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CEC’s Transgender Inclusion Policy and Queer Outdoor Rock

Be sure to read Creating Inclusive Environments for Trans Participants in Canadian Sport linked below

Pride Month has been taking place across Canada for the month of June. The term “Pride” is credited to Brenda Howard, a bisexual New York activist nicknamed the “Mother of Pride” who organized the first Pride parade to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall uprising.

While the culture of climbing has come a long way over the past few years, there’s always a lot more work to do. Read a story by B.C. climber Michelle Leblanc called Offensive route names and how language in climbing culture can be hurtful to gain a deeper insight about how the words we use in the sport of climbing carry a significant weight and meaning.

A number of climbing-related organizations and guiding companies have been celebrating Pride Month in different ways. Climbing Escalade Canada (CEC), Canada’s competition organization, has announced the implementation of a new Transgender Inclusion Policy, which was developed by the CEC Diversity and Inclusion Committee. It’s guided by the best practice recommendations outlined in the guidance document Creating Inclusive Environments for Trans Participants in Canadian Sport (CIETCS) developed by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES).

You can read the full press release here, which states: CEC agrees with the principles outlined in the CIETCS, and recognizes that, amongst other things:
– An inclusion-first philosophy is in line with human rights laws
– Sex and gender are not the same thing. Individuals are born with different combinations of sex and gender as part of their identity, and athletes must be enabled to compete in the gender in which they identify.
– Participants must be enabled to sign up in the competitive division of their choosing without the requirement to disclose their gender.
– The CEC Transgender Inclusion Policy applies to all CEC organized, sanctioned and/or sponsored competitions, events, and activities. Similar policies have been adopted by other National Sport
– Organizations, and are supported by Sport Canada. The CEC hopes that other Canadian climbing sports organizations and event organizers will adopt this Policy at the provincial and local level.

Island Alpine Guides is one of many companies in Canada that specialize in climbing instruction and guided days. From July 31 to Aug. 1, they’ll be offering a course called Queer Outdoor Rock. Find the course coast and info here.

The description reads: In partnership with GOATS, “Gayest Climbers of All Time” we’re offering our first outdoor rock climbing program where we aim to increase accessibility and build a more inclusive, safe, outdoor rock and alpine climbing environment for the LGBTQ2+ community. Learn everything you need to go out top roped climbing on your own including movement skills, belaying and rappelling, anchor building, gear selection and much more all under the tutelage of supportive, queer ACMG instructors. It will take place in the Victoria area.

 

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