Celebrating Pride Month

Every June, we celebrate Pride Month to recognize LGBTQ+ history and culture, uplift LGBTQ+ voices, and support LGBTQ+ rights — including the right of all LGBTQ+ youth to access outdoor spaces where they feel safe and included.

Outdoor affinity groups for LGBTQ+ youth and adults play a crucial role in creating a more inclusive outdoors. Leaders are driving essential conversations on the intersections between the LGBTQ+ community, climate change, racial and environmental justice, and outdoor recreation — as well as how we can all work more intentionally to ensure every person feels welcome in outdoor spaces.

We invite you to join in the celebration today and every day by learning more about these LGBTQ+ outdoor organizations, narratives and resources. This is a living list, and is by no means exhaustive. Please feel free to send recommended additions to editor@childrenandnature.org.

Pride Month celebrates all identities within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community — Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and others. It is important to recognize that the acronym does not fully encompass the spectrum of sexual and gender identities. To learn more about the ever-evolving terminology, see this guide. You can learn more about the history of Pride in this resource from the Library of Congress.

National LGBTQ+ Outdoor Organizations

Diversify Outdoors: coalition of social media influencers promoting diversity in outdoor spaces where people of color, people within the LGBTQIA2S+ community, and other diverse identities have historically been underrepresented

LGBTQ Outdoors: nonprofit connecting the LGBTQ+ community to the outdoors and building a network of active LGBTQ+ outdoors enthusiasts in localized hubs across the U.S. 

Melanin Base Camp: online community providing weekly content from Black, Latinx, Asian, Indigenous and Queer People of Color who love the outdoors. Join the movement and help #diversifyoutdoors

Pride Outside: hosts hikes, outdoor skills classes, LGBTQ+ history working tours, discussions and an annual LGBTQ Outdoor Summit

Queers x Climate: dedicated to uniting and supporting climate and LGBTQ+ activism through communication, strategic litigation and promotion of LGBTQ+ activists

Queer Ecojustice Project: a collective of storytellers curating multimedia educational resources and supporting communities to build a movement of queer folks impacted by the climate crisis and environmental injustice. Includes the Queers for Climate Justice project and is supported by OUT for Sustainability

Queer Nature: nature-based/naturalist education project offering curriculum to LGBTQIA+, two-spirit, and non-binary learners in the ecological arts and sciences

Queer Surf Club: global online community of LGBTQ+ surfers and allies

Radical Adventure Riders: a movement towards gender inclusivity and racial equity in cycling and the outdoors, offering programming in various chapters across the U.S. and Australia

Two-Spirit Societies directory: this is a global directory of Two Spirit, Indigiqueer and Indigenous LGBTQPAI+ organizations, offered by Indigenous Pride LA, a regional organization based in Los Angeles, California

Venture Out Project: leads backpacking and wilderness trips for the queer and transgender community, and conducts transgender inclusion workshops

State-wide or Regional LGBTQ+ Outdoor Organizations

Adventuring LGBTQ+: coordinates LGBTQ+ volunteers to lead hikes and other outdoor adventures in the Washington, D.C. metro area

Kindling Collective: queer-centered gear library and education center in Portland, Maine

OutVentures: outdoor organization for the LGBTQ+ community based in Seattle, Washington, serving the the Greater Puget Sound Area

Queer Climbing Collective: connecting to the LGBTQIA2S+ community through shared love for climbing and the outdoors in California, Nevada and Wisconsin

QPOC Hikers: connects queer people of color with hiking and the outdoors in the Pacific Northwest.

Queer Surf: an inclusive surf community in California, offering surf lessons, environmental education and beach gatherings

Queer Mountaineers: hosts gym climbing nights, hikes, social meet ups, mountaineering skills workshops, ski events, guided climbs and fundraising for causes in the Pacific Northwest

Camps for LGBTQ+ Youth: 

Brave Trails: youth leadership-focused organization providing summer camps, backpacking trips, family camps, mental health services, meet-up groups, and year-round leadership programming for LGBTQ+ youth in California and New York

Not located in California or New York? Check out Brave Trails’ resource: 13 Affirming Summer Camps For LGBTQ Youth

Stories and inspiration from the LGBTQ+ movement

Canyon Chorus: A Story of Friendship & Joy in Desolation Canyon: Journey down Utah’s Green River with LGBTQ+ rights advocate and professional adventurer, Mikah Meyer, his mentor Larry, and three friends — all openly gay men — as they explore their personal journeys and friendship in the new short film, Canyon Chorus. 

Exploring the Intersection Between LGBTQI+ Youth and Climate Change: Learn how queer youth, particularly those who are unhoused, face increased risk due to climate change.

How LGBTQ youth are building community through conservation work: The Rainbow Conservation Crew, the nation’s first LGBTQ+ youth conservation corps, works on trail maintenance and environmental projects in Oregon and Washington. The crew provides a safe space for queer youth to gain conservation skills, learn wilderness basics and develop their leadership. “What I think is amazing about having identity-specific crews is that a lot of people — including myself, when I was 16 — are terrified to learn wilderness skills while having to deal with homophobia or transphobia,” explains Mel Hanby, the group’s leader-in-training. “In [the Rainbow Crew] we don’t have to worry about that.”

Out and Proud in the Backcountry: Read writer and facilitator Amanda Machado’s reflections on their participation in the National Outdoor Leadership School’s first all-LGBTQ backpacking expedition. 

Activist Pattie Gonia is on a mission to make the outdoors a more welcoming place: Learn more about artist, environmentalist and drag queen, Pattie Gonia. 

Pride Month: 6 Inspiring LGBTQ+ environmentalists to know: Drawing parallels between the environmental movement and the LGBTQ+ movement, this article highlights leaders who advocated for both causes, ranging from historic figures Harvey Milk and Rachel Carson to modern-day activists such as Pattie Gonia and Rose Marcario.

Queer, Trans, Outdoorsy, and Melanated: Hear from three outdoorsy LGBTQIA+ People of Color, whose stories reflect a common message: “While many spaces are becoming more accepting of queer BIPOC, there is still a lot of work to be done to completely close the gaps that have perpetuated exclusion for centuries.”

This Pride Month, environmental justice needs to be a part of the conversation: While climate change poses a unique risk to queer youth, environmental justice has an effect on the broader LGBTQ+ community, youth and adults alike. “The LGBTQ+ population is at more risk to environmental challenges because, just like many other marginalized populations, they face social, economic and health inequities and disparities,” explains Leo Goldsmith, Senior Climate and Health Specialist at the U.S. Global Change Research Program.

Venture Out: This 15-minute film profiles Venture Out Project founder Perry Cohen with some participants on an outing to Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. 

Yes, trans rights are an environmental issue, too: Read an interview with Precious Brady-Davis, transgender author, climate and LGBTQ+ rights activist, and commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.

Resources and tools:

“LGBTQ America: A Theme Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer History“: A publication by the National Park Foundation for the National Park Service.

Outside Safe Space: Founded by Mikah Meyer, Outside Safe Space created a symbol that can be worn on outside gear to communicate that someone is an ally.

Queer Outdoor & Environmental Job Board: A job board created to get queer folks connected to career opportunities in the environmental and outdoor industries.

The Outdoorist Oath: Co-founded by Pattie Gonia, the oath is an action-based commitment to outdoor inclusion.

The Trevor Project: The Trevor Project provides crisis services to end suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning young people. Their work includes research, advocacy, education and community-building to create a world where all LGBTQ+ young people see a bright future for themselves. Click here for information on donations to support 24/7 suicide prevention and crisis intervention services for LGBTQ+ youth.

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