After clothing brand Patagonia sued drag artist Pattie Gonia for trademark infringement, the climate activist spoke out against the company’s claims.
Drag Queen Pattie Gonia Slams Patagonia’s Lawsuit, Alleges $1 Million Cost
One climate activist is speaking out about her legal troubles.
Pattie Gonia, a drag queen who uses her platform to raise awareness and funds for protecting the planet, pushed back against a lawsuit filed against her in January by the clothing brand Patagonia after she filed to trademark her drag name.
“Patagonia told the media they’re only suing me for $1,” Pattie wrote on Instagram May 28. “What they’re actually trying to do is take away my name permanently and threaten me with more than $1M million dollars in legal fees.”
While the lawsuit, obtained by E! News, is only seeking $1 in monetary damages from the drag performer, it also is requesting “reasonable attorneys’ fees and investigative expenses” and for the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles to limit the use of any name or word “that causes or is likely to cause confusion” about its association with the company.
The 33-year-old continued in her statement, “This is not a brand conflict. This is a corporation trying to erase an activist. This is how corporations bully individuals who cannot match their resources.”
While Patagonia’s lawsuit includes photos of Pattie with her name on stickers that resemble the Patagonia logo as examples of how she is profiting from the brand, she explained that those were created by fans and never sold on her website. Plus, she said she is willing to never feature their parodied logo—which she called “free PR”—ever again.
Furthermore, Pattie pointed out that her drag name is inspired by “a region in South America called Patagonia, a name that predates both me and the clothing brand by 500 years.”
Presley Ann/Getty Images for Out.com/equalpride
Amid the legal battle, Patagonia, who claimed in the suit that Pattie has caused “irreparable” harm and confusion about the brand name, spoke out about why they are suing the drag artist.
“Patagonia has a responsibility to protect the company that generations of employees have helped build,” the company shared in a May 28 statement to E! News. “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.”
The statement added, “Protecting the Patagonia trademark is part of protecting the ability of this company to continue doing that work in the future.”
The organization ended by emphasizing the end goal of their legal fight.
“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 statement continued. “The last thing we wanted was a legal fight with someone who shares our values, but we must protect our business and employees.”
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