Through honest essays, personal reflections, and heartfelt poetry, Diverse Voices explores personal relationships with Canada’s outdoor spaces. The project asks writers to reflect on joy and inspiration, to share what barriers exist and why exclusion persists, and provides a creative outlet for voices so often unheard.
The outdoors—and especially organized outdoor activities—have not always been safe or welcoming spaces for marginalized communities, including the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. By amplifying the voices and experiences of individuals who are not traditionally heard within the outdoor sector, we aim to encourage reflection, inspire meaningful change, and spark thoughtful dialogue to broaden perspectives.
Click here to download your FREE copy of Diverse Voices in the Outdoors Volume 2, and while you’re with us, please enjoy this sample piece written by EJ Lange.
Out There: EJ’s story
The outdoors w ere my refuge. As a kid and teenager I felt like something didn’t fit, like something wasn’t right, but I couldn’t name it. I was fortunate to be able to access the outdoors, to spend time hiking in the woods and sleeping under the stars. This was my happy place, my refuge, the place where I could just be.
It took me until I was 36 years old to come out to myself (and shortly after to the world) as trans.
I was always drawn to work in outdoor education, but I ended up working in traditional corporate desk-based jobs. Taking the bus to work in Vancouver and looking out at the ocean and the mountains on my commute, I was frustrated that I was going to sit behind a desk when what I really wanted to do was “to be out there.” So I started working as a part-time kayaking instructor in the evenings and weekends. I called it my “fun job,” but I also had my “real job.”
After working in a particularly toxic work environment, I was ready to give up on a traditional career and when—in 2018—the opportunity came up to run the kayaking school at Ecomarine in Vancouver (where I was working part-time as an instructor), I took it. I also took on the role of Operations Manager and, when Ecomarine closed down, I worked with the wonderful folks at Deep Cove Kayak to re-launch the location as the Jericho Beach Kayak Centre; taking on the role of the General Manager and School Director.
Life was good. I had a great job, finally in the outdoor industry, as I had always wanted; a fantastic community and friends; a wonderful partner and three amazing kids.
In the Fall of 2020, I came out to myself (and shortly after to my community) as a queer trans guy. I remember the first time I said the words “I am trans.” It was in the Fall of 2020 on a kayaking trip with a good friend. We had a great day on the water, challenging ourselves in some rough conditions, connecting with other paddlers and watching wildlife. We were camping on a small island, it was a beautiful evening, the water was literally glowing with bioluminescence all around us, and without planning it or even saying it in my head before, I said it out loud: “I am trans.” I was in the outdoors, my safe space, my refuge.
The moment I came out, memories came flooding back, and in retrospect I wonder to myself why it took me so long to realize I was trans. Friends have told me that maybe it was because my subconscious self was waiting until I was ready and in a safe space in my life to do so. I guess I was in that safe space now…
Unfortunately, often the outdoors—in particular, organized outdoor activities—are not a safe and welcoming space for marginalized communities including the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. I consider myself incredibly lucky and fortunate to have a community in the outdoor industry that has been so accepting and supportive of me. I know this is not the case for everybody.
While a lot has changed over the past few years, and amazing individuals with diverse backgrounds and perspectives (like the wonderful people whose stories are featured in this book) are now actively changing the outdoor industry, a lot of the industry continues to be dominated by white cis men.
As a queer trans guy of European descent, my presentation is that of “just another white man.” I regularly experience how what I say now gets perceived, acknowledged and respected more than it was 5 years ago when I was female-presenting. I have experienced discrimination working in the outdoor industry, both when I was female-presenting as well as a trans person. While this is infuriating and disappointing, I am fortunate to have a lot of privilege (I am white, able-bodied, have economic means, had access to a good education, and—now—am male-presenting). So I am trying to use the privilege that my male presentation gives me to try to do my part in trying to make the outdoor industry and organized outdoor activities more inclusive by working towards justice, accessibility, equity, diversity and inclusion.
My goal is to make the outdoors inclusive and accessible to everybody. So, in the last few years, I have worked and will continue working to educate myself, to listen and to learn. I am so grateful for all those who have shared their stories, who (knowingly or not) have taught me, who have challenged me and have helped me gain a deeper understanding of the true diversity and beauty that everybody brings to this world and to our community.
I am working towards creating more opportunities and safe spaces for communities that have traditionally been marginalized in the outdoors. I do this through actively creating a positive, encouraging and enabling work environment for my team of about 60 staff members. I am a mentor and a mentee; I am a coach while also being a learner myself; I try to commit myself and support my team in continuously learning, listening and improving. We all learn from each other and with each other, and we grow together.
As an organization, Jericho Beach Kayak School strives to provide accessibility in our programs, to support our participants and to encourage different user groups to join us. As of 2024, we are running various programs (often at sliding scale pricing) specifically for: Women, BIPOC folks, 2SLGBTQIA+ folks, with programming in different languages, and we continue to expand on these offerings.
To try to reach beyond my own community and geographic area and to contribute to systemic changes and education, I also joined the Board of Directors of Paddle Canada (the national organization for recreational paddling and paddlesports instruction) in the Fall of 2021 and am the first openly trans board member.
My vision for the future is an outdoors where everybody can be accepted, welcomed and celebrated for who they are. I was lucky that the outdoors were my happy place, my safe space, and that I have a supportive community. I hope that through my work I can contribute to making the outdoors safer and more inclusive for everybody; and that, together, we can work to break down both conscious and unconscious biases and barriers. That the outdoors will soon be a space where everybody can thrive.
EJ (he/him) is passionate about making the outdoors more accessible and inclusive. He is the General Manager and School Director at the Jericho Beach Kayak Centre in Vancouver, BC, where he loves working, playing and learning with a fantastic team of 60 seasonal staff members.
He volunteers his time with Paddle Canada where he is the BC Director; serves on the Sea Kayaking Program Development committee; and is the initiator and founding member of the EDI committee.
EJ does not drink coffee or like anything coffee flavoured—and is fully aware that this is highly controversial. He recently started learning how to play the drums (which he has wanted to do since he was a child) and, while he may never be great at it, he absolutely loves it. In completely unrelated news, he has been told that he makes a pretty legendary cranberry cheesecake!
EJ lives with his partner and three kids in Vancouver, BC. When not being on the water as part of his job, you can still find him on the water with his friends or family.
