A toolkit for gender-inclusive wilderness leadership

The early days of outdoor experiential programs, it was usually assumed that males and females experienced and interpreted wilderness- based outdoor experiential activities similarly. Since then, researchers and practitioners have learned that this is not always the case. In order to be truly effective, trip leaders should keep the needs of the individuals in mind. This includes needs related to gender.

Much of the discussion on the role of gender in outdoor activities has focused on the experiences of women and girls . For example, a recent debate on "gender-specific programs" was entirely devoted to women's-only programs (Henderson, 1999; Lynch, 1999). Feminism has provided an important corrective by making female experiences more visible and by working to erase male-female imbalances. Nevertheless, the experiences of men and boys also need to receive attention (Connell, 1995; Raspberry, 1991; Shaw, 1999).

Readers should recognize that there are larger cultural and societal issues that have a direct impact on female inclusion and participation in wilderness activities. Some of these aspects will be noted here, but the main focus of this article is to assist wilderness leaders in the field.