Diversity within Gutsy Girls, a message from Natalie, Gutsy Girls Founder

Tomorrow will be two weeks since I shared my #blackouttuesday post and since then, I’ve been educating myself and reflecting on my responsibility as a business owner to promote diversity within the outdoor industry. 

While I take the time to draw up the plans for how Gutsy Girls will work towards more diversity within our community, know that this is not silence on my part and I am looking at how best we raise voices, increase discussion and take action. 

Gutsy Girls was created to remove barriers for women in adventure sports and outdoor activities, a space that has felt predominantly male.

My aim was to remove intimidation from learning new sports, to create opportunities where women could challenge themselves, to change self perception, to build resilience, to grow and to find community. 

Gutsy Girls was created for all women; using the outdoors to unite us: women of all races, ages, sexual orientation, cultures and backgrounds.

I am proud of how welcoming the community is, but I know we are still not diverse enough. 

If you have not seen yourself represented within Gutsy Girls, for this I am wholeheartedly sorry. 

I recognised the lack of diversity in the outdoors and I hoped that creating a community where all women felt welcome was enough. 

I hadn’t considered other barriers in place that would prevent people from feeling welcome, be it through our images, lack of brand statement or simply not being vocal enough. I will be taking immediate action on this, and I am making plans to improve and instill change.

I am educating myself and having important conversations within our community and with other business owners and brands.

If you want to be part of the discussion, share your experiences, give us feedback or share resources please get in touch at change@gutsygirls.co.uk

Gutsy Girls is currently a small brand, created and run by one woman, but we stand for every woman. We will be amplifying voices, promoting diversity and celebrating all women within the adventure industry. Gutsy Girls’ mission, now more than ever, is to play a vital role in the future of inclusive representation of women in the outdoors.