I am a cis gender woman who likes to hike. Many people like
to hike: trans people, Latinos, African Americans, cis gender men, gay people,
queer people, people with prosthetics, people with two feet and two lungs. SO
MANY PEOPLE HIKE. But the sad fact is that outdoor recreation is
a majority white activity, outdoor industries are blatantly sexist
and racist, and although we’re hiking on public land, many of us don’t feel
that we can claim this space as our own.
I’ve solo hiked across multiple continents, and I have some
advice for anyone who encounters a female-identifying person alone in the
wilderness. This is a collection of real — sometimes unbelievable —
bullshit that has been uttered to me in the backcountry of New Zealand,
Australia, Canada, Europe and the USA. The patriarchy has no borders, y’all!
There are many noxious interactions that happen to women, people of color, and
LGBTQ folks on the trail, and I recognize my experience isn’t the only one that
matters. We all need to work harder to make outdoor recreation more
representative and intersectional.
With that said, let’s dig into the sass:
What NOT to say:
Don’t say: “Are you okay?”
Am I wounded? Am I actively bleeding? Then I’m fine, thanks. Keep hiking, my
dude.
Don’t call me “honey” or “good lookin’” or
“sweetheart”.
I'm just a person on the trail, like you. Great me
like a person, rather than immediately making me feel like a sex object.
Don’t over-explain gear.
Don’t mansplain Gortex to me. Don’t tell me how many grams your tent
weighs. Don’t look me up and down and say “nice pack.” I interpret this as
either (a) you think I don’t know about gear (I do), or (b) you’re attempting
to assert dominance by reciting Amazon reviews you read last week (I also read
them). I’m not impressed.
Furthermore, don’t draw conclusions about my abilities as a hiker based on my
gear. I might not have carbon fiber trekking poles, but I also don’t give a
shit. Don’t judge the blond hiking in yoga pants; don’t judge the Texan hiking
in jeans. Everyone has the right to be here, whether or not they can afford the
gear, or give a damn, its public land, and it should be accessible to anyone no
matter their means.
Don’t say: “You’re hiking how far today? Are you sure?”
Yes, Chad, I can WALK. Don’t look skeptical of my itinerary. I have legs just
like you. With enough conditioning, humans are able to walk very long
distances. I come from a long line of homo sapiens who have survived
this way for literally 200,000 years.
Don’t keep saying: “But are you really by yourself?”
And most definitely don’t add, “Where’s your boyfriend/husband?”
Stop asking if I have a gun or a knife.
Keep asking and I’ll bear spray your ass.
Don’t say: “What’s a girl like you doing on a mountain like this?”
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS WRONG WITH THIS, I CAN’T EVEN.
Don’t ask if I know the rain is coming.
Everyone knows what thunder sounds like, seriously GTFO.
Don’t ask if I’m lost.
That was a joke? It better be a fuckin’ joke, Chad.
Don’t interpret “Hello!” as a sexual advance.
Hikers need to talk to each other. It’s a safety thing. Especially solo hikers!
We trade intel about the conditions further up the trail, we keep tabs on each
other in case (god forbid) someone goes missing. I’m not talking to you because
I think you’re interesting; I’m talking to you so you can report my hair
color/time/location to the police if I fall off a cliff later.
Don’t change your trail etiquette for me.
Uphill hikers get right of way. Don’t make it weird by being chivalrous. It’s
confusing when you change the rules. I’ll move aside for your slowass coming up
the hill, and I expect you to do the same for me.
Don’t offer to build my fire.
Building a fire is SO MUCH FUN. It’s also fairly simple. I can change my car’s
oil and patch my bike tube, too — both of which are more complicated than
building a fire. Don’t be patronizingly impressed when I can do basic stuff —
it’s infantilizing and offensive. If you want to help, go collect more firewood
for me.
Don’t comment on how much I eat.
Are you at a shelter with a woman who eats food? Many humans eat food. Daily.
Sometimes women eat a lot of it, because they’ve been walking UP A MOUNTAIN all
day. When you say, “Wow. Do you have a hollow leg?” or “You’ve got a mighty
appetite, doncha?” or “Is that a meal for one?” it’s not cute; it’s a thinly
veiled objectification of my body. I know my own caloric needs, and I don’t
have to answer to you. Go get in your sleeping bag, amigo.
More generally: Don’t comment on my body.
ALL body types belong in the wilderness. Check your fatphobia and ableism
before you judge anyone’s ability or strength based on their body shape or
size. When you comment on my height/weight/strength, it just makes me feel
unsafe. Again, don’t draw conclusions about what women are capable of by the
way they are shaped, how they’re dressed, or what gear they’re carrying. Let
them enjoy the trail and stay the eff out of it.
Still wanna talk? That’s cool!
What you CAN say:
* “Beautiful day!”
* “Hi.”
* “Are you coming from Windsor Pass? How deep is the snow?”
* “Hello! Is Jack’s Creek running?”
* “G’day mate!”
* “This climb is brutal. Am I almost to the top?”
* “Cheerio!”
* “Sup.”
* *Non-threatening eye contact* *Nod* *Walk past in silence*
* “Can you help me? You look like you know where you’re going.”
But a shoutout to the guys who would never say any of this shit
A good hike with a partner is never bad. I don't think most people have
considered the benefits of long, loud, isolated outdoor sex.
