Femininity, Body Size, and (Mis)Fitting in Rock Climbing Culture

Abstract

What power relations exist at the intersections of femininity and fatness in rock climbing? In this article, we theorize our experiences with indoor recreational rock climbing focusing on climbing culture’s tendency toward femmephobia, sizeism, and body normativity. Using fat studies and critical femininities, we unite theory and personal experience to examine how the sport uses “fit-ness” to bring climbers into alignment with an idealized form. We argue that consistent surveillance of the body and athletic performance lends itself to femmephobic sizeism that sees non-normative bodies as “misfits” in the climbing gym. We also advocate for re-valuing the feminized intimacies of rock climbing that are already built into the mechanics of the sport but are more evident for those subjected to a fatphobic gaze. Diversifying rock climbing necessitates expanding ways to “fit,” and so we conclude with structural and cultural next steps to improve marginalized experiences and the sport itself. Ultimately, our consideration of fatness and femininity in indoor rock climbing draws attention to broader cultural tensions surrounding embodiment, health, size, gender, and belonging.

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