How to Be an Adventurous Ally: Supporting LGBTQIA+ Folks in the Outdoors
I love the outdoors, but for LGBTQIA+ people like me, even the most scenic hike or coolest campground can bring an added layer of uneasiness.
We often worry about getting strange looks for holding hands, facing invasive questions and being made to feel like a token member of a group—or like we don’t belong at all.
Being an ally can make a real difference. Even small, everyday actions that you may take for granted can help someone feel more comfortable. On a recent nature walk in Prince Edward Island, I tripped and fell. As my husband took my hand to help me up, others stopped beside us. I feared getting dirty looks, but they smiled and asked if they could help. This one small gesture put me at ease. It was a reminder that the outdoors is for everyone and we all have a right to feel safe while exploring the planet.
Here are five ways to be a great ally to the LGBTQIA+ community in the outdoors, along with suggestions for five unique destinations that celebrate and support inclusivity.
How to Be a Great Ally
Seek Out Inclusive Companies and Experiences
A growing number of outfitters and organizations are committed to LGBTQIA+ inclusion. Programs like Rainbow Registered, run by the Canadian Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, certify inclusive businesses. Out Adventures has led queer wilderness trips for nearly two decades, and Parks Canada works to ensure visitors feel safe, seen and celebrated year-round. Its initiatives include rainbow crosswalks in Kejimkujik National Park and Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, and a Pride decal that you can attach to water bottles, bicycle helmets, snowboards and more to show your support and enhance LGBTQIA+ visibility.
Be Mindful, But Don’t Belittle
You might feel completely at ease under a wide-open sky, but as I mentioned above, LGBTQIA+ individuals may have concerns that you might never have thought of or typically face. Have you ever applied sunscreen to your partner’s back and had a slur hurled at you? I have. Unfortunately, I’ve also heard it while camping, kayaking and walking in the woods. When making plans with a friend or loved one who identifies as LGBTQIA+, take these concerns seriously without judgment and be willing to adjust plans if needed. In doing so, it shows that our comfort and safety matter as much as an experience or destination.
Use Inclusive Language and Avoid Outdated Clichés
The words you choose can signal belonging or exclusion. Try to swap gendered phrases for inclusive language, introduce yourself with your pronouns and create space for others to do the same. It’s okay if you forget someone’s preferred pronoun; ask for a polite reminder without assuming. Please avoid saying outdated clichés like “man up,” which reinforce rigid norms. On a steep trail or challenging climb, a simple “you’ve got this” is reassuring without being isolating.
Avoid Making Someone’s Identity a Campfire Topic
It’s natural to be curious about someone’s background, and long hikes and late nights around the fire often invite opportunities for meaningful connections. Yet there’s a difference between a natural, free-flowing conversation and what may feel like an interrogation. Let others choose what they share, and when. Follow their lead and avoid invasive questions that can put LGBTQIA+ travellers in the position of having to explain, justify or even defend ourselves in a space where we’re just hoping to relax.
Find Privacy in Shared Spaces
Bathrooms, changing areas and communal showers can be especially stressful for trans and non-binary travellers. Choosing a trailhead, campground or beach with single-use or all-gender restrooms can make a meaningful difference. If those options don’t exist, respect whatever facility your friend, loved one or travel partner chooses to use. Please remember it’s not your job—or anyone else’s—to patrol, gatekeep or evaluate who belongs where. A person’s privacy and dignity should be a requirement, not a perk.
Where We Can Enjoy the Outdoors Together and As We Are
Hawaiʻi
Known for its welcoming spirit, the Big Island is a haven for LGBTQIA+ travellers and allies, especially along The Red Road in the Puna District. Kehena Black Sand Beach has striking sand and is a popular choice for those who like to hit the surf sans swimsuit. Elsewhere on the island, look for green sea turtles at Punalu’u Black Sand Beach, swim and snorkel at Hāpuna Beach, stargaze at Mauna Kea (a dormant volcano) and, of course, visit Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
Nova Scotia
Home to Canada’s largest population of trans and non-binary individuals, Nova Scotia’s rugged coastline and endless nature experiences are as welcoming as they are beautiful. Highlights include the legendary Cabot Trail for hiking coastal headlands and spotting whales at Pleasant Bay, kayaking in and cycling in Kejimkujik National Park and admiring the dramatic Bay of Fundy from Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park.
Costa Rica
On Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast, the laid-back town of Quepos and nearby Manuel Antonio National Park are made for rainforest adventures and lazy beach days (Biesanz Beach is especially tranquil) in one of the country’s most established queer hubs. In the park, look for wildlife including white-faced monkeys, sloths and toucans; hike the Mangrove Trail or Punta Catedral (Cathedral Point) for panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and then reward yourself with a refreshing dip at Playa Espadilla Sur or Playa Manuel Antonio. If you’d rather be in a boat, mangrove tours are peaceful, scenic and great for more wildlife viewing, including herons, hawks and boa constrictors.
Iceland
Legalizing same-sex marriage in 2010 (by unanimous vote, no less), Iceland has long set the standard of LGBTQIA+ friendliness. From October through February, extended darkness creates prime conditions for spotting the Northern Lights, while year-round highlights include soaking in the milky-blue waters of the Blue Lagoon and driving the legendary Golden Circle. Along the route, walk between continents in Thingvellir National Park, watch Strokkur erupt in the Geysir Geothermal Area and feel the thunder of Gullfoss, a dramatic 32-metre waterfall. At Jökulsárlón, Glacier Lagoon, a four-hour drive from Reykjavik, watch spectacular icebergs drifting in the river. Across the road at Diamond Beach, remnants glitter like jewels against the black sand.
Kerala
As one of India’s first states to create a welfare policy for transgender individuals and the home of advocacy groups like Queerala, Kerala stands out for its progressive policies and welcoming spirit. Known as “God’s Own Country,” this lush stretch along the Malabar Coast invites slow exploration, from drifting through the palm-lined backwaters of Alappuzha on a traditional houseboat to hiking through the misty tea plantations of Munnar in the Western Ghats. Farther south, Periyar National Park is India’s largest tiger reserve and is also home to a large population of elephants.
