Fat Girls Hiking

I found my love of hiking while at a retreat in Vermont in 2008. I still remember that first ever “on top of the world” feeling after finally making it to Buttermilk Falls. That was the start of my break-up with diet culture and learning to practice gratitude for all that my body does for me (even though some days are more of a struggle than others!)

 

Now, I work as a clinical mental health counselor, behavioral skills coach, and mindfulness instructor. I travel every chance I get and I have dreams of living that fat van life. I collect tattoos and taxidermy. I spend a lot of time watching movies with my partner and our pups.

 

As a FGH ambassador, my hope is to be part of developing a community of folks in the Milwaukee area with the shared values of inclusivity, enjoying our beautiful (and sometimes very, very cold) state, and promoting health at every size. And fun, of course. That’s a big one.

I remember being really into forests as a kid, which was always connected to my fantastical sense of wonder. As a kid, it was wonder about what elves and fairies could be out there, just out of sight — now it’s wonder at how incredible and awe-inspiring our natural world is! But as my adult life got busier, I made less time to go out in nature and started to lose that sense of connection. It wasn’t until moving back to Sheboygan and being by the great Lake Michigan again (and going on my first Fat Girls Hiking hike!) that I remembered everything I had been missing out on: the crisp Wisconsin air, the sounds of cawing birds and the crashing waves, and the sense of oneness with everything and everyone around me.

 

Now that I’m back, I’m excited to be a FGH ambassador so that I can be a part of something so revolutionary and amazing and experience those connections again, both with nature and with like-minded folx. As I work towards figuring out my own life (especially becoming an inclusive birth worker, abortion and miscarriage doula, childbirth educator, and/or end of life doula, among many, many other things I’d love to do!), I know being a part of the Milwaukee chapter of FGH will give me a much-needed outlet for community, joy, and (of course) a bit of wonder.

Wrenn, they/them

Wrenn is a proud, fat hiker whose love for hiking and nature began several years ago. On their first hike, they very quickly fell in love with the beauty of nature and embraced hiking as a way to connect with their body. Despite societal “norms”, Wrenn found empowerment in hiking outdoors. Their passion for hiking and nature combined with their desire to continue to challenge societal “norms” ultimately led them to FGH where they are excited to promote body acceptance and advocate for hiking and body movement at any size. Their goal is to inspire others to embrace and connect with their bodies while exploring and enjoying the wonders of the natural world. When they are not working their full-time job or hiking, they enjoy attending concerts/live music, photography (but you’ll mostly find them photographing nature), spending time with their friends, chilling at home with their pets, starting new arts & craft projects they’ll never finish and cooking/baking.