Sharing stories about disability and nature

Stories about disability and nature have been left out of the public sphere for far too long. When they are told, it is typically through an ableist lens for the non-disabled gaze. We are most familiar with inspirational stories about someone “overcoming” their disability to accomplish remarkable feats or tales of saviorism focused on able-bodied people helping someone with a disability. But these stories simultaneously cast disabled people as victims, removing all agency from our stories.

There are other stories to tell. Disabled people deserve to have full, embodied representation of our experiences — nothing about us should be shared without us. Through the Disabled Hikers storytelling project, we are expanding the conversation about disability and the outdoors and providing a platform for the stories that have gone untold. For example, we uplift stories of Indigenous perspectives about the intersections of chronic illness, colonialism and misogyny; Black queer experiences of thru-hiking with a disability; and what it means to be fat, Black and disabled in a culture focused on wellness. Disabled and chronically ill people hold so much wisdom about the world and how we move through it, and that wisdom should be shared.

Disabled Hikers is an entirely disabled-led organization that celebrates disabled people’s experiences in the outdoors, builds a community to help facilitate those experiences and advocates for justice, access and inclusion. There is limited representation in the outdoors for the disabled and chronically ill community, and Disabled Hikers is committed to helping disabled people share their own stories via its blog and social media. Have a story to share or know of someone in your community who might want to share their story? Visit the organization’s website to submit your story about your connections with nature or experiences outdoors as a disabled or chronically ill person.

This story originally appeared in the Summer 2023 issue of Saving Land magazine.

Editor’s note: Disabled Hikers has numerous resources available at its website, including a hikers’ hub with digital trail guides, stories on its blog and opportunities to connect with others. The organization’s work includes writing trail guides, leading group hikes, consulting with parks and organizations, presenting at workshops and advocating for social change.

About Disabled Hikers:

Disabled Hikers is a 501(c)3 non-profit building a disability community and justice in the outdoors towards a vision of an outdoor culture transformed by representation, access and justice for the disabled and all other marginalized people.