Burlington, Vt.-based Outdoor Gear Exchange (OGE) announced a series of events running throughout the spring and summer with the aim to create a welcoming experience for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community – from purchasing gear to finding like-minded participants in sports such as rock climbing and mountain biking.
On April 7, at 7:30, the series of events will kick off with a Queer Shopping Night that OGE is hosting in partnership with Venture Out Project. The event will be an after-hours private night of shopping and skills clinics for the LGBTQIA+ community. OGE’s queer-identifying staff will be leading stations for different sports around the shop (climbing, camping, skiing, paddling, etc.). Attendees will be able to stop by each station to get tips and tricks on how to get into or improve their sport. The more private setting will provide a safe and supportive space for folks to shop in
“The Outdoor Gear Exchange has always believed in making the outdoors accessible to everyone, including members of the LGBTQIA+ community,” said Carolyn Lawrence, Outdoor Gear Exchange, events and grants program manager. “We are excited to take steps to make the gendered outdoor industry more inclusive to everyone through our Queer Shopping Night and other event activations. By creating safe and inclusive spaces for under-supported populations, we hope to encourage more folks to enjoy outdoor recreation and establish a relationship with the natural world. We look forward to sharing more upcoming events throughout the year.”
“Outdoor gear is heavily gendered, said OGE, and often depending on what a retail employee might assume about a person’s gender often steers them toward products that are not correct for them. It can also leave a person feeling humiliated and turned off from the whole idea of gearing up for outdoor adventures. We hear this horror story time and time again,” said Travis Clough, director of trip pperations, Venture Out. “Creating affinity space is vital to our community, even when it comes to shopping for outdoor gear. Thanks to retailers like Outdoor Gear Exchange in Burlington, VT, they are creating a private and safer space for our community to shop, get the support they need, and not pushed towards products that are incorrect for them.”
Throughout the summer OGE will continue to host their LGBTQIA+ Climbing Nights with Petra Cliffs Indoor Climbing Center. Starting October of 2019, on every last Friday of the month, OGE host’s LBGTQ climbing events with Petra Cliffs. Petra offers participants a half-price day pass and belay lesson. OGE provides snacks and leads a meet-and-greet to help people find new climbing partners. The goal of these events is to create a safe, supportive, judgment and stress-free environment for members of the LGBTQIA+ community for them to try out indoor climbing.
“At Petra Cliffs, everyone belongs, no matter the day,” said Andrea Charest, Petra Cliffs co-owner. “Hosting these LGBTQIA+ events with OGE is one further step Petra Cliffs wants to take to send a message of inclusion and acceptance– and it gives our queer community an empowering gathering place for challenge and fun. By giving the space to affirm, celebrate and support one another, Petra Cliffs hopes this small step can have a ripple effect on society as a whole.”
For the mountain bike community, OGE supports the monthly Pride Rides organized by LGBTQIA+ community member and Millstone Trails Association board member, Kris Hunt.
