QCC: Every Body Welcome — Building a More Accessible Climbing Community

If you’ve been following the Queer Climbing Collective (QCC), you already know that their commitment to creating safer, more inclusive spaces in sport is more than a tagline - it’s a practice. And this year, that practice expanded in a really meaningful way.

As QCC began planning their Every Body Welcome event, they reached out to us - Toni (they/them) and Zita (she/they) from Action Potential Fitness and the Centre for Trauma-Informed Fitness (CFTIF) - along with Rebecca Bissonnette from CRIPSiE (Collaborative Radically Integrated Performers Society in Edmonton), whose expertise in community-based arts advocacy and accessibility has shaped countless queer-and-disability centered initiatives in Edmonton.

The QCC goal was simple, but ambitious:
How do we transform indoor climbing into a space where more bodies, more identities, and more lived experiences truly feel welcome?

And not just welcomed in spirit - welcomed in practice.

A Collaborative Process Rooted in Curiosity

We started with conversations. Real ones. Honest ones. Vulnerable ones.
QCC wanted to understand what barriers exist in climbing - physical, psychological, social, sensory - and what could be changed, adapted, or reimagined to create a more representative local climbing community.

We admit that we held no punches. We shared stories of our members who had previously felt excluded in climbing spaces, who did not see themselves represented in marketing or materials, who did not have confidence that their bodies would be accepted and that their needs would be honoured and validated. There is a powerful magic that is created when these stories are shared in spaces that are not only open to hearing and receiving them, but are also committed to learning from them and tangibly applying suggestions into practice.

We left our initial meeting feeling hopeful and excited to see a local sports community take these issues so seriously. Along with Rebecca, we share what we have learned in our own personal and professional journeys.

After our initial meeting, it was decided that an in-person session was particularly important to ensure that we had a chance to familiarize ourselves with the equipment, facilities, and the logistics of the sport. Supported by QCC leaders Kye and Finn, Toni - an experienced but lapsed climber- and Zita - a hesitant first-timer- strapped into harnesses, chalked up their hands, and took a “newbie crash course” in climbing. (Stay tuned for some fun - and a little embarrassing - reels on our Instagram page!)

Experiencing the sport from the perspective of a brand-new participant gave us insight that theory alone can’t offer:

• Where anxiety spikes

• Where knowledge gaps related to jargon and concepts presumed to be common knowledge present

• Where equipment fails to be fully size-inclusive and weight neutral

• Where gendered assumptions live in policies, paperwork, and locker rooms

• Where sensory overwhelm can sneak up on someone

• And where small design tweaks can create major pathways to belonging

It also surfaced a truth that drives our work across APF and CFTIF: Accessibility isn’t an afterthought - it’s a collaborative creation.

Building an Event That Meets People Where They’re At

Together, QCC, APF/CFTIF, and CRIPSiE mapped out ways to remove barriers before participants even step into the space.

This included:

• Size-inclusive equipment and adaptive alternatives:

  • Harnesses come in different sizes, and there are options fitting at least a 48 inch waistline.

  • Top-Rope auto-belaye equipment has a weight limit of 330 lbs, which inevitably will limit some people from this aspect of the sport. It also may drop more quickly with heavier bodies, and (based on our personal experience) can be quite startling and intimidating the first time. Some first climbers may choose to skip this option if they experience height/fall anxiety.

  • Volunteer top rope options are available to all that have registered for a time slot and are able to safely and comfortably wear the adaptive harnesses.

  • Alternatives to top rope, including bouldering (low, largely horizontal/traverse climbing) and other social activities will be available for those who are unable to engage in top-rope assisted climbing or who are more interested in the social aspects of the event.

  • No weight checks are required. Trauma-informed trainers (namely, Toni and Zita) will be onsite to do "blind weigh ins" if participants feel they should confirm their weight prior to participation in auto-belaye top rope activities.

• Gender-affirming forms and processes, and Neutral facilities

  • Registration forms are gender neutral and offer open pronoun identification

  • Washrooms are traditionally gendered; however, these will have all-gender signs on them during this private event.

  • Gender disclosure is not required to participate in this event.

• Sensory-adaptive options

  • Music will be turned off during the event.

  • The facility is quite bright. While there is a 'cave-like' area with dim lighting, it is a bit difficult to access, which may be a barrier for some folks.

  • Breaks can be taken as needed; there is no need to participate at specific set times or in specific activities.

  • Quiet games and low-pressure social areas will be available for those who need a break or simply want to relax and enjoy some community time.

• Trained volunteers

  • A fleet of volunteers are ready to coach without judgment or assumptions! All will have received guidance on body-neutral language and are eager to see new faces in their sport.

  • All volunteers involved in top-rope assisting are certified, experienced, and able to work with bodies of all sizes.

  • Additional volunteers will be available to give guidance on movement techniques, and skills.

• Trauma-informed fitness support and coaching

  • Toni and Zita will be present throughout the evening to assist with issues relating to adaptive movement and mechanics.

  • They will also be available for on-site performance counselling to help work through anxiety or other emotions that may arise from trying out a new activity.

• Clear communication about what to expect, what’s available, and how to ask for help safely

  • Autonomy and consent will be centered at all times. The team is here to support YOU, in whatever ways feel most safe!

• An understanding that this is a first step of many to come:

  • The goal wasn’t perfection. The goal was responsiveness - an event designed with community, not simply "for" community.

Why This Matters

Climbing, like many recreational sports, has historically been shaped by norms around who participates and who gets represented. Body size, disability, gender identity, neurodivergence, and lived trauma histories all influence how safe or unsafe someone feels walking into a space for the first time.

But inclusion isn’t about lowering expectations - it’s about lowering barriers and fostering creative solutions to expand horizons.

By approaching this event with a multidisciplinary team, QCC is modeling what inclusion can look like when it’s intentional, relational, and grounded in care.

A Collective Invitation

The Every Body Welcome event on November 29th isn’t just a night of climbing - it’s the beginning of a more expansive vision of recreation: one where joy, challenge, community, and embodiment are available to more people in more ways.

We’re proud to support QCC’s leadership in pushing this conversation forward.
We’re grateful for the collaboration with Rebecca, whose insight into crisis-informed accessibility helped shape the backbone of this event.

And we’re excited to see what future programs grow from this work.

Because when every body is welcome, the whole community gets stronger.