/they responded to the lawsuit publicly for the first time in a video on Instagram, and shared a letter sent to Patagonia’s directors asking them to drop the legal action.
“This is a betrayal of Patagonia’s core mission,” Pattie said. “Because if they’re ‘in business to save the home planet,’ why are they suing a climate activist?
“Over the last four months since the lawsuit was filed, I have stayed silent and worked every channel I had to resolve this without going to court,” Pattie added. “But in the end, I had two choices. The erasure of my name, my advocacy, my community, and everyone I employ. Or fight for myself and fight for us.”
Pattie Gonia uses she/her and they/them pronouns when in drag, and while out of drag Wyn Wiley uses he/him and they/them pronouns.
Wiley, who identifies as a gay man, lives in Oregon.
