I have long been appalled at the way in which adventure sports are framed with such a narrow lens (predominantly white, young and blonde) - the sports I love the most - surfing and snowboarding - are some of the worst perpetrators. However, I should have spoken sooner and louder about the barriers this creates and the repercussions that reach far wider than participation in the sport itself.
Born in apartheid era South Africa, I can remember when the beaches on Durban waterfront were barred to people on the basis of the colour of their skin. Whilst we were able to immigrate to the UK (as a direct result of our white privilege), here too there is an overwhelming whiteness in our countryside and outdoor spaces. Nobody has ever questioned my presence in these places or asked me where I am from.
It is time that those of us who benefit so much from being in the outdoors, notice who is being silently excluded and how - and how our actions may perpetuate this. This episode is my reflection on this - acknowledging that this absence and exclusion exists and is pervasive and questioning what can be done to ensure real and lasting change.
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