OUTdoors Idaho

Amanda Reed, Chapter Organizer

OUTdoors Idaho is a queer-only outings group that aims to build LGBTQ+ community in Idaho's outdoors. 

Queer people in Idaho love and find comfort in nature, but are often unable to access it, or feel uncomfortable and unsafe doing so. Idaho is full of natural wonders, but it fails communities when it comes to inclusive health care, antidiscrimination laws, and other protections. 

Vienne Aberle, Communications and Advancement Coordinator 

Idaho’s hateful political environment toward queer people can pose challenges not only to queer folks’ physical and mental health, but also to their safety. Even just existing and being in public can be dangerous for many queer folks in parts of our state, and that includes getting outside in the natural spaces Idahoans love. Openly queer adventurers, including some of our participants, have faced harassment and even physical threats to their safety in Idaho’s natural spaces. 

Amanda

If you’re a queer person and you want to head out to a hike in a rural area of Idaho, there may be a certain level of fear that goes along with that. That’s part of our motivation for creating OUTdoors Idaho: we get out in a large group and show up in places where many queer folks might not feel comfortable exploring alone. 

Vienne

Another key component of our program is reducing the barriers that folks face to getting outdoors. On every trip, we cover food, transportation support if needed, and any gear or supplies rentals that folks need to participate on the trip. It’s important to us that our trips are free of charge to the community. Many of our outings (like our recent camping trip) require gear that is expensive and that many people don’t have. We want our program to be a place for folks to meet new people, build queer community, and try out outdoor activities that they may not have explored before. 

Amanda

Above all, our program focuses on building community between queer folks in our state. Shared identity groups can have huge benefits on a person’s wellbeing, and can help ease feelings of isolation that many queer folks face. Our hope is that OUTdoors Idaho can create a sense of connectedness, belonging, and inclusion in each new Idaho outdoor space we explore. We love nature, and we all deserve to feel safe here. We all belong here.