Walking/climbing organisations' inclusivity research - participants' sex not collated

[fioreun]

Leeds Beckett University are undertaking a survey 'Your Movement Matters' to 'understand who is and who is not participating in walking and climbing and the reasons for this'. It's funded by a number of walking and climbing organisations, including the National Governing Body, Mountain Training.

leedsbeckettsport.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6QG7HMsWMGGtUb4

It asks questions about age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, disability, long term health conditions and impairments, mental health, faith / religion and location of residency.

Spot the omission. Women are underrepresented in walking/climbing sport especially at the instructor level (so few visible role models):

www.researchgate.net/publication/342600691_Researching_Women_Mountaineers_UK_Report_2020

So disappointing that this is a missed opportunity to understand the reasons for this and actions required for change. I've emailed my concerns to the Ethics Committee contact on the research link.

How frustrating - yet more invisible women.

Oops, I double posted about this with the UK Climbing link. I've already filled it in. They know women are underrepresented, why are they missing this opportunity and collecting such poor data?

There are two contacts listed regarding the ethics of this survey. We should both respond to the survey and email those contacts.

Universities should be questioned every time they use gender when they mean sex.

@Syeknom

Oops, I double posted about this with the UK Climbing link. I've already filled it in. They know women are underrepresented, why are they missing this opportunity and collecting such poor data?

I agree. Mountain Training's 'gender equality strategy' is woeful.

www.mountain-training.org/latest-news/international-women%E2%80%99s-day-2021

AMI has big issues with low numbers of female instructors too which aren't improving with time. This is a wasted opportunity to collect some decent data.

Agreed, it's the lack of progress that bothers me the most. And raising the issue is often met with a shrug. So disappointing.

I tried to fill out the survey. Clicked the link above. Took me to the information page. There is an arrow at the bottom of the page that I assumed is how you start the survey but when I click it, I just get a 'Thanks for filling in the survey' page. Am I missing something?

This should link I think

leedsbeckettsport.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bDUDNB3Bheq7lpY?

It shows that what they are doing isn't working. Or maybe more women are participating in outdoor sports but it isn't filtering up to working in the industry. In my experience in climbing, running etc you are mostly in the minority as a woman, friends in their own words describe the climbing scene or selection of people at a crag as a "sausage fest" not, I should say, as an insult to the lack of women, probably more dismay that there aren't any and it's all blokes spotting each other..

I have responded to all email addresses showing, with the following:

Please can you tell me why you have asked for the attached characteristics and not sex.

Surely asking if someone is a man or women is extremely important, especially as women are so under represented in this field.

Gender is not a protected characteristic, sex is and shouldn't be omitted.

I look forward to your swift response

Kindest Regards

Response

Nice one.

Oh brilliant 😊. I haven't had a response yet, but that's looking very helpful. Here's to seeing more women enjoying the outdoors.

I was really quite pleased, my first attempt at a challenge.

Well done Outbutnotoutout! Let’s hope the ‘specialist research staff’ haven’t been fully Stonewalled and are able to amend their error in line with the actual law.