The well-known climate activist and drag queen Pattie Gonia is being sued by the US outdoor company Patagonia. Image: www.imago-images.de
May 29, 2026, 4:14 p.mMay 29, 2026, 4:14 p.m
The US outdoor manufacturer Patagonia is dragging the well-known drag queen and climate activist Pattie Gonia to court in Los Angeles. The company accuses her of trademark infringement because she wants to sell clothing under her stage name.
Opposite that “Guardian” emphasizes the companythat this step had become necessary to protect the brand: “Although we wish we didn’t have to do this.” As the report states, the US company is suing the drag queen for symbolic damages of one dollar plus legal fees.
Pattie Gonia responded to the lawsuit for the first time on Wednesday, posting a video and a letter on Instagram that were addressed directly to the company.
In it, she called on Patagonia, among other things, to withdraw the lawsuit. She also criticizes the hypocrisy of the company, which is considered a pioneer of sustainability in the outdoor industry: “Patagonia claims to be in business to save the planet. But do they really believe that this is how the company’s financial resources and brand value should be used?”
This is not a brand conflict, the drag queen continues, but rather “here is a company trying to eliminate an activist. This is how companies bully individuals who cannot keep up with their resources.”
“It’s not about profit”
Patagonia defends itself against the allegations in an interview with the Guardian: “This is neither about financial gain nor about questioning a person’s identity or right to advocacy, protest or creative expression.”
The last thing the company wanted was a legal dispute with someone who shared the same values, “but we have to protect our company and our employees.” (ome)