National Geographic has just released its inaugural “National Geographic 33” list.
Similar to lists like Forbes 30 Under 30 or TIME’s People of the Year, the list is a product of the publication’s mission and vision.
The National Geographic 33 pays homage to the brand’s 33 founders by celebrating a class of “visionaries, creators, icons, and adventurers … who are united in the belief that our world needs imaginative solutions and urgent action.”
And the planet’s favorite drag queen — Pattie Gonia — scored a spot.
Pattie’s journey began when she went viral in 2018 for hiking in six-inch heeled boots. Since then, her drag persona has skyrocketed to social media popularity, often sourcing recycled materials (and even trash) to stun in elaborate outfits while speaking about protecting the outdoors.
“I think the narrative, writ large, for the queer community is to run to big cities for acceptance,” Pattie — who uses she/her pronouns in drag — told National Geographic.
“And I feel like I ran the other way into the woods.”
Pattie (whose off-stage name is Wyn Wiley) is the co-founder of the nonprofit Outdoorist Oath, which promotes adventure, education, and climate justice through an inclusive lens.
Pattie is also a member of the board of Brave Trails, a nonprofit that offers summer camp and backpacking trips for LGBTQ+ youth.
Over the years, she has tactfully combined her art with her activism, from hosting an environmental drag show tour and collaborating with Yo-Yo Ma and Quinn Christopherson on a song about fighting for the planet, to performing at the Netflix Is a Joke festival, and giving a TED Talk about the power of joy in taking action.
Even in the complicated and uncertain moment humanity finds itself in, grappling with social injustice and a mounting climate crisis, it is the colorful makeup and connection to her community that sustains Pattie.
“[I’m] trying to take pain and turn it into something different,” she told National Geographic. “I think that’s what queer people always try to do.”
It is this commitment to celebrating queer culture — and the planet — that earned her a spot as an “Adventurer” on National Geographic’s inaugural list. (And last year, she was named one of the organization's Travelers of the Year.)
Pattie will be spotlighted in the April issue of the magazine, alongside huge names like Selena Gomez, Björk, Michelle Yeoh, Don Cheadle, Yvon Chouinard, and Jason Momoa.
“With the National Geographic 33, we’re honoring a diverse group of changemakers, from all over the world and different walks of life, who aren’t just recognizing the urgent challenges of our time, they are taking action to address them,” Nathan Lump, senior vice president and editor-in-chief of National Geographic, said in a statement.
“They all share a deep commitment to shaping a better future, and in shining a light on them and their contributions, we hope to elevate their work and showcase to a wide audience the positive impact they’re making.”
See the full list of National Geographic 33 honorees.
Header images courtesy of Djeneba Aduayom/National Geographic
