Type 4 Fun!

This is not a post about Charlie Kirk

It’s no secret that Trans people and indeed all of the LGBTQ+ community have been under attack by conservative groups and politicians, and often ignored or cast aside by supposedly progressive officials. Nor is the poisonous and dangerous rhetoric anything new. However, with the ever growing prominence of white Christian nationalism, the extremist values of dehumanizing people and the stripping of rights and dignity have become startlingly mainstream.

From criminalizing gender affirming care or the flat out denial of the existence of transgenderism to attempts to roll back the hard fought right to marry who you love, this assault does not just put people’s lives in danger in the context of policy ramifications but has time and time again fomented and normalized vitriol and real violence against the LGBTQ+ community.

The Right’s eagerness to scapegoat trans people for any and everything they find objectionable and the Left’s hesitancy to mount any real defense has continued to empower hateful bigots to destroy any semblance of safety anywhere they can.

This is why organizations like the Venture Out Project are so important. They help strengthen the LGBTQ+ community but curating wilderness experiences from day hikes to overnight adventures. It may seem like a small thing, but inclusion and safety in outdoor spaces is an often overlooked and significant gap. It’s one that can also be fixed and be a wellspring for advocacy and progress elsewhere.

This is a post about running.

Races, whether they are on roads or trails; big or small have the unique ability to bring a community together and have a positive impact.

The Venture Out Project has teamed up with the Beast Coast Trail Running company to create The All of the Above Trail Fest, a trail race/event that celebrates inclusion by eschewing the traditional male/female participation binary. Even as major running events embrace the non-binary category, the competition is still to be first. All of the Above opens the competitive spirit of racing to all participants by forgoing the the Overall/Category competition model, instead opting to make the game about being closest to your predicted time.

Gender isn’t even a asked for in registration. This race is about knowing oneself and having fun doing it.

The ~20k Prediction Race includes about 2,500 feet of climbing in the Northfield Mountain Recreation Area in Northfield, MA and takes place on September 20th.

The partnership with the Venture Out Project also allows participants to engaged in fundraising, which is actually what this post is really about.

If you should feel so inclined to donate, I would be eternally grateful.

https://www.pledgereg.com/508939

Thank you!