Gender and the Outdoors: An International Conversation

Pinch, K. J., Breunig, M., Cosgriff, M. & Dignan, A.

California State University, Brock University, The University of Waikato, University of Otago

2008

International Outdoor Recreation and Education Conference

www.outdoorsnz.org.nz/events/confluence

Over the past two to three decades in outdoor education circles, there has been a gradual swell of interest in bringing a gender lens to the examination of issues, theory and practice within the field. Although feminist theory has been subjected to lively debate and undergone sophisticated shifts in the ways of conceptualizing and analyzing gender, much of the literature coming out of the outdoor field and much of our practice is still centered on women and difference.

As Bell (1997) so clearly asked, “Has the dialogue on the nature of gender and associated social issues not changed in the past decade?” A group of international researchers, educators and practitioners discussed gender theory and practice in their “neck of the woods” and challenged attendees to ask that question again today.

This panel allowed four practitioners and scholars with ties to four different countries – two New Zealanders, one American who teaches at a university in Canada, and an Australian who teaches at a university in the United States – to come together for an international conversation about gender in the outdoors in relation to theory and practice.

We hoped that through sharing our experiences we could provoke some renewed interest in gender issues and generate discussion among those people who attended our session.

So how did we get here? Due to our submission of proposals for the Confluence we were recognized as having a common interest in gender. It was suggested that we should meet, albeit electronically, to discuss a panel on gender. The result of this was the drawing together of some common threads and personal perspectives, some of it through the ether, but much of it in a more enjoyable way over coffee at this conference!

We drew our inspiration for the panel on a question asked by Martha Bell in 1997 when she voiced her frustration at how gender was theorized and practiced in such an unsophisticated manner in the outdoors. Ten years late we are asking her question again: “Has the dialog on the nature of gender and associated issues not changed in the past decade?”

Keywords:

Gender, Outdoor education, Outdoor recreation, Feminist theory

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July 10, 2012