Tuesday, June 18, 2024

There Is Always Knitting

It simply is not possible to best this article published – where else – but in The Guardian. For a moment, I thought it was parody because who would publish an article purporting to present a female point of view using a male expert named Tiplady, but then I remembered that it was The Guardian, a deeply unfunny media outlet that has never encountered a joke that is not offensive.


My friend, Jen deep in the Kokanee backcountry


Anyway, it’s all bullshit. Yes, bullshit. A horror story is not being called “sweetheart.” A horror story is living in Afghanistan under the Taliban or being stoned to death in a Muslim country. Having a dude ask you if you are going all the way to the summit is also not a horror story. I am tired of reading these ridiculous articles which are more condescending to women than being queried about map reading skills.


My friend Dany leading grade 20 at Smith Rock


The reality is, if you want to go climbing, or hill walking, or roll large cheese wheels down hills in England, you have to toughen the fuck up. I’ve been recreating in the outdoors with men for over 40 years and I have never had a problem because I am not a whiny woman who practices offense. I practice my skills, I work hard, I pull my weight, I laugh at jokes, hell I even make jokes, I get out there and do shit because I want to and nothing is going to stop me.



My friend, Alana kicking steps up Mount Bor


Women who worry about how they are going to go to the toilet or what people are going to say to them do not have cojones to “man up” and get up at o’dark o’clock and get shit done even if they are scared or tired or with an all male party. And that’s okay because there is always knitting.

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