Out and About: A Narrative Study Regarding LGBTQ+ Participants Description of the Impact of Queer Outdoor Adventure Spaces

Abstract

Evidence suggests that outdoor adventure is a heavily gendered space that demonstrates both hegemonic masculinity and heteronormativity through social norms and explicit policy (Bren & Prince, 2022; Humberstone & Clayton, 2007; McClintock, 1996). Due to stressful experiences brought on by stigmatization, marginalization, heterosexism, exclusion, and other forms of discrimination, individuals who belong to LGBTQ+ communities experience psychological and physical distress such as chronic disease, hypertension, diabetes, depression, and anxiety (Ceatha et al., 2019). While queer outdoor adventure spaces have existed for the last decade, little is known about the impacts of these spaces. This qualitative narrative study examines the ways in which LGBTQ+ participants describe the impact of queer outdoor adventure spaces. In this narrative study, twelve LGBTQ+ participants who have been a part of a queer outdoor adventure space meetup, event, or program shared stories of their experiences in the outdoors as well as their experiences in the queer outdoor adventure space. Three major themes emerged from this study: (a) facilitates anticipatory socialization, (b) nurtures inclusion, and (c) improves well-being. Findings from this study suggest that future research exploring the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals outdoors as well as queer outdoor adventure spaces is necessary in order to gain a more in-depth understanding of their nuances. Organizations can use findings form this study to strategically plan for participant experiences through the use of social media, inclusion of sober spaces, and by increasing the availability of queer outdoor adventure spaces in order to offer important protective factors for LGBTQ+ participants.