Drag Queen Pattie Gonia named 'Traveler of the Year' by National Geographic

Drag queen Wyn Wylie with the stage name “Pattie Gonia” has been named a "Traveler of the Year" by corporate media organization National Geographic. 

The article published in January named several different individuals as "Travelers of the Year." Atop the list was "Pattie Gonia." 

National Geographic described the drag queen as an "artist [and] environmentalist" who "helps LGBTQ+ youth discover the wonders of the outdoors." 

"Her feel-good music videos address environmental justice and pride in identity, and include collaborators such as cellist Yo-Yo Ma and Indigenous trans musician Quinn Christopherson," the outlet continued.  

Wylie told the outlet “Every year my community fundraises to send 10 queer youth on a fully scholarshipped backpacking trip... One of the attendees told me and the group around the fire, ‘Being on this trip has helped me reclaim a childhood I didn’t get to have.’ That’s everything to me.” 

Other instances of Wylie in the news have included the drag queen causing backlash against the North Face brand for an ad campaign labeled the "Summer of Pride." 



At the time, when there was backlash against the ad campaign and calls for boycotts, North Face defended its decision with a spokesman saying, “The North Face has always believed the outdoors should be a welcoming, equitable and safe place for all. We are honored and grateful to support partners like Pattie Gonia who help make this vision a reality.”   

National parks hosted Pattie Gonia for Pride Month in June to give tours. In a video, the drag queen posted at the time, saying, "We danced, we marched, we celebrated, and we got wet." 

"I am so proud of all my community organizers in the parks system who are making safe space for queer people all year round," he added in the video.