Sometimes I joke that I’m “an indoor kid”—I like nature best through a window, maybe with a book in hand. So when I learned about Lance Garland’s new book I asked him to convince me. Why even those of us who aren’t outdoorsy can still find something vital and affirming in nature. I was intrigued (and, okay, a little skeptical).
Lance’s new memoir, OUT THERE: Dispatches from My Personal Wilderness, released yesterday, traces his own journey from uncertainty and isolation to self-reliance and freedom in the wild. In this guest post, he makes a beautiful case for why queer people—yes, even those of us who’d rather skip the hike—can find belonging, healing, and a sense of home in the outdoors.
What about you? Indoorsy or outdoorsy? Does Lance change your mind?
When I was working through some of the hardest challenges of my life, I was invited by a friend to go on a multi-day backpacking trip in North Cascades National Park. With very little camping experience, I found myself over 10 miles from the nearest road, in a leaking tent as it rained overnight, and without rain gear. Discomfort aside, the trip would be a pivotal turning point in my life, and one that put me on a journey that I share in my debut memoir, Out There: Dispatches from my personal Wilderness.
My parents weren’t outdoorsy people (we went on one family camping trip that ended up being our last), and on top of not having any wilderness skills, when I was first getting into outdoor activities, I was also unsure if the outdoors was a place where gay people were welcome. On that first backpacking trip I was 23 years old and had just gone through a traumatizing experience as I came to terms with my sexuality while I served as a sailor in the US Navy. I didn’t know many gay people and didn’t know any that were outdoors people.
After leaving the military, I started hiking and camping on a regular basis, often driving through rural mountain towns with ultra-conservative signs and paraphernalia, which felt like warnings that I didn’t belong. It would take me many years before I felt comfortable being openly gay in the outdoors.
I’ve heard from many queer people that they don’t feel safe or welcome in outdoor spaces, and those concerns are real, but over the years that reality has started to shift. Now, there are queer affinity groups who hike, camp, climb, and do every other outdoor activity you can think of, and they do it together as part of a group. For queer people specifically, I’m thrilled to see this shift because nature gives our community something incredibly vital: a space to find our own self-reliance.
In nature I found an ability to truly take care of myself. As I carried all my food, water and gear on my back, I would build my temporary home every night, boil water, prepare meals. Through the rituals of backpacking I learned how to confidently prepare for explorations that I chose myself, and I learned to nurture my own sense of adventure. In a world that often strips the sense of curiosity from people like us, telling us that we do not belong, I found roots in the very primal aspects of survival in the wilderness.
Now, nature is also a place where we can find community. I’ve had the luxury of being immersed in queer groups while climbing and camping. It might sound cliche, but my time in nature has instilled in me a deep sense of freedom and connection. My past was full of oppression, as a child in a fundamentalist religion, an openly gay sailor during “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, and as the first openly gay fireman in my fire department. Finding this sense of autonomy—that I gained through my time outside—is something I cherish.
There are many more benefits than even the ones I’ve listed. Forest bathing has been proven to reduce stress and improve mental health. Being near any body of water has a therapeutic effect and reduces stress hormones, blood pressure and heart rate. Walking on trails has a host of benefits, including increased cardiovascular function, bone strength, athleticism, and even elevates your mood. And disconnecting from our devices is proven to enhance sleep quality, focus, and productivity. The benefits of time in nature are plentiful, and they are free and available to all queer people, regardless of ability level.
So, if you’re wondering if the outdoors is a place for you, I say, it is! It’s our nature too, so get out there! Find a friend to go with you or make a new one at a community event. There’s a whole world of benefits and experience just waiting for you to show up.
LANCE GARLAND is a veteran, firefighter, nature adventurer, and writer. His work has been widely published, and he has received numerous awards. His debut memoir, Out There, is available wherever books are sold.
