Elizabeth Weinberg, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.
In 2015, I was a new member of the education and outreach team at NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and found myself tide pooling on the fringes of Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. With other educators and communicators from sanctuaries all over the country, I picked my way gingerly across rocks that had been exposed by low tide along the Washington Coast. I steadied myself to keep from slipping on algae, and when I looked up, I saw a whole new world stretching out in front of me.
Where the ocean had subsided, the rocks were covered in living things. Sea anemones clung to the walls within still pools while vibrant purple sea urchins had chewed their way into little burrows. Mussels and barnacles coated every surface exposed to the air. Under giant fronds of kelp, tiny hermit crabs scurried around in search of food and shelter.
I was in awe. I’d grown up spending outdoor time inland, in mountains and tundra. I’d been drawn to work for ocean conservation because I knew the ocean desperately needed our help, but I also was a little afraid of it. And why not? Ninety-five percent of the ocean is unexplored, and most of the time when I swim in the ocean I can’t see more than a few feet around me. Who knows what’s down there?
But the tide pools offered a window into this world of the ocean that took my breath away. Here I could sit, feet firmly planted on the ground, and see what went on beneath the waves. I could cultivate wonder, and feel safe while I did so.
Many queer people like me feel strongly tied to the outdoor world, and to the ocean, but we often face barriers to entry. We rarely see ourselves represented in the outdoor industry and often face homophobia and stereotypes that LGBTQ people spend time only in cities, far away from the outdoors. For gender non-conforming folks, finding gender-neutral bathrooms at trailheads and in visitor centers can be a challenge, and some LGBTQ people simply don’t feel safe or part of the community in outdoor spaces.
As a science writer, an outdoorsy person, and ocean lover, I want to change that. With that in mind, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and Pride Outside – a nonprofit dedicated to connecting the LGBTQ community around the outdoors – teamed up to create #PrideInTheOcean, a social media visibility campaign for LGBTQ folks in ocean spaces.
Our goal is to help show the world that LGBTQ people exist in ocean science, recreation, and conservation spaces, and to help us LGBTQ people see the full extent of our community. June is both Ocean Month and LGBT Pride Month, so we’re asking LGBTQ people to share a photo of themselves in, on, or by the ocean with a caption explaining why and how you take pride in the ocean.
You can email your photo and caption to earthisblue@noaa.gov, and we’ll share it on the Sanctuaries and Pride Outside social media and the #PrideInTheOcean webpage. You can also share your photo and caption on your own social media accounts using the hashtag #PrideInTheOcean. Allies can help by sharing these posts and helping raise awareness about the campaign.
Our ocean is for everyone – no matter who you love – and we LGBTQ people rely on the great big blue for health, fun, and more. Many of us are out there on the front lines helping to better understand our ocean and to protect it from climate change, ocean acidification, plastic pollution, and more.
Help show the world that we take pride in the ocean.
Elizabeth Weinberg works via the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation as the social media coordinator, editor, and writer for NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.
From Hannah Malvin, Founder and Director of Pride Outside
I fell in love with the outdoors on canoe trips in Algonquin Park, outside Toronto, well before I knew I was a lesbian. I loved the natural beauty, the opportunity to challenge myself, and the teamwork on the trips. Since then, building LGBTQ community around the outdoors has enriched my connection to the outdoors.
Through my work with Pride Outside, it’s been wonderful coming together for hikes, outdoor skills classes, LGBTQ history walking tours, and the LGBTQ Outdoor Summit. I have gotten to know LGBTQ rangers around the world, LGBTQ conservation and outdoor industry professionals, and LGBTQ outdoorists. It’s been so meaningful to build friendships and learn about people’s experiences and connections to the outdoors.
#PrideInTheOcean is about boosting LGBTQ representation and inclusion in the outdoors. Everyone belongs in the outdoors and it can be so affirming to see people like you in the outdoors, we’re hoping to spread that message far and wide.
