Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Gender and Risk in Outdoor Adventure Education

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We analyze how gender intersects with risk processes and practices in outdoor adventure education. Language, binary logic, and societal norms work together to gender risk and offer three ways that risk may be gendered in the context of outdoor adventure education courses with youth. First, hierarchical language and the gendering practices of order, labeling, and omission place girls and girls' needs as external or additional to a “neutral” masculine norm. Second, adherence to a rigid binary in the definition and conceptualization of risk parallels and perpetuates a gender binary that prioritizes masculinity and boys above femininity, girls, and non-binary youth. Third, societal norms influence stereotypes, assumptions, and expectations that gender risk on outdoor adventure education courses. We conclude by offering practical suggestions for how this research can be applied to outdoor adventure education and youth programming more broadly.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

All non-interview data is available from the corresponding author.

Notes

  1. We are intentional in our use of language. For example, we refer to the gendering of risk on outdoor adventure programs rather than the masculinization or feminization of risk. While girls may be disproportionately disadvantaged by an OAE system that favors masculine qualities, participants of all genders – boys, men, and non-binary individuals – could be affected by the systematic gendering of outdoor adventure education programming.

References

  • Allin, L., & West, A. (2013). Feminist theory and outdoor leadership. In E. C. J. Pike & S. Beames (Eds.), Outdoor Adventure and Social Theory (pp. 113–124). Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Autry, C. E. (2001). Adventure therapy with girls at-risk: Responses to outdoor experiential activities. Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 35(4), 289–306.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnfield, D., & Humberstone, B. (2008). Speaking out: Perspectives of gay and lesbian practitioners in outdoor education in the UK. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 8(1), 31–42. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729670801976086

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, H. S. (1998). Tricks of the trade: How to think about your research while you're doing it. The University of Chicago Press.

  • Boniface, M. (2006). The meaning of adventurous activities for “women in the outdoors.” Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 6(1), 9–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729670685200711

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burman, E. (2005). Contemporary feminist contributions to debates around gender and sexuality: From identity to performance. Group Analysis, 38(1), 17–30. https://doi.org/10.1177/0533316405049360

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galeotti, S. (2015). Empowering pre-adolescent girls: Girls on the run experiential learning program exploratory study. Journal of Experiential Education, 38(4), 407–423. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053825915603578

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geller, P. L. (2017). The bioarchaeology of socio-sexual lives: Queering common sense about sex, gender, and sexuality. In D. L. Martin (Ed.), Bioarchaeology and Social Theory. Springer.

  • Gray, T. (2016). The “F” word: Feminism in outdoor education. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 19(2), 25–41. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03400992

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gray, T., Allen-Craig, S., & Carpenter, C. (2017). Selective hearing: The unrecognised contribution of women to the outdoor profession. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 20(1), 25–34. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03401000

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gray, T., & Mitten, D. (2018). The Palgrave international handbook of women and outdoor learning. Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Humberstone, B. (2009). Sport management, gender and the ‘bigger picture’: Challenging changes in Higher Education—A partial auto/ethnographical account. Sport Management Review, 12(4), 255–262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2009.03.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaitiala-Heino, R., & Marttunen, M. (2016). Sexual harassment and emotional and behavioural symptoms in adolescence: Stronger associations among boys than girls. Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology, 51, 1193–1201. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-016-1237-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, D. M., Pomerantz, S., & Currie, D. (2005). Skater girlhood and emphasized femininity: ‘you can’t land an ollie properly in heels.’ Gender and Education, 17(3), 229–248. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540250500145163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Little, D. E. (2002). How do women construct adventure recreation in their lives? Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 2(1), 55–69. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729670285200161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitten, D. (2018). Let’s meet at the picnic table at midnight. In T. Gray & D. Mitten (Eds.), The Palgrave International Handbook of Women and Outdoor Learning (pp. 19–34). Palgrave.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Newbery, L. (2003). Will any/body carry that canoe? A geography of the body, ability, and gender. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 8, 204–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paechter, C. (2007). Being boys, being girls: Learning masculinities and femininities. Open University Press.

  • Paechter, C. (2012). Bodies, identities and performances: Reconfiguring the language of gender and schooling. Gender and Education, 24(2), 229–241. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2011.606210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pascale, C. (2012). Cartographies of knowledge: Exploring qualitative epistemologies. Sage.

  • Sammet, K. (2010). Relationships matter: Adolescent girls and relational development in adventure education. Journal of Experiential Education, 33(2), 151–165. https://doi.org/10.1177/105382591003300205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shooter, W., Paisley, K., & Sibthorp, J. (2009). The effect of leader attributes, situational context, and participant optimism on trust in outdoor leaders. Journal of Experiential Education, 31(3), 395–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Straker, J. (2018). Women’s Voices in the Outdoors. In T. Gray & D. Mitten (Eds.), The Palgrave International of Women and Outdoor Learning (pp. 95–107). Palgrave.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Warren, K. (1985). Women’s outdoor adventures: Myth and reality. The Journal of Experiential Education, 8(2), 10–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warren, K. (2015). Gender in outdoor studies. In B. Humberstone, H. Prince, & K. A. Henderson (Eds.), Routledge international handbook of outdoor studies (pp. 360–368). Routledge.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Warren, K., & Loeffler, T. A. (2006). Factors that influence women’s technical skill development in outdoor adventure. Journal of Adventure Education an Outdoor Learning, 6(2), 107–120. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729670685200791

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warren, K., Risinger, S., & Loeffler, T. A. (2018). Challenges faced by women outdoor leaders. In T. Gray & D. Mitten (Eds.), The Palgrave International of Women and Outdoor Learning (pp. 247–258). Palgrave.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Whittington, A. (2018). Changing girls’ lives: One programme at a time. In T. Gray & D. Mitten (Eds.), The Palgrave international handbook of women and outdoor learning (pp. 661–671). Palgrave.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Whittington, A., & Mack, E. N. (2010). Inspiring courage in girls: An evaluation of practices and outcomes. Journal of Experiential Education, 33(2), 166–180. https://doi.org/10.1177/105382591003300206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whittington, A., Nixon Mack, E., Budbill, N. W., & McKenney, P. (2011). All-girls adventure programmes: What are the benefits? Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 11(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2010.505817

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whittington, A., Aspelmeier, J. E., & Budbill, N. W. (2016). Promoting resiliency in adolescent girls through adventure programming. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 16(1), 2–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • With-Nielsen, N., & Pfister, G. (2011). Gender constructions and negotiations in physical education: Case studies. Sport, Education and Society, 16(5), 645–664. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2011.601145

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

No funding supported this research.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Victoria, School of Child & Youth Care, Victoria, BC, Canada

    Elisabeth Tilstra & Doug Magnuson

  2. University of Victoria, Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education, Victoria, BC, Canada

    Nevin J. Harper

  3. University of Victoria, Gender Studies, Victoria, BC, Canada

    Annalee Lepp

Authors
  1. Elisabeth Tilstra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Doug Magnuson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nevin J. Harper
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Annalee Lepp
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Doug Magnuson.

Ethics declarations

Conflicts of Interest

The research was approved by the University of Victoria Institutional Research Board, and there were no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tilstra, E., Magnuson, D., Harper, N.J. et al. Gender and Risk in Outdoor Adventure Education. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education 25, 181–197 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-022-00098-x

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-022-00098-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation