A drag performer who has raised $3.7 million for environmental causes is locked in a legal battle with one of the world’s best-known outdoor clothing companies over a name that has become central to her activism. Pattie Gonia, the stage persona of environmental activist Wyn Wiley, is being sued by Patagonia over alleged trademark infringement. The California-based outdoor apparel company filed the lawsuit in January 2026, claiming that the name, merchandise and designs associated with the performer could create confusion with its established brand. The unusual part of the case is the amount Patagonia is seeking, just $1 in monetary damages. However, the dispute goes beyond money, with the company also seeking restrictions on the use of the name.
Who is Pattie Gonia and how did she become an environmental activist?
Pattie Gonia is the drag persona created by environmental activist and performer Wyn Wiley, who identifies as non-binary. Wiley uses they/them pronouns out of drag, while Pattie Gonia uses she/her pronouns as a drag character. The persona first attracted attention in 2018 after Wiley posted photographs and videos of hiking in high heels. Since then, Pattie Gonia has combined outdoor adventures and drag artistry to challenge conventional ideas about who belongs in outdoor spaces.Wiley’s activism is closely connected to LGBTQ+ inclusion and community building. Having spoken about the challenges of growing up gay in Nebraska and feeling pressure to conform to traditional expectations of masculinity, Wiley created Pattie Gonia to encourage queer people to express themselves freely and feel welcome in nature. The performer organises outdoor gatherings and group hikes, including events for LGBTQ+ and transgender communities. Wiley also co-founded the Outdoorist Oath in 2022, an initiative focused on environmental protection, inclusion and outdoor exploration, and has supported LGBTQ+ youth through organisations such as Brave Trails.Wiley has raised $3.7 million for environmental causes through performances, social media campaigns and fundraising initiatives. One prominent effort was a 100-mile hike from Point Reyes to San Francisco in December 2025, undertaken in drag to raise money for environmental organisations. The campaign reportedly generated around $1.2 million. Wiley was also named to TIME magazine’s 2023 Next Generation Leaders list.
Why is Patagonia suing Pattie Gonia?
Patagonia filed its trademark infringement lawsuit against Wiley and their company, Entrepreneur Enterprises Inc., in the US District Court for the Central District of California on January 21, 2026.The company argues that the name Pattie Gonia is too similar to its own trademark. It alleges that the use of similar logos, designs and branding could lead consumers to believe that the performer or her products are connected to, sponsored by or endorsed by Patagonia.The dispute reportedly dates back to 2022, when Patagonia raised concerns about the name during discussions involving a proposed collaboration with outdoor equipment company Hydro Flask. According to the lawsuit, the parties reached an understanding under which Wiley could continue using the persona for activism and related activities but would not commercialise the name as a brand.Patagonia alleges that Wiley subsequently began selling Pattie Gonia-branded clothing in late 2024 and continued using designs resembling its logos. The company also objected to Wiley’s application to trademark the name, filed in 2025. It argues that the branding could weaken the distinctiveness of its trademarks and create confusion about the source of products and services.
Why is Patagonia seeking just $1 in damages?
Despite taking the dispute to federal court, Patagonia is seeking only $1 in nominal monetary damages. Its complaint also asks the court to stop Wiley from using Pattie Gonia as a trademark for apparel and other products, prevent further action on the trademark application and restrict the use of branding it considers too similar to its own.In a statement published in May 2026, Patagonia said it had spent several years trying to find an arrangement that would allow Wiley to continue their activism while protecting its trademarks. The company said the lawsuit was not intended to generate money but to safeguard its intellectual property.Patagonia also said it was not seeking to challenge anyone’s identity or right to creative expression, advocacy or protest. Founded in 1973, the company has made environmental activism a central part of its corporate identity and says it has contributed more than $240 million to environmental organisations.
Pattie Gonia says the lawsuit threatens her identity and work
Wiley publicly addressed the lawsuit in May 2026, accusing Patagonia of attempting to erase an activist. In an Instagram video and an open letter to the company’s leadership, Wiley argued that the case could threaten the identity and community built around the Pattie Gonia persona.Wiley also estimated that the legal fight could cost more than $1 million in legal fees, far exceeding the $1 Patagonia is seeking in damages. They disputed the company’s claims about the use of its branding, arguing that some of the examples cited in the lawsuit involved parody and fan art.Wiley has maintained that the name was inspired by Patagonia, the geographical region in South America, rather than being created to imitate the clothing company. They have also said they want to reach an agreement that would allow them to retain the name while respecting Patagonia’s intellectual property.The dispute has drawn criticism from supporters and members of the environmental and LGBTQ+ communities. Patagonia, meanwhile, has maintained that it made several attempts to resolve the matter before filing the lawsuit.
Trademark dispute reaches the US trademark board
The disagreement has also moved into a separate proceeding before the US Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.On October 2, 2026, Patagonia filed an opposition against Wiley’s application to register the PATTIE GONIA trademark. The proceeding was suspended on October 8 pending the outcome of the federal lawsuit, according to the board’s official record. The suspension means the trademark application remains contested, but it does not amount to a finding of infringement.The federal case is scheduled for a jury trial on January 26, 2027, with a pretrial conference set for January 11. The court has also referred the parties to private mediation, with a deadline of November 27, 2026.
