Drag queen Pattie Gonia could sue Trump over anti-trans ads

Drag queen and climate activist Pattie Gonia, who was recently featured in an anti-Transgender Attack statement from the former president Donald Trump's campaign, is considering legal action. The ad, which has drawn much criticism, is aimed at the vice president Kamala Harris for their support of gender affirmation Healthcare for people in state custody as part of the constitutional protection for access to health care for incarcerated people.

The lawyer First reported about the ad at the end of September.

The ad, which aired during key football games over the weekend, also featured images of Assistant Secretary of Health Rachel Levine, a transgender woman, and other LGBTQ+ figures in the Biden-Harris administration. It includes a segment by Pattie Gonia with Harris, highlighting Harris' support for gender-affirming care during an interview with the National Center for Transgender Equality in 2020. It ends with the narrator saying, “Kamala is for she/them. President Trump is for you.”

Pattie Gonia, a content creator and prominent advocate of LGBTQ+ Rights and Environmental Concerns, addressed the situation on social media Thursday, expressing her frustration over the unauthorized use of her image. In an Instagram video, she said, “Thousands of you letting me know that I'm in a Trump ad that attacks queer and trans people. “Wasn't necessarily on my bingo card this year.” Pattie Gonia further stated that her legal team is reviewing options for using her likeness, adding: “We are reviewing legal options and will respond accordingly.”

Pattie Gonia's spokesperson, Jenny Dugan, confirmed the possibility of legal action in a statement to The lawyer. “We are currently exploring legal options and have been advised not to discuss this further at this time,” Dugan said.

Pattie Gonia has used the moment to raise awareness and support for gender-equitable healthcare by appealing for donations via a link in her bio. “I'm going to do what queer people always do: turn our pain into something positive,” she said in her post.

On Friday afternoon, Pattie Gonia updated her Instagram story: “Thank you! You managed! They raised $15,000 for transgender healthcare in one day.”