As a 27 year old woman who spends a great deal of my free time in the outdoors, I am fully aware of the many campaigns pushing women to be bold and confident outdoor women. (Have you ever scrolled through the outdoorsy tags of instagram?)

I call myself a feminist.

I agree that we should be able to walk down a street safely and in peace regardless of our attire.

I agree that we should be paid the same wage if we are doing the same job as men.

I agree that there is still a long ways to go to have equal representation for all the sub-groups in America, not just women.

I appreciate the efforts of those with the vision and energy to champion these causes.

But I realized...

Sometimes I don't want to be bold. Sometimes I'd rather just be quiet. Every second of my outdoor experience does not need to be about proving that "I can do it too" or trying to get validation from others because I'm so daring.

Yes settling for nothing less than equality is valiant, however I still need to be allowed to be uniquely a woman in the outdoors and process my experiences thus. I cry when the sun hits an alpine lake just so. Not out of sadness or grief, but from the overwhelm of the natural beauty that I love so acutely. I'm still a tender and emotional creature and must experience the outdoors my own way. Yes my experience looks different from a man's, however it is no less valid. It is simply and uniquely my own perspective.

Women should be supporting other women's experiences, not creating a template of being a badass tough gal as though that were the standard we need.

What I really want is to hike quietly and touch the flowers and climb the rocks and count the stars and smell the wood crackle in the fire.