Blazing the Trail: Finding Body Inclusivity in Outdoor Spaces

Feeling connection, rejuvenation and a sense of purpose draws many to nature. And all of us deserve to experience its beauty! Social movements toward diversity, equity and inclusion in all spaces are gaining understanding and visibility. As a community, we’re becoming more aware of words like bias or stigma – we’re learning what they mean, and how we might see them in ourselves and the world around us. Body shape, weight and size have become part of these critical diversity conversations.

Here are some things we are learning: among children, weight-based bullying is more common than bullying based on race, sexual orientation or disability status. More than 40% of U.S. adults, across a range of body sizes, report experiencing weight stigma at some point in their life. Weight stigma becomes internalized over time and can lead to the development of mental health difficulties as well as medical problems for those who have experienced it.

How does weight stigma impact access to outdoor activities and spaces for children and adults? How can we contribute to the building of diverse and engaging spaces for all? Join us as we have a conversation with Kara Richardson Whitely (author, speaker, and advocate) and Meredith Nisbet (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified Eating Disorders Specialist Supervisor, speaker, and advocate) to learn more about these important thoughts and questions from a lived experience and clinical perspective. Kara will speak about her 3 climbs up Mt. Kilimanjaro and journey as an outdoor inclusion advocate; Meredith, also an avid mountain view-seeker, will speak about weight stigma and access to joyful movement from a clinical perspective. This event is in partnership with Eating Recovery Center & Pathlight Mood & Anxiety Center, and Texas Children in Nature Network. We hope to see you there!