LGBTQIA+ Inclusivity in the Outdoors

LGBTQIA+ individuals face barriers, inequities, and discrimination while accessing outdoor spaces and participating in outdoor education and recreation. This project focused on creating an online, asynchronous toolkit with learning activities designed for individuals and organizations within the fields of outdoor education and outdoor recreation to become aware of barriers the LGTBQIA+ community faces to accessing the outdoors and begin implementing LGBTQIA+ inclusion initiatives. The activities are intended to be completed in order, but can be adapted to best meet individual and organizational needs. Each learning activity was influenced by the research conducted for the capstone project and by examining inclusivity toolkits designed by the CDC and UNESCO. There are numerous activists and organizations focused on LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the outdoors, but formal research on this topic is limited. The goal of the project is to expose the barriers the LGBTQIA+ community faces to accessing the outdoors, examine personal and organizational biases towards LGBTQIA+ individuals, and provide resources for outdoor organizations and professionals to implement active and visible inclusion to meet the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community