I learnt about scrambling and hillwalking with a student hiking club – we were a super diverse bunch, very supportive. I was definitely the slowest person every time we went walking that first year.
When I got into climbing, I wondered what else was out there.
I tried a well-known club’s new members meet in Snowdonia. On Saturday morning, I asked who I’d be climbing with – I’m an experienced lead belayer after all. They said I didn’t have anyone to climb with, there was no way they could fit me in. “You can go bouldering on your own in Ogwen Valley.” Anyone who knows me knows I don’t like bouldering, and bouldering alone… that just isn’t what you want for your members on a new member meet, right? I just left.
A few years later, my friend Jake who is gay and I, tried another mountaineering club. We were just getting into trad climbing, both could lead belay. We arrived to find everyone else had already paired off. We ended up walking – which we’re good with, but we were hoping for a day being introduced to climbing by experienced members.
After an unfulfilling day, we’re eating in almost silence – ten other men and us. The ex-head of the group was there with his climbing buddy. His buddy asked when women were allowed to become members. The ex-head said it was when they needed planning permission for the hut – a council requirement. The buddy asked if “the women folk” couldn’t have got involved in other ways, “like painting and making curtains and such like.”
Jake and I just looked at each other. We were appalled. Complete silence. All the other blokes just kept eating. We both still feel ashamed we didn’t speak up, but it didn’t feel like we’d be listened to. We come from this diverse background where being welcomed and supported for being gay or a woman is encouraged.
So when shaping The Climbing Clan, it was clear we wanted to take this radical idea of gender equality and put it as a given.
That’s why we created something different – where everyone is genuinely welcome from day one.
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In September, I stepped down from the committee, and “Yes, I’m enjoying not being Chair anymore!”
Originally posted on this post on Instagram