By V4 Agency
Years of oppression have led to people of colour feeling uncomfortable in the outdoors. This needs to be eradicated according to progressives. The main problem with ski resorts is that they are frequented by mainly Whites.
The notion that some outdoor sports such as hiking and skiing are racist and exclusionary is being raised with increasing frequency. Progressive left-wing thinkers attribute a number of causes as the underlying basis of the phenomenon.
University of Vermont Sociology Professor Dan Krymkowski, wrote an entire book dedicated to how underrepresented Afro-Americans are in the pursuit of the arts and outdoor recreation — such as skiing, hiking, or classical music. He argues that “racial-ethnic socioeconomic differences, as well as historic and contemporary discrimination, both overt and subtle,” have lead to the problem.
A description of the book entitled The Color of Culture: African American Underrepresentation in the Fine Arts and Outdoor Recreation, reads “the causes are tooted in the systemic racism that continues to plague the United States.”
The Los Angeles Times also published an article along the same lines which states “hiking has a diversity problem.” According to the writer, “longtime oppression and historical barriers have kept many people of colour from feeling comfortable in the American outdoors.”
However, a solution is at hand, for groups have begun to organise in order to bring people of colour together with nature in a positive way and to “work toward a more diverse outdoors.” These groups have formed in California and are popping up around the US. “For many, the first step is going on a hike.”
Hiking is not the only sport exclusionary to people of colour, but skiing is guilty, as well. This was discussed in a BBC show, where the central theme emerged that too many Whites and at the same time not enough Blacks ski. One presenter said the common feature of expensive ski paradises is that only white people ski in each, at least that is what she gleaned from her past experience over the years.
According to the other presenter, people often do not even notice this, which he explained by saying, “if someone is part of a majority, you fit in, so why would you question it.” He continues, “it’s only by looking at this through a different lens, that you start to realise that these environments are perhaps not as equal, accessible or welcoming.”
