Good for the world—not just for business

By Chris Rehs-Dupin

Although the camp world has always been a little ahead of the curve on diversity and inclusion efforts, recently there have been more bold, brave, and vigorous efforts to create camps that meet the needs of all kinds of kids, families, and staff members. From an intersectional lens, camps cannot pick and choose what type of “inclusion” efforts to work towards since all people have complex layers of intersecting identities. To this end, justice work must always seek to extend access to LGBTQIA+ populations. A Williams Institute Fact Sheet released in September 2020 calculates that nearly 2-million youth between the ages of 13 and 17 are members of the LGBT community (1), and “although estimates vary, as many as 2-million to 3.7-million U.S. children under age 18 may have a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender parent” (2). While only 4.2 percent of Generation X self-identify as LGBT, 10.5 percent of Millennials and 20.8 percent of Gen Z statethey fall somewhere in the queer community (3). With most campers’ caregivers now being Millennials, and as Gen Z parents enter the market, there is going to be an increasing demand for LGBT-inclusive practices in youth-development spaces.

Here are some important first steps to take in working to create safer environments for campers of all genders and sexualities:

Ensure there are LGBTQIA+ voices at the table when making camp decisions.

Including diverse points-of-view in the decision-making processes will lead to better outcomes. Not only does it lead to more creative approaches, quicker problem-solving, and higher work satisfaction, but it will also produce higher levels of productivity and adaptability. In fact, including diverse voices, according to Josh Bershin’s “Why Diversity and Inclusion Has Become a Business Priority,” shows inclusive organizations and companies are “1.8 times more likely to be change-ready and 1.7 times more likely to be innovation leaders in their market” (4). With the rapidly changing profile of youth in North America, camps must be change-ready and always striving for innovation.

Most camps have not been set up with gender-diverse youth in mind, and traditionally camps have been structured around division by binary gender. In understanding gender in more flexible ways that more closely resemble a spectrum than a binary, camps need to reconsider how safety, privacy, and boundaries are structured in sleeping, changing, showering, and bathroom spaces. Failing to include the creative problem-solving ability of those who have been systemically left out of these spaces will create a blind spot that might replicate the existing problems or not prioritize safety equitably.

Allow staff to celebrate who they are in appropriate ways.

Representation matters. Especially in youth services, LGBTQIA+ staff members and volunteers have often been asked to mute, mask, or silence their identities. Many have leaned into this to create a perpetual sense of comfort for cis gender (someone whose gender identity matches the sex assigned at birth), heterosexual campers, and their caregivers. However, representation can introduce a sense of organic integration that allows campers to learn about a staff member’s humanity alongside gender and/or sexuality. Campers don’t need to listen to a documentary presentation or attend an educational session to learn about LGBTQIA+ issues; they can learn that their counselor Chris likes gardening, maple syrup, and just happens to be transgender.

Requiring silence from staff members regarding their gender and sexuality injects an unintended shame component. Silence is the great partner of shame. When campers inquire—in curious and appropriate ways—about differences they are sensing in their world and are met with silence, they learn this topic is off-limits and therefore something to be hidden or be ashamed of. Knowing the number of campers who may be members of the LGBTQIA+ community or have a parent who is a member of that community, the more we can normalize existence and acceptance, creating a sense of belonging for all campers.

Ensure the registration process is accessible to campers and families of all genders and sexualities.

A topic that consistently arises when I talk to caregivers of trans and non-binary campers is that, in looking for a safe camp for their child, they cannot move beyond the first page of the registration form. Caregivers see the male/female box and know neither option represents their child, so they abandon the form and look elsewhere for a camp that will meet their needs. If caregivers see a form that asks for the name of the camper’s mom and dad—and that does not represent their family—family trust may be fractured. For campers who are trans but describe their gender as male or female, caregivers often don’t know if they are required to include their camper’s legal name, and if so, where they should disclose that information and how it will be kept safe. Caregivers generally know that disclosing a trans child’s legal name or sex assigned at birth can put that child in a vulnerable position. If the registration process doesn’t frontload safety for campers of all genders, caregivers may choose to look elsewhere to protect the child.

Be intentional about sharing inclusive practices with camp stakeholders.

Building spaces where campers feel love and acceptance, can build community, learn to problem-solve, and gain independence should not only be accessible to a majority of the population. These spaces should be open to all! To do that, industry professionals must shift or eliminate practices that don’t serve the unique needs of today’s campers equitably. They also must be careful to inform members of a camp community about inclusive values, how these values translate into concrete actions, and that these practices are not up for discussion or debate. Communicate with stakeholders with clear and concise information that leads with the “why.” Make sure that questions being asked are for clarification purposes, and be clear that inclusive practices are non-negotiable. Share the evidence-based information you gained to make new policies, but don’t allow caregivers or stakeholders to hold you hostage to any of their harmful opinions. If it becomes clear that someone will no longer be a willing participant in the camp community because you have chosen radical inclusion—give yourself permission to help that person find another camp that will match the other values.

In Summary:

While the work of inclusion may seem messy, it is imperative to serve today’s youth population, not only because it is good for business but because it stays true to the fundamental intention of camp, which is to create spaces where young people can develop resilience, strong community skills, and independence, and have quite a lot of fun along the way. Although there is often a fear of blowback against LGBTQIA+ inclusive policies, in the not-so-distance future there may be a decent amount of (hopefully loving) pressure to institute these same policies from those seeking inclusive camps. Because we should always be moving towards inclusion, the choice is clear. The sooner we start building camp communities where safety is distributed equitably, the sooner we can start building trusting relationships with caregivers who are looking for camps where their LGBTQIA+ children can thrive.

Chris Rehs-Dupin is the Co-Founder of Transplaining, which works to create a safer world for transgender youth and adults through training, community conversation, and as much empathy as can be safely exerted. He spent the majority of his professional career (17 years) in youth development in the outdoors, including eight years in overnight programming and nine years in day programming. He is a passionate speaker, trainer, and educator, who has spoken at numerous conferences and camps, and has walked with many organizations on their journey to become more inclusive with participants of all genders and sexualities. Reach him at chris@transplaining.info

Works Cited

“LGBT Youth Population in the United States,” Williams Institute, ucla.edu; https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/lgbt-youth-pop-us/

Gates, Gary J., Future of Children, v25 n2 p67-87 Fall 2015, ERIC - EJ1079373 - Marriage and Family: LGBT Individuals and Same-Sex Couples, Future of Children, 2015 (ed.gov)

“LGBT Identification in U.S. Ticks Up to 7.1%” (gallup.com)

“Why Diversity and Inclusion Has Become a Business Priority,” Josh Bersin https://joshbersin.com/2015/12/why-diversity-and-inclusion-will-be-a-top-priority-for-2016/

LGBTQIA+ Inclusion