re: Against All Odds, Black Women Are Hitting The Trails

"We also cannot ignore that safety is a heightened issue for Black women and nonbinary people. We live in a world that often underestimates, oversexualizes and endangers us. And so, when hopping onto a trail that may lead us deep into nature, we’re facing a compounded risk.

And then we have to consider logistics. Black Americans are statistically less likely to live close to green spaces, biodiversity and other outdoor amenities that are conducive to hiking. And while we know that proximity to green space has links to mental well-being, our access to the great outdoors is an oft-overlooked component of social justice.

There is also the issue of gear. Though hiking appears to be an egalitarian form of working out (it’s kind of just walking, right?), it’s not. Good hiking shoes on their own — even when purchased secondhand — can be expensive. Just preparing to hike, some women I spoke to told me, can feel othering."