Sexual Harassment At the Top of The World, or “Making Advances at 17,000 Feet”

“Dr. Leonardo’s achievement of summiting K2, she said, was tainted by what she experienced. She hopes that sharing her account will help other women avoid a similar scenario.  ‘I can’t let it keep happening,’ Dr. Leonardo said, adding: ‘I don’t want another woman to have to go through this.’”

This quote concluded a lengthy and disturbing New York Times article today about sexual harassment in high-altitude mountaineering, entitled “For Female Climbers, Dangers Go Beyond Avalanches and Storms.” 

But its findings and conclusions may shock but not surprise you.

I won’t recap all the accounts of the star mountaineers who were interviewed for this article, except for a few quotes and comments which readers will recognize from many workplaces or venues – and certainly from posts on this blog.  The two Times reporters have done a good job of compiling, interviewing and explaining.

“As high-altitude mountaineering has gained popularity, women have become increasingly visible and formidable in a sport still largely dominated by men. Statistics from Mount Everest speak to the trend: Last year, 65 women reached the summit — about 10 percent of the climbers who summited — up from 45 in 2013 and just 10 in 2003, according to the Himalayan Database.

“But in recent years, members of the broader climbing community have acknowledged that the sport comes with unseen risks, especially for women. More and more women in the sport, which includes everything from indoor rock climbing to ascending snowy peaks, are coming forward to talk about moments they’ve described as unsettling or worse.”

One woman climber reported that “she was ‘frozen’ and ‘confused’ as he [a renowned climber and guide] led her to the bed. She said she felt like she was having an out-of-body experience as he removed her clothes even as she continued to say no.” 

You’ve read that or heard about that before – no doubt many times.  A subtitle from the article reads: ‘Where a “No” Means Nothing’

I want to quote from an Oregon lawyer in this particular sports field, Gina McClard, whom the Times interviewed for this article.  

“Outdoor sports have unique risk factors for sexual harassment and misconduct,” she said.  Ms. McLard, the Times said, talked about how “These activities can entail weekslong expeditions to remote settings, where participants live and sleep in close quarters. The culture surrounding outdoor sports, which celebrates pushing boundaries and glorifies people who pull off rare feats, may also create situations where inappropriate behavior goes unchecked.”

I’ll conclude with her comment:

“Much of the outdoor industry is still an ‘old boys’ network …  “If you do not conform to how things are done, you may find yourself marginalized and iced out of the club.”

Now, where have we heard that before?