Pattie Gonia Breaks Silence on Patagonia Legal Battle: 'I'm Fighting for Myself and Us'

Pattie Gonia, the 33-year-old drag queen, activist, and environmentalist, has stepped forward with a public response to the trademark lawsuit filed against her by Patagonia, marking her first statement on the matter since the case began.

In a statement released Wednesday, May 27, Pattie detailed the allegations behind the legal action. According to the lawsuit, Patagonia contends she is causing "irreparable" harm to their brand through "motivational speaking services in support of environmental sustainability" and "organizing, arranging, and conducting trail and hiking events."

"This is not a joke. This is real," Pattie declared in her statement, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

The activist took issue with what she views as a contradiction in Patagonia's position. "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," she wrote.

Pattie revealed that she has spent the past four months working through various channels to resolve the dispute without court involvement, but ultimately felt she had only two options: "1. the erasure of my name, my advocacy, my community, and everyone i employ or 2. fight for myself and fight for us." She chose to fight, issuing a direct appeal: "Patagonia, drop the lawsuit."

According to court filings, Patagonia is seeking $1 in damages and attorneys' fees while attempting to bar her from selling merchandise bearing her name. However, Pattie characterized the financial request as misleading. "What they're actually trying to do is take away my name permanently and threaten me with more than $1 million dollars in legal fees," she stated, framing the case not as a brand dispute but as corporate intimidation.

"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," Pattie added.

In its January filing, Patagonia explained its legal position, stating the company had engaged with Pattie for over three years to find a workable arrangement. The company said that late in 2024, Pattie began selling apparel branded with her name and created versions of Patagonia's logo. When the company reached out requesting adherence to what it believed was an existing agreement, Pattie refused, according to Patagonia's statement.

The matter escalated when Pattie filed a trademark application in September 2025 seeking exclusive rights to use "Pattie Gonia" for selling clothing and apparel, promoting environmental activism, and conducting online marketing and endorsements.

Patagonia emphasized that consistent trademark enforcement is essential to preventing misuse by bad actors. "We cannot selectively choose to enforce our rights based on whether we agree with a particular point of view," the company stated. "Inconsistent enforcement might prevent us from stopping entities like the oil and gas lobby, counterfeiters, hate groups, or other bad actors from using the Patagonia name and logo."

The company added that it supports creative expression and environmental advocacy but believes such work should "respect Patagonia's intellectual property and ability to use our brand to sell products and advocate for the environment."

Pattie's career achievements include being named to Time's list of Next Generation Leaders and receiving the National Geographic Traveler of the Year award. The legal battle remains ongoing.