By Andrea Loewen
@ms.andreajoy

When you think of a hiker, what do you see?

Is it someone who is thin, probably muscularly toned, white, conventionally attractive, has no visible disabilities, and wears a lot of expensive, technical gear?

If it is, then this is the exact reason why Summer Michaud-Skog, a photographer who identifies as fat and queer started Fat Girls Hiking (FGH) in Portland, Oregon.

“I started Fat Girls Hiking because I wanted a place where I could share my experiences in the outdoors as a fat, queer, poor, tattooed femme who hikes in dresses,” says Michaud-Skog. “I wanted to feel less alone and have a community in the outdoors but all the mainstream outdoor accounts only featured thin, white, able-bodied, (mostly) men… When FGH began, it was an [Instagram] account to share photos and stories of other fat and marginalized people in the outdoors.”

With the motto “trails not scales”, FGH resists diet culture and a narrow, patriarchal view of who belongs in the outdoors by simply being outdoors. There’s no talk of diets, weight loss, or body shaming, on the trail.

This movement has obviously struck a chord. Since Michaud-Skog began Fat Girls Hiking in 2015, chapters have popped up all across North America.

“I think FGH is special because of the mentality I foster within the community,” says Michaud-Skog. “No hiker is left behind, I lead from behind so no one feels shame for being slow, there is no diet/weight loss talk allowed and it’s truly a safer space where we celebrate and support one another. I think FGH has grown because people are hurting and oppressed and nature offers such healing powers. Being in nature with a supportive community is radical self-care/love.”

As important as personal empowerment may be, this self-love isn’t just for the individuals who join a hike. Michaud-Skog sees Fat Girls Hiking as making a real change in society.

“I absolutely see FGH as a form of resistance,” explains Michaud-Skog. “When I started Fat Girls Hiking in 2015, using the word ‘fat’ was met with a lot of pushback. The reclamation of the word fat wasn’t widespread like it is now. In using the word fat, I am pushing back on the ways this word has been used to harm me and that is a radical notion… I recognize, analyze and work to dismantle systems of oppression in our culture through this work.”

Running Fat Girls Hiking is now Michaud-Skog’s full-time job. She lives out of a van (#vanlife) and travels around to hike with different chapters, meet potential new ambassadors, and is generally involved in the community. 

It’s through her hands-on approach that she ensures the values she started out with are upheld. If she can’t drive over, meet a new ambassador and (hopefully) go on a hike with them, she still talks to them on the phone and ensures that they are able to fully embody the community values at the core of FGH.

Want to help dismantle the cis/white/hetero/able-bodied patriarchy while enjoying nature and healing your own scars? Fat Girls Hiking trips are open to all body sizes, abilities, genders, and experience levels. Vancouver’s FGH chapter can be found on Facebook and chapters are listed on the website.

Let’s take a hike!