LGBTQ+ Outdoor organizations and individuals making a difference
Spending time in nature is an innately human experience and, for many, provides the therapeutic experience of feeling free. Free of restraints, free of anxieties, free of expectations - simply a breath of fresh air and the chance to connect with ourselves more deeply. While we believe nature to be a unifier in its purest form, we also understand that the outdoor industry does not feel like a safe haven for everyone.
Though steps have been taken, many outdoor enthusiasts still find it challenging to find acceptance on the trail and elsewhere in nature. Our mission is to remove barriers to inclusion in outdoor adventure, and that includes the LGBTQ+ community - this month and every month.
Here are some of the communities that are making a difference in the outdoor industry for the LGBTQ+ community.
Wild Diversity was founded in 2017 by Mercy M'fon Shammah with the goal of fostering a personal connection to the outdoors in the Black, Indigenous, all People of Color (BIPOC), and LGBTQ2S+ communities through outdoor skills workshops, education, and community connections. They also empower the next generation by providing equal access to outdoor activities and education for youth of color, as well as LGBTQ, trans, and low-income youth.
They believe that Wild Diversity is the way of the future and that a society in which LGBTQ2S+ individuals feel more connected to nature is, by definition, a better world — one in which people are more aligned with the planet.
Follow and support Wild Diversity at @wilddiversity.
The Venture Out Project, founded by avid adventurer Perry Cohen, provides trips for the queer and transgender community. Through establishing The Venture Out Project, Cohen was able to fulfill a lifelong dream of combining his love of the outdoors, his commitment to social justice, his own identity, and his professional life.
The Venture Out Project’s mission is to make it possible for queer, trans, and LGBTQ+ persons to enjoy the great outdoors in a secure and enjoyable environment, as well as to provide education and support that enables schools and organizations to affirm the LGBTQ+ members of their respective communities. They also conducts transgender inclusion workshops for educators, adventure professionals, summer camps and more!
Follow and support The Venture Out Project at @theventureoutproject.
Because of his real compassion and concern for other people, as well as his love of the outdoors, Justin Yoder established LGBT Outdoors. The objective of LGBT Outdoor is to develop a thriving and welcoming online community of LGBTQ+ people who like the outdoors, as well as to inspire and empower members of the LGBTQ+ community to come outside and interact with nature and the world around them. In a sector of the outdoors business that has traditionally been heteronormative, they are working to eliminate barriers and prejudices.
LGBT Outdoors also started a program called LGBT Outdoors LIVE!, which features LGBTQ+ who are involved in the outdoors. These videos are currently being hosted on their YouTube channel.
Follow and support LGBT Outdoors at @lbgtoutdoors.
QPOC Hikers is a non-profit organization based in the Pacific Northwest that exists to connect queer people of color to hiking and the outdoors by providing a safe space to share stories and experiences, increasing visibility, representation, awareness, and organize learning and growth opportunities.
QPOC Hikers was founded by Jasmine Maisonet in 2019 as a way to improve visibility, representation, and awareness while also forming a community. Although queer people of color have always been present in the outdoors, they have not always been featured in mainstream media. This organization aspires to change that.
Follow and support QPOC Hikers at @qpochikers.
In August 2016, Hannah Malvin created Pride Outside with the goal of connecting the LGBTQ+ community to inclusive outdoor events. Hikes, outdoor skills lessons, LGBTQ history working tours, conversations, and other events are held at Pride Outside.
In partnership with the Wilderness Society, Pride Outside created a map database to help find LGBTQ outdoor groups within a mile radius of your current location. There is also an option to add new communities not already in the database.
If you are struggling to find inclusive outdoor groups in your area, check out this resource and The LGBTQ Outdoor Groups Map.
Follow and support Pride Outside at @prideoutside
Molly Adams started the Feminist Bird Club in 2016 as a way to combine her passion for birds and social justice into one cohesive whole. She wants to expose the lovely world of birdwatching to everyone, including indigenous peoples, trans people, Black people, Hispanic people, women, disabled people, non-binary people, homosexual people, straight people, neurodiverse people, and people from all socioeconomic situations. The Feminist Bird Club has since grown to include chapters around North America as well as in the Netherlands.
Other queer birders group that shared the same mission are NYC Queer Birders, and Philly Queer Birders
Follow and support Feminist Bird Club at @feministbirdclub.
At AdventureTripr, we know that this sense of pride doesn’t end on June 30. It takes consistent and intentional effort all year long to ensure the millions of LGBTQ+ people are seen, heard, and represented in the outdoors. So a big shoutout to these outdoor communities and individuals for creating a safe environment that is inclusive to LGBTQ+ individuals. Thank you for all that you do!
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