When it comes to merging artistry with activism, nobody does it with quite as much aplomb as Pattie Gonia. The critically acclaimed drag queen, musician, and environmentalist first stepped into her signature high heels in 2018 and never looked back. To date, Pattie’s community is more than a million strong across her social media platforms, where followers can watch her hike, climb, sail and surf, all while in drag.
Her performances are infused with powerful messages about climate change and inclusivity, inspiring audiences to be a “unique species in a meadow” rather than cogs in a machine. She has helped organize Pride events across California in destinations like Bishop, Truckee, and Yosemite National Park. Pattie is also the cofounder of Outdoorist Oath, a nonprofit that gets BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and women in the outdoors through community and education.
During her appearance on the California Now Podcast, Pattie shares what it was like road-tripping up the California Coast for her upcoming show, Go Gently, featuring Harry Potter star Bonnie Wright. Here, Pattie shares a handful of her Golden State loves, from her favorite ways to play to a certain California song that speaks to the joy of embracing one’s true self.
Who or what is your greatest California love? Mother Nature. Duh!
What is the biggest misperception about Californians? I think the biggest misconception is that they're not outdoor people. They are outdoor people! There's a lot more Californians I've met that are way more connected to the outdoors than I would ever think.
What is the stereotype that most holds true? Everyone's a little gay.
What is your favorite Golden State splurge? Any Asian food in San Francisco.
Time for a road trip—where are you going? I am going on a day hiking trip in San Francisco because there's so much incredible hiking that you can do. Specifically, I would do the Dipsea Trail, which is right outside of San Francisco up on Mount Tamalpais. I would choose a day hike because then you can come back to the city right afterward and you can go to the Inner Sunset and you can eat the most delicious Asian food you'll ever have in your life. Then you can sleep in your own bed. And again, for me, that's redefining “outdoorsy.” It's not just when I backpack 15 miles in a day and sleep in a tent—that's fun—but so is a day hike, and that matters.
If you could decree an official state culinary experience, what would it be? We need to eat more food outside! For real, I think that food tastes better outside. I think we need to up our charcuterie game. I would say charcuterie must pass a nine out of 10 score and we should be eating outside.
What is your favorite way to play in California? Outside and with friends. I really think that the outdoors are better with friends. I also think the power of an invitation is so powerful. Why not invite our friends to join us and do our favorite things outdoors? That can change someone's life.
Where would you go for the ultimate shopping spree in California? The grocery store in Yosemite National Park, because they carry It's-Its, which, I mean, if anyone is from California, you know how good an It's-It is. And it's made in California. It's-It is an ice cream sandwich that has two oatmeal cookies and ice cream in the inside and it's covered in chocolate. I would do a shopping spree at that grocery store and I would buy a thousand It's-Its, and I'd hand them out in the park.
Best California song? Right now, the best California song is “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan, because that song is about being who you are and embracing who you are and doing that in West Hollywood, California. And I think while she might prefer West Hollywood in California, I prefer a forest. My Pink Pony Club is the forest.
What’s your favorite hidden gem in California? I would say the TreePeople trails, which is this incredible outdoor system of hiking trails in the middle of Los Angeles. It's managed again by the nonprofit called TreePeople, and it is amazing because anyone can go, it's open to the public. They do incredible education, especially for youth on site. They have a little upper stage, so there's great music that comes through, and it is just amazing how accessible they're making getting outdoors in the middle of a big city.
How would your California dream day unfold? My California dream day would start by unzipping a tent, and then after unzipping a tent, I get very hungry, very fast, so I would need an immediate breakfast. I would make breakfast for myself on my little camp stove and I'd look out at some beautiful vista in California, probably in the Eastern Sierra. And then I would probably slap 10 mosquitoes dead on my body because as beautiful as the Eastern Sierra is, those mosquitoes are a bitch. Then I would hike and I would get tired and I would eat more food, specifically refuel with peanut M&M’s because duh. Then I would have an incredible conversation with some of my best friends that I'm traveling with because nature is better with friends. Finally, I would go to sleep because hiking tires me out and people think that my ankles struggle because of high heels, but really my ankles struggle because a backpack when you're backpacking is heavy as hell. So that would be my dream California day.