I Shaved My Head!

It was my last step to do before my thru-hike. I got all my gear. I quit my job. I relearned how to walk. And now, the moment all of my hair follicles have been waiting for… I shaved my head!!! You can watch my head being shaved (and my performance poetry piece) here.

Fundraising for the Venture Out Project

Honestly, I’ve always wanted to shave my head. However, I decided that I’d like to shave it to help bring attention to the nonprofit I will be raising money for as I thru hike: The Venture Out Project. 

The Venture Out Project leads backpacking and wilderness trips for the queer and transgender community, and raising money will help them to financially support more queer hikers who wouldn’t otherwise be able to experience the outdoors. 

Some backstory…

It’s taken me 22 years (my whole life) to start accepting my gender and sexuality, and I’m still not all the way there. I’ve struggled with imposter syndrome, internalized homophobia, and came out in high school only to closet myself for three years in college. I was too afraid to be who I am. Going out on the Appalachian Trail near Blacksburg kept me sane. Dragon’s tooth, Mount Rogers, Mcafee’s and Tinkers Cliffs became a home to me. A safe space where I could just be myself and find peace. It would provide me with friends when I needed them and allowed me to grow closer to friends I already had. It taught me that if I was strong enough to climb mountains, I was strong enough to be myself out in the “real world” too. Without the trail, I wouldn’t be here today.

I believe thru-hiking the A.T. is a start to accepting myself. Out on trail, we all just become human — it doesn’t matter whether you’re a man or a woman, all that matters is that you can get yourself to the top of that mountain. Hiking allows me to have a deeper appreciation and connection to my body. When I’m on trail, I don’t care what my body looks like, it is a strong vessel that allows me to see beautiful things. Finally, the way I feel inside — both masculine and feminine and neither at the same time — is what I feel on the outside. I am no longer forced to choose. I am free. 

Passing on a love of the outdoors

I want to give this gift of freedom and self-acceptance to other people in the LGBTQ community. The regular world has been threatening for the LGBTQ community — just take a gander at the news. The Venture Out Project allows the opportunity for LGBTQ people to feel safe and welcome approaching a new activity they might have not had the courage to otherwise. As any hiker knows, the woods are easier to sleep in at night in the presence of good friends. (Unless they snore.) I can’t think of a better environment to be in — in nature, where you already feel free from the general constraints of a gendered society, and with others who are just like you, and have been through similar struggles. It cultivates a strong sense of belonging that it can sometimes be harder to find as an LGBTQ person. Speaking from experience, that sense of belonging and freedom found in nature and good friends can save lives and greatly increase quality of life. 

Help out!

If this trail is my start to accepting myself, I want to help someone else have that same opportunity. Every 500 miles, I will try to raise $500 to donate to Venture Out. Raising $2,190 seems like a daunting task, but so does hiking the same number. Even if I can’t raise that amount, I will still be glad to have helped someone, somewhere experience the freedom that I do on trail. 100% of the profits from my GoFundMe will be going to the Venture Out Project. Any donation will help make an impact. 

The path to self-acceptance begins with a single step (or in my case, 2,190 miles). Let’s help someone else take that first step today.