The cultural politics of naming outdoor rock climbing routes. Issue 5 (20th October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wigglesworth, Jennifer
• Is Part Of: Annals of leisure research. Volume 25:Issue 5(2022)
• Page Start: 597
• Page End: 620
• Publication Date: 2022-10-20
• Subjects: Gender -- climbing -- place names -- intersectional feminism -- sexism -- decolonization; Leisure -- Periodicals; Recreation -- Periodicals; Sports -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Tourism -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; 306.481205
• DOI: 10.1080/11745398.2021.1949736
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1174-5398

Abstract

ABSTRACT: In outdoor rock climbing, the first person who successfully ascends and sets up a route – the first ascensionist – chooses a name for it. Some first ascensionists issue discriminatory route names. This article explores how one group of climbing women negotiates misogynistic route names. I qualitatively analyse seventeen, individual, semi-structured interviews and four focus group interviews, and six themes emerge: frustration, helplessness, exclusion, internalized sexism, pushback, and intersection of sexism and settler colonialism. Adopting an intersectional feminist approach, I argue that the politics of naming routes cannot be divorced from a settler-colonial logic that has long used (re)naming land as a strategy for nation-building. I suggest incorporating decolonial theories into outdoor rock climbing to create more inclusive leisure environments.