Camping as a Queer Person of Color

Hipcamp proudly supported the first-ever LGBTQ Outdoor Summit in October 2017 in Seattle, WA. Hipcamp Photographer Roz Posley attended on behalf of Hipcamp to share her experience as a queer person of color in the outdoor space. This is her story. Thanks for sharing, Roz!

Spending time outdoors should always be an opportunity to sit back, relax, and enjoy the natural world. Philosophers like Henry David Thoreau, Rachel Carson, John Muir, and many others advised humans to get outdoors and interact with the natural world. In fact, they found the outdoors to be a safe haven. Nonetheless, for people who identify as LGBTQ, enjoying the outdoors isn’t always easy. As a queer polyamorous person of color, I have firsthand experience feeling outcasted, afraid, and judged while attempting to explore the outdoors. However, with years of experience, excessive research skills, and outdoor organizations that are aware of the lack of LGBTQ inclusion, it’s possible to have a good time!

Growing up, I was always outside. I loved playing in the mud, rolling in the grass, going to camp, and catching (and releasing) fireflies! So naturally, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve developed the habit of forcing every romantic partner I have to fall in love with nature too. Though I have to admit: In some cases, it isn’t easy.

About three years ago, my partner Lo and I worked at a sleepaway camp in West Virginia. As a child I attended the camp, and I believed it to be a safe space. Two months into working at the camp, we found that it actually wasn’t very welcoming of us. After taking a step back and observing our behaviors, we struggled with determining the issue. In time, we realized the micro-aggressions we experienced were direct results of our race and our sexual orientation. When we came to that conclusion, we decided to leave camp a month early. We returned home to DC, but we then found ourselves craving to get back outside. So we went on a 19-state road trip to Colorado.

On our road trip, we really figured out the ups and downs of being queer people of color (QPOC) outdoors. Now keep in mind: Earlier in this journal, I stated that I liked being outdoors—but I never stated that I was an outdoor guru! So during that first road trip, Lo and I learned a lot along the way (literally)! We learned to set up tents, build fires in the rain, sleep roadside, eat on a low budget, and have meaningful conversations with people who didn’t quite understand what it meant to be a queer person of color.

In that first year of enjoying the outdoors together, we came to love lakes and how much warmer they are compared to the ocean. But most of all, we learned that not everyone outside is anti-LGBTQ. On our trip we visited every REI we passed, and in those stores almost everyone was welcoming of who we are. Honestly, we were shocked.

We returned home to DC with stories to share with family and friends. A lot of our non-POC friends were shocked that two queer people of color traveled and camped along the way. There is so much stigma around people of color not enjoying the outdoors that the concept was baffling. Another question we are often asked: “Weren’t you afraid?” In truth, of course we were, especially in the beginning. Driving through the country, we saw many confederate flags, but we managed to find many safe places where there were people like us. In between camping destinations, we searched for LGBTQ-friendly areas and made it a point to stop there. When we weren’t in those places, we were at state parks. Most state parks are advertised as family-friendly, and for the most part they are—however, there was still the occasional scowl. During our trip (similar to our sleepaway camp experience) we were faced with micro-aggressions. In spite of this, we still found joy in all the activities provided by the parks.

After our road trip, we were hooked on traveling and the outdoors. While we were preparing for our next adventure, a winter road trip through the northeast, we found Hipcamp. Within the year we found that we loved the experiences Hipcamp provided so, I became a Hipcamp photographer.

Since I’ve come onboard, my family and I have developed a blog that follows our travels with Hipcamp and on our own. We touch on experiences that we have as polyamorous QPOC while being outdoors. Utilizing Hipcamp as a platform to find places to vacation has been outstanding. My partners and I spend a lot of time road tripping, taking photographs, and enjoying time with our dog at beautiful campsites. Hipcamp Hosts have been really open to our race and our sexual orientations. We’ve been welcomed to community dinners, pop culture conversations, and drinks while looking out at beautiful scenery. Of the 11 sites we’ve visited, we have never felt threatened or judged.

As a Hipcamp photographer, I work very closely with Hosts to learn about their land and the history behind it. I’ve had plenty of interactions with people that I thought would judge me, but their hospitality and openness dismantled my preconceived notions. As a QPOC, I am very cautious of the ways in which I interact with people because, based on my identity, I’m wary of judgement. However, when visiting Hipcamp sites, I feel my guard let down.

As a polyamorous QPOC, organizations like Hipcamp are essential for me to enjoy the outdoors. And as online communities of LGBTQ outdoor enthusiasts grow, more platforms for connecting evolve. I’ll soon attend the LGBTQ Outdoor Summit in Seattle, Washington. For the first time, outdoor advocates will be able to connect and celebrate being LGBTQ and adventurous in a collective all-inclusive event. I could not be more thrilled to be invited to share the stories that my family and I have written over the months. Three years ago, an event like this is something I wouldn’t have even imagined.