Whitey Ford
12-13-2019, 09:29 PM
Black Girls Hike is diversifying the great outdoors: ‘Nature is accessible, but not inclusive’
https://i.imgur.com/1EjhvZS.jpg
A woman set up a walking group specifically for black women beause she felt that outdoor activities were not welcoming spaces for people of colour.
‘I made it exclusively for black girls because there’s no diversity in the outdoors, it’s a space that’s accessible but not really inclusive.’ Rhiane says there is a chronic lack of representation in the world of outdoor sports – from shows to advertising and magazines – she rarely sees faces that look like hers. Walking should be the most accessible activity – you don’t need fancy equipment, training or expensive sports halls – but she says the lack of visible diversity makes walking groups unappealing for women of colour. ‘Black people tend to live in urban areas, getting out into rural areas can be intimidating for some. You stand out and don’t always get the best reception,’ Rhiane tells us. ‘On one of our walks in the Peak District, we were told to “go back to the ghetto”.’
https://metro.co.uk/2019/12/12/black-girls-hike-diversifying-great-outdoors-nature-accessible-not-inclusive-11807187/
https://i.imgur.com/1EjhvZS.jpg
A woman set up a walking group specifically for black women beause she felt that outdoor activities were not welcoming spaces for people of colour.
‘I made it exclusively for black girls because there’s no diversity in the outdoors, it’s a space that’s accessible but not really inclusive.’ Rhiane says there is a chronic lack of representation in the world of outdoor sports – from shows to advertising and magazines – she rarely sees faces that look like hers. Walking should be the most accessible activity – you don’t need fancy equipment, training or expensive sports halls – but she says the lack of visible diversity makes walking groups unappealing for women of colour. ‘Black people tend to live in urban areas, getting out into rural areas can be intimidating for some. You stand out and don’t always get the best reception,’ Rhiane tells us. ‘On one of our walks in the Peak District, we were told to “go back to the ghetto”.’
https://metro.co.uk/2019/12/12/black-girls-hike-diversifying-great-outdoors-nature-accessible-not-inclusive-11807187/