Without recognizing "other voices," outdoor adventure is impoverished through its domination by a white male ethos. Quality research is needed that examines the praxis of outdoor adventure as well as philosophies and ideologies that underpin its practices. By going beyond ethnocentric and androcentric notions of power and empowerment, outdoor…

Women bring distinct needs to adventure experiences and a unique perspective that would be beneficial if incorporated in all facets of outdoor experiential education. By labeling myths that impede our realization of gender differences, we begin to ensure that outdoor adventure will be a positive, holistic experience for women. (JHZ)

This essay proposes that stress has been misused in traditional adventure education and presents a new model of risk taking based on the literature on stress and feminist perspectives in adventure education. Proponents of the traditional adventure perspective state that the intentional use of stress is central to the change process in wilderness…

Lesbian baiting, the attempt to control women's "unacceptable" behavior by labeling them as lesbians, is the intersection of two forms of oppression--sexism and homophobia. Sexism is the systematic subordination of women, based on the belief in the inherent superiority of men. Sexism has defined the roles that men and women fill in order…

Societal expectations often teach women to separate their identities from their bodies, which distorts their self-image, resulting in shame and alienation. Adventure programs can create an environment of unconditional acceptance and trust where people can speak their inner fears. Two women who had negative body images relate how adventure…

Single-sex adventure education programs for adolescent women give them space to challenge traditional feminine roles, relate to other women without the pressures of mixed-sex groups, and examine issues such as personal relationships and health within a safe environment. If there are insufficient women facilitators, male staff should have awareness…

Outdoor adventure is stereotyped as a White, male activity. Women who participate are going against the stereotype of outdoor activities as a male domain, but women of color additionally confront the domain of race. Constraints on women generally include socialization into an ethic of care, concern for physical and psychological safety, and lack…

The author describes her experiences leading remote wilderness canoe trips for a coed camp; differences in leadership styles when trips are led by two women, by a man and a woman, or by two men; and her own camping experiences as a youth when camp leaders were cast into stereotypical gender roles. (LP)

Research and personal experiences suggest that women in general, and more specifically women from diverse ethnic and social class backgrounds and women with disabilities, do not have equal opportunities to experience the outdoor world. Discusses some obstacles to access and some measures for dissolving these barriers. Cites the National…