Climbing Mountains Together: Developing Gender Parity Pathways in Mountaineering Leadership and the Role of Men

Abstract

This chapter contextualises the issue of gender parity in outdoor leadership and considers the role of men in actively advancing women in outdoor leadership contexts. We draw from research into gender and leadership in organisations, outdoor leadership pathways and male allyship. To this, we add our knowledge of current gender parity strategies in mountain leadership and training in the UK. We propose that addressing the issue of gender parity in mountain leadership can be started by building bridges across the gender divide and creating inclusive and psychologically safe spaces for conversations around gender. We provide examples of practical strategies that can be implemented in mountain leadership contexts and suggest how male allies, particularly those in positions of power, can create meaningful change in organisational and leadership cultures.