Why do we need women only adventure events?

A new article published by We Are Explorers on the importance of women only outdoor events.

More women than ever are embracing adventure and the outdoors, and there’s been a huge surge in women-only events and groups. In the wake of our second sell-out women’s only event with Salomon, We Are Explorer’s reporter Brooke Nolan reflects on why these events are so important.  

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I’m fairly new to the outdoors, having only discovered hiking around five years ago. Since then, I haven’t stopped, and I’ve taken every opportunity I can to throw myself into this exciting new world. I’ve been to mixed-gender and women-only events, and although I enjoy the mixed events, there’s a special place in my heart for women-only communities.

It’s like a special kind of magic happens when you’re at a single-identity event. You have deeper, more meaningful conversations. And for me – although I’m there for the adventure – I’m also there because I’m seeking friendship. And it’s often far easier to make deeper connections with those of the same gender.

For some, events like this might be the first chance to really go exploring with other like-minded women. For Sonia White from Sydney, that was a big drawcard. ‘I’m always out exploring with men, and I’m conscious that I’m only getting one side of the conversation. When Salomon’s Take The Leap event came up I was keen to expand my perspective and make a conscious decision to find that other side of the experience. I enjoyed hearing unique stories, and pushing the expectations we (and others) set for ourselves as women.’

A quick bit of desk research among the myriad female adventure groups online showed me that I’m not alone. There are some clear overarching themes; women-only events allow us to experience adventure without fear of judgement, they feel less competitive, and they focus more on the journey, rather than the destination.

So What’s The Conclusion?

For me it’s this; women-only events appeal for so many reasons and not one of them is because we don’t want to adventure with men. It’s because we feel safer, because we want to be inspired by others like us, because we want to build our confidence, or simply because we want to form friendships with like-minded women.

Source
Brooke Nolan
We Are Explorers