Patagonia, a hugely successful retailer of outdoor goods, has made a statement following international backlash to its trademark claim against climate activist and drag artist, Pattie Gonia.
Patagonia filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against the content creator in January. The case claimed the name ‘Pattie Gonia’ was too similar to its own trademark, in response to an application by the performer to claim legal ownership of their own public moniker.
But it’s more than just the name at issue; Patagonia has a strong reputation for environmental activism and sustainability, while Pattie Gonia, with 1.8 million followers on Instagram, is an immensely popular LGBTQIA+ voice in a similar space.
Patagonia wants to block ‘Pattie Gonia’ being trademarked to avoid confusion.
@pattiegoniabreaking my silence. today i’m speaking publicly for the first time about the lawsuit patagonia inc. has filed against me pattie gonia, a climate activist, in federal court. this is not a joke. this is happening.
Patagonia vs Pattie Gonia trademark battle
Last week, the drag artist posted an open letter asking supporters to petition the outdoor goods company to drop their case.
After intense backlash against both parties, and a highly visible international social media debate, the retailer finally issued a public statement this week.
“We wish this lawsuit had not been necessary, and we want to acknowledge any hurt it has caused, especially in the LGBTQ+ community,” Patagonia said on Instagram.
“We don’t want to argue trademark law on social media. Importantly, we continue to want to resolve this.
“As we have said to Pattie Gonia, we can do that if they withdraw all trademark applications, stop using our logos, stop selling and promoting apparel and other products as Pattie Gonia.”
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Pattie Gonia vs Ryan Gellert
Pattie Gonia also shared a video of Patagonia’s CEO, Ryan Gellert, speaking about the lawsuit at an industry conference.
Gellert claimed Pattie Gonia wouldn’t discuss the situation with him, saying, “The issue that we’re wrestling with isn’t about trying to silence somebody…not trying to take somebody’s identity away.”
In response, the drag artist claimed Gellert was lying, saying all they “wanted is peace,” and adding, “I’m willing to drop the trademark, and if I do that, you drop the lawsuit.”
The social media debate between the parties continued yesterday and overnight, with no resolution in sight.
Top image: Patagonia v Pattie Gonia: drag queen and retail giant battle over name. Image: Instagram