The forests of Washington are filled with more bears and fairies and other Queer types in recent years, thanks to the state's chapter of the LGBT+ Outdoors program. Queer people from Bellingham to Spokane have joined the international nonprofit to learn outdoor skills, meet fellow nature enthusiasts, and find a welcoming wilderness community.
Brooke Fiscus, a program ambassador for the Everett area, signed up for her position because she wanted to combine her love and knowledge of the outdoors with her own identity as a Queer person.
"In my experience, I don't see many other Queer [people] working in the outdoor industry or [out] on the trails in the woods," Fiscus said. "I'm hoping that, by being an example of a Queer person who finds the outdoors grounding and safe, I can model for others that being involved in outdoor spaces is for everyone."

Queering the outdoors
LGBT+ Outdoors is a national program that facilitates group trips in outdoor settings across the United States; it also puts on LGBT Outdoorfest, hosts a podcast, and conducted a visibility survey to collect information about the experiences of Queer people in outdoor settings. There are local chapter events too.
Justin Yoder, founder of LGBT+ Outdoors, started the program in Texas. His main goals were to combat "the stereotype that Gay people don't like the outdoors and to encourage the Queer community that you can get outside too."
Yoder started an Instagram page to engage Queer people as he and his husband Patrick hiked around the Fort Worth area. During the COVID-19 pandemic, two people contacted him about starting an ambassador program locally.
One of the first events was a fishing trip in Texas. The ambassador told Yoder later about a moment they had while sitting underneath a bridge, listening to Britney Spears. The ambassador asked the group if anyone had ever been fishing with another Queer person before, and nobody raised their hand.
"It really struck me and got me a little bit emotional," Yoder explained, "because yes, it's totally fine and great to go do things outdoors with our straight friends and allies, but there's something about doing something with a core group that you can understand and relate to in a deeper way."

Washington events
Since 2020, LGBT+ Outdoors has set up chapters in 25 locations in the United States. Ambassadors volunteer their time to plan an event every two months and are responsible for taking photos with the program's flag during each adventure. The Washington chapter became active in August 2023.
Fiscus has hosted activities such as hikes in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, a minigolf outing, and a backcountry camping trip to Summit Lake. She found the events to be rewarding.
"I've been able to hear the stories of how others got involved in the outdoors, as well as learn about their lives. For many, it was about connecting with people and having fun. For others, it was their first time backpacking or hiking in a specific region they wouldn't feel comfortable being alone in. Hiking and backpacking require a lot of mental strength and tenacity, and [so] being witness to people pushing themselves and then being proud of their accomplishment is incredible."
Cameron Loomis became an ambassador for the Tacoma area shortly after Fiscus joined. As an avid outdoorsman, he found joy in guiding Queer people on some of his favorite hikes in the area.
"[The program] gave me an opportunity to connect with the community and- to work on my leadership skills, be-cause it is a safe space for me as well," Loomis said.
When he plans a hike, Loomis will consider his favorite spots as well as a water component: a waterfall, lake, or river. In July, he led a sunset hike on Mount Rainier.
Connecting with new people is difficult, especially in a space many Queer people are told they do not belong in. The PNW outdoors social climate often favors heteronormativity, but the Washington LGBT+ Outdoors chapter (https://www.facebook.com/groups/lgbtoutdoorswa ) could be a great place for Queer people to start to comfortably reconnect with the wonders of nature