Girls, Gays and Theys Climbing Club Night | Photo by Emma Zarbaugh| The Wright State Guardian
On Thursday, Sept. 12, students from all different backgrounds met in the Rock Climbing Gym, located in the basement of the Student Union for the Girls, Gays and Theys Climbing Night. Students were mingling with one another, while they waited in line to climb the rock wall.
The benefits of attending
The hope for this event was for people who do not necessarily partake in activities such as this one, to be welcomed, and try something out that they have never done before.
Elizabeth Harvey, the host of this event who is involved with the Women's Center and the Outdoor Resource Center, created this event for a multitude of reasons.
“I’m really happy to create a safe environment for individuals that resonate with these labels,” Harvey said.
She then went on to explain how creating community bonds is so important for this group of people, since a lot of times, they are severely underrepresented.
“For a long time, I was one of the only female rock climbers at [Wright State University]. Now we are seeing a lot more get involved, which is so cool and beautiful to see,” Harvey exclaimed.
She explained how she saw rock climbing as a mostly male-dominated activity. She wanted anyone with the views she shares, to be able to have an outlet to feel comfortable with trying something she has found truly inspiring.
Students were shown how to climb, and Harvey, as well as some other supervisors were good at explaining where each foot went, as well as how to jump back down without injury.
Harvey also served homemade rice crispy treats for anyone who wanted a sweet treat after the labor that rock-climbing brought.
Connections
Sometimes students can be very overwhelmed as the school year begins. Especially if a student comes from a different state or has difficulties making new friends. An event like this one can help bring different communities together.
Hannah Mesa, a student who is involved with the Outdoor Resource Center and the Climbing Club, helped lead this event to make friends and help others also make friends.
“Specifically, to me, this event is about making friends,” Mesa said.
She also explained how happy she is for other people when they can celebrate their success within the gym.
“A lot of people who have had to overcome really insane adversity are attracted to outdoor recreation, like climbing, because it feels good to overcome hard things.”
She also included that you can meet like-minded people that sometimes need a break from their daily lives, which climbing can offer. She says that when you are focused on where your hands and feet are going next, you are able to clear your mind of the stressful issues that sometimes fog it.
Mesa helped many people that night as she encouraged them to keep going, and congratulated them anytime their feet or hands found a new placement.
Rainbow Alliance
Rainbow Alliance is a club at WSU that encourages their members to attend events like Girls, Gays and Theys, for inclusion and a way to be a part of a community that supports them.
Kris Bicknell, a student that is a part of the Rainbow Alliance, helped shed some light on why they attended this event.
“I just think it’s cool to have access to this type of stuff on campus,” Bicknell said.
They said that they really enjoyed having people like Mesa and Harvey there to mentor everyone. Bicknell ended up really enjoying the event, although they found it scary at first.
“I was able to go in with an open mind and without worrying about being judged,” Bicknell explained.
If you are seeking a club that supports you no matter who you are, Rainbow Alliance could be a great way for you to get involved, and meet new people. See Engage for further details on Rainbow Alliance.
They are located in Student Union 029D, and they hold weekly meetings every Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Other times you can come
Girls, Gays and Theys event will occur once a month on the second Thursday of every month. In December it will occur on the second Friday due to scheduling conflicts. It will be from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
See @wrightstateclimbing on Instagram for more details on how you can get involved at the Rock-Climbing Gym here at WSU.
