Climbing Like a Girl
Written by Madison Guetzkow
Creative Direction and Photography by Molly Pritchett
Modeled by Mindy Welland and Laurene Workman
When women enter a traditionally male-dominated space, there is a subconscious feeling of difference. It is a typical human experience to feel the need to blend in with the given environment, to camouflage. Whether for safety or the natural desire to conform, femininity is seen as a weakness when put into a space encapsulated by masculinity. However, femininity is not a weakness, but rather a show of resilience for those who utilize it.
Rock climbing has been around for years, but competitive rock climbing came to be in 1985 near Turin, Italy. Though the sport never explicitly banned women from competing, the time period and societal judgment dissuaded women from participating in the sport. Even if they did, their accomplishments were more than likely either uncredited or credited to their husbands instead. The disparities between male and female rock climbers continued years later.
Garnering popularity in the United States, by the 1990s, indoor rock climbing gyms and outdoor events began popping up all over the country. At this time, it was rare to find a woman climbing, let alone a female figure for new climbers to look up to. Noël Phillips speaks of her time in the early years of rock climbing. The need to prove her capabilities was necessary to earn the acknowledgment of her male counterparts. Phillips speaks about doing 25 pull-ups before the men in her gym would even speak to her. Soon enough, as more and more people found the sport, women-only events began to pop up. In 1999, the establishment of Chicks with Picks encouraged more women to become ice climbers.
One of the most influential women in early rock climbing was Lynn Hill. In the 1970s, at the age of 14, Hill began climbing. In 1979, Hill became the first woman to climb a 5.12d route, which was greatly difficult to achieve at the time. Year after year, she continued to set records showing just what women could accomplish when given the space. In 1986, Hill began competitive rock climbing in France, becoming one of the top-rated rock climbers, winning over 30 international competitions. Hill, donning bright pink and purple climbing clothes, put forward the notion that women can do hard things and that what they wear has no impact on their abilities.
Women have always used color as a show of not only their femininity but also a show of their humanity. The biggest example of this is simply the color red. Originally associated with masculinity, Elizabeth Arden used red lipstick in 1912 to protest for women's suffrage. Beginning as a way to draw attention to the crowd of protestors became a subtle show of rebellion for women in the US.
All sports historically have been tied to a male presence. Women have always had to fight for a seat at the table. Serena Williams, a four-time Olympic gold medalist in tennis, consistently has not let the pressure of playing a professional sport decrease her display of femininity. Williams has changed the ideology around what is appropriate when playing sports for the better. The bold colors, patterns, and styles Williams adorns on the court give a new face to what being a professional tennis player means. All it takes is one person, any person, to show the resilience necessary to make change. Of course, Williams' use of self-expression has been met with much criticism. When she chose to wear a ‘catsuit,’ a tight black outfit used for compression and to prevent blood clots, she faced an onslaught of racist and misogynistic comments. Despite all the negativity, Williams continues to express herself with her fashion sense, inspiring the next generation of women.
In past years, there has been an uptick in women around the world participating in rock climbing. A study from 2020 shows that 24.6% of rock climbers were women. This increase is most likely thanks to the multitudes of women not only participating in the sport but excelling at it. Janja Garnbret, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, won the sport's first gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics after an undefeated season. Which led to women like Hayley Morgan organizing women-only events in their local climbing gyms. Morgan mentions the first event she had planned, having 15 participants, growing to an astounding 41 participants at the next event. Which just goes to show that women do want to engage in this sport, they just want a space where they are welcomed to do so.
Every time someone chooses to stand out in a space they are told not to, they create a path for others to follow. Femininity is not in spite of male dissension, but exists despite the scrutiny it faces in respective fields. When entering a field that causes discomfort because of self-expression, it is vital to recognize this and make changes towards inclusivity despite scrutiny.