Hagar mentioned being outdoorsy, as a lady and a self identified lefty how would you view the claims that the outdoors, outdoor stores, and its marketing is hostile to minorities and women? Is this something you’re seeing that I’m blind to?
I hang out with a lot of people who do outdoorsy stuff on a regular basis (most weekends from May through September), and we all go to outdoor stores. About half of us are female, and no one’s ever said they feel it’s a hostile environment. I rather like going into outdoor stores, because oftentimes they are attempting to pull in more female customers, and I can often get deals. 😀
I have never heard of this before. I even did a quick search and I’m not seeing anything online in the news or whatnot. Perhaps it’s something specific to your area? I’m up in the great NorthEast, and we have a huge amount of women outdoors experts and aficionados. 🙂
From a speculation standpoint, however, I wonder if this claim is being made by women and minorities in large cities? I find that “marginalized people” are only actually marginalized in large urban areas like NYC, Boston, or Chicago. In the sticks, it just doesn’t seem to happen as much, and it’s certainly not endemic.
There’s also a definite women’s movement that is against “women’s sporting goods”, though. I happen to be on that bandwagon. Marketing jeans for women versus jeans for men, for hiking, means that the women’s outfits have no pockets, are tight and “sexy” rather than utilitarian, etc. It’s like the industry believes that we are just all sex bombs waiting to go off. When I hike, I want comfortable, loose khakis, wide and well balanced shoes, socks that repel ticks, tee shirts that keep me from getting sunburns, etc. In other words, I want all the same things men do. And I do not want them in bright bubblegum pink.
I realize that last isn’t what you were talking about, but it’s all I know about that actually exists. 🙂
Naw you got close enough, if you’re not seeing or hearing about it I do suspect its a city thing or people who are going out of their way to be upset by something. Some of the ideas I was seeing are
* https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/13/hiking-african-american-racism-nature
* https://www.yesmagazine.org/environment/2023/01/04/black-americans-outdoors
And the city magazine for where I live plus the students who can be best summed up with “well bless your heart”. Think a college student showing up to a forestry class in ugg boots and a puffy jacket or flip flops and cargo shorts.
Sorry for not commenting earlier. There was some kind of issue going on, and it’s just gotten fixed. I can comment again! 😀
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Bad Dancer: I really do think it’s just city folk. About 75% of the problems with “woke” and other b.s. like that tends to be because of city folk. When you stuff that many people close together in a small space, it does something bad to their minds and psyches, and it’s easy to see from out here in the boonies.
I (imho) think “marginalized “ minorities is another woke bullshiite thing to get the moonbats in a lather. I have a niece who is half black. She worked hard and has a phd in psychology. She also counsels “exclusively poc”, people of color.. I stopped looking at her posts because it’s racism, racism, racism.. hhhmm, IF this Country is really that racist you wouldn’t have a phd and a Cadillac Escalade… shiite stirrers are gonna stir
Live YOUR life your way
Is there a better weapon for the crybullies to use aside from “I’m offended” and “It is discriminatory?”
They had best find one, as many of use are beyond the “I don’t care, go away” point on those.
While that tide is rising, not enough people are surfing it.
Yet.
The reason companies make stupid hiking clothes for women, and why stores stock them, is IT SELLS.
I’m sure there are suppliers of sensible clothes, but you have to seek them out.
It is not a city thing, or whatever.
It is a bunch of crybullies trying to exert power and control and using “I’m offended” or “I feel discriminated against” as a weapon.
Seriously, the children… errr… I mean leftists have yet to find a better tool to gain power, or at a minimum, an increased sense of superiority (moral or otherwise).
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Now, can there be a bit of an attitude toward women in outdoors stores? As a general rule, no, but I have no doubt there are sales, stock, and management around that have a personal bias. Same with any other industry. Be a woman at a car dealership, or a guy in a craft store. But, the overwhelming majority of the staff in pretty much every industry is not biased, they want to help out the customers.
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As to clothing design, I can agree with you there. Woman’s hiking pants are mostly awful. Pockets? Nope. Capri length? Yep. Look around and you will see a lot of companies carry neutral colors and black/grey, but there is a large female customer base that wants pink/purple/etc… so sell to it. Curiously, the neutral colors seem to always sell out… maybe the market for pink is not as large as they thought.
They weaponized pathos.