Outdoor apparel brand North Face is facing calls for a boycott after releasing a new ad featuring a drag queen ahead of Pride Month.
The ad, part of the company’s second annual “Summer of Pride” campaign, featured drag queen Wyn Wiley who calls himself “Pattie Gonia,” a play on the name of North Face’s competitor — Patagonia.
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The drag queen describes himself on social media as an “environmentalist” and “community organizer building a more diverse outdoors & environmental movement.”
“I’m a real-life homosexual. I’m here with The North Face to help you come out… in nature with us,” he says in the ad, which was released on social media.
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Wiley captioned the ad, “nature lets you be who you are, so, for the second year in a row @thenorthface is hosting Summer of Pride together with @pattiegonia (they/she) to celebrate you and all the beautiful ways you get outside.”
Backlash on social media was swift.
“Big name brands sexually targeting children makes me want to buy all generic brand clothing now,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeted. “Besides.. we can save a fortune NOT wasting money on labels that are grooming our children.”
Big name brands sexually targeting children makes me want to buy all generic brand clothing now.
Besides.. we can save a fortune NOT wasting money on labels that are grooming our children. #BoycottGroomers https://t.co/YxyqCmTy6H
— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) May 24, 2023
Greene concluded her tweet with the hashtag #BoycottGroomers.
Former Republican congressional candidate and GOP activist Robby Starbuck tweeted, “Can anyone explain how the heck this ad helps @thenorthface sell outdoor clothes? They’re screaming at you to not buy their products if this violates your values. Accept their challenge.”
Can anyone explain how the heck this ad helps @thenorthface sell outdoor clothes? They’re screaming at you to not buy their products if this violates your values. Accept their challenge. The North Face is owned by the VF Corporation which also owns Supreme, Vans, and Timberland. pic.twitter.com/9RwVljsa9N
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) May 24, 2023
Though Target and Anheuser-Busch have back-peddled as they are facing similar boycotts, North Face has doubled down.
“We recognize the opportunity our brand has to shape the future of the outdoors and we want that future to be a more accepting and loving place,” North Face posted on Instagram. “We’re partnering with Pattie because we believe the outdoors are for everyone.”
“The North Face online community is designed to be a safe, positive and inclusive environment,” the brand continued. “It’s why we have a zero-tolerance policy against racist, discriminatory, threatening, abusive, harmful, vulgar or attacking social media comments, which will be removed immediately.”
The brand has now turned off all comments on Pride posts.
