Drag queen and social media star Pattie Gonia represents an unexpected side of the great outdoors. Just by existing in their technicolour glory amid the wonders of the open air, they’re breaking down the idea that nature is a place limited to straight, non-minorities. From their glammed-out Instagram to running a LGBTQIA+ job board to fundraising for Bipoc non-profits, the environmental drag queen has become a major voice with this message: everyone belongs outdoors.
It’s a lesson they internalised while playing on their grandparents’ ranch in Nebraska as a child. “The clear narrative [for LGBTQIA+ kids] is to run to cities for acceptance,” they explain. “I feel like running into the forest and being the queer little fairy you are is the most amazing way to connect with this planet and with yourself – so that’s what I’m doing.”
Since their first video went viral in 2018, Gonia’s nature-inspired looks have grown to elaborate heights, including nods to The Sound Of Music, Ariana Grande in Don’t Look Up, and even Marie Antoinette, featuring a dress created from 1,000 wrappers and plastic bags they collected during quarantine. Even amid their impressive theatrics, the takeaway is always clear: you don’t have to fit into a predetermined mould to enjoy nature and want to protect it. It’s a message that Gonia also drives home by leading group hikes across the US, fabulously hitting the trail in six-inch heels. (If you want to join, keep an eye on their social media. They promise more will be scheduled across the US throughout 2022.)
“If you are feeling disconnected from this world, put your screen down, put a pair of shoes on and just go outside,” they say. “For me, there are many days that’s [simply] me painting my nails in my backyard... More people are getting outside than ever, especially more queer people and more people who’ve been systemically left out. I’m just grateful to be a leader in some capacity, and a follower in many others.”
Laura Studarus is a Los Angeles-based travel journalist who has written for BBC, Thrillist, Vice and Marie Claire
