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Pride month celebrations feel a bit different this year for the 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual) community. It’s been heavy. Our Two-Spirit, BIPOC and transgender friends have been unfairly attacked by systemic oppression, blatant and unjust policies, politicians, and hateful rhetoric across the United States and Canada. This is why organizations like Project Pride are more important than ever.
Why I started Project Pride
Since coming out in the early 2000s, I have frequently felt excluded from queer communities. I have been told that I was too “athletic.” I’ve been excluded at times for not “partying” enough, or fitting into normalized festivities. Besides my sexual orientation, I felt as though I didn’t belong or have much in common with this community. I often wondered if there could be a space for those who wanted to grow their climbing skills, while being amongst other 2SLGBTQIA+ climbers.
For the almost nine years that I’ve called Squamish home, I hardly knew anyone identifying as 2SLGBTQIA+, but I lived in absolute bouldering heaven. A post-pandemic wave of diverse climbers made their way to this exploding little town, creating a new mini melting pot.
So I decided to establish this grassroots group to address the growing need for 2SLGTBQIA+ safe spaces, while fostering a strong, nurturing relationship with climbing and the climbing community.
I started to see that bridging my climbing community with this new community provided a sense of comfort and belonging that felt different than climbing with heterosexual and cisgender climbers. It wasn’t necessarily “better,” just different.
I wondered if I could find a way to share the absolute paradise of the GrandWall boulders, located just beneath the impressive Siyam Smanit monolith. Over the years, I’ve spent countless hours playing on these granite boulders, and I was ready to share my passion with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
With little to no experience in coordinating such an event, I was fortunate to have help from many climbing brands, local businesses, friends, and community members who have supported Project Pride’s vision since 2022.
What Project Pride climbers say about our community
“Connecting with others who share similar experiences made me feel seen and supported, emphasizing the sport into a place of belonging.”
“As a lifelong athlete, I have always valued the mental health side of participation. There is empowerment in supporting strong mental health by connecting through sport (like climbing); where you are able to find connections with athletics and community.”
“Seeing queer and trans athletes lead and coach in the climbing space was very inspiring. It’s one thing to say “everyone is welcome,” but representation, programming, and access make that message real. Their presence challenged traditional norms and created dedicated space for everyone in the sport. It motivated me to push myself and envision new climbing adventures.”
“These events helped me rebuild and turned a casual hobby into a really meaningful part of my life.”
How to get involved with Project Pride
Our annual Squamish event has reached climbers far beyond the reaches of Vancouver, BC. This year, it will take place August 29-30. In the last two years, I’ve also been able to expand programs to include gym skills series at local gyms. These programs have focused on developing bouldering skill sets, promoting a long and meaningful climbing career, and building representation and community for 2SLGBTQIA+ climbers. The goal is to foster a long-term love for the sport—not just a one-night stand situation.
I believe that empowering experiences through climbing can change a person’s life in a positive way. These experiences can help someone step outside their comfort level and into other communities with confidence.
Project Pride encourages individual growth, skill set cultivation, and sustainability within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. In doing so, I hope that future climbers and Project Pride attendees can truly see that you don’t have to pick between being a part of the 2SLGTBQIA+ or the climbing community—you can actually belong to both at the same time.
For more information, or to connect with Project Pride, please follow @project.pride.bouldering.
