So many people responding to this article apparently have no clue about the differences between rock climbing (with ropes and partners), free climbing (without ropes), mountain climbing (hiking without special equipment necessary) and extreme mountain climbing (oxygen, snow gear, whatever).
Not all outdoor sports are automatically dangerous. Many urban pastimes (riding electric scooters in the city?) often have much higher injury and death rates. Many "everyday" jobs (construction, mining, heavy equipment operation, working with chemical substances, police and firefighters) are also high-risk.
This is about a woman's right to keep her job despite choosing to have children, not the level of risk pregnant women are "allowed" to take.
109
@L Wolf free climbing does involve ropes, and the placement of temporary, removable mechanical devices for protection. Maybe you meant to say free soloing.
Also, sub extreme mountain climbing often requires the use of ropes, pitons, crampons, ice axes, etc. This is special equipment and the sport is not just hiking. While I agree with your point about women having the right to conduct their lives as they wish, you have definitely muddied the waters about climbing.
29
@L Wolf
I’m just back from the Grand Teton Climbers Ranch work week. There are all sorts of members of the climbing community there. We come together every year to maintain that gorgeous facility and be together.
I have sometimes reflected about the personal freedom and responsibility that is part of the essence of climbing mountains. It is a non-judgemental social dynamic.
It has also struck me that it is almost impossible to describe the mindset that climbers have about risk management. Those who have no relatable experience to climbing may judge it as if they know what the are saying; but they simply don’t. It’s out of their realm of cognizance.
On another note: Do the various negative writers think that mothers can be cops? Soldiers, first responders, you name it. ... Is high risk only for fathers but not mothers? Come on, we are ever so slowly trending toward equality, and that is what needs to and must happen.
22
@L Wolf, correction, “free climbing” is indeed climbing WITH a rope. It is called “free” climbing to distinguish it from “aid climbing”, where the climber uses gear to aid progress up the rock. Climbing without a rope is “free soloing”.
11
Beth,
I started climbing with John Bachar at the age of sixteen. Joshua Tree was our regular weekend haunt. We parted ways when he started free climbing. He's died while free climbing. I survived a 240' screamer in the early 80's roped and geared. It does not matter how good you are. Eventually, you fall. Tobin Sorensen, the invisible, died on Mt. Alberta. He was as good or better than John. And, one day, you will find that the thrill of ascent is encumbered by your responsibility to your family and friends. I hope so, for your child's sake.
26
Awesome piece. Beth is a luminary in the outdoor/climbing culture. We're lucky to have her. But we gotta get it straight, folks -- climbing, in the style Beth does it, is not exceptionally dangerous. Lay off.
7
"Two elite climbers fell to their deaths on Saturday while ascending El Capitan, one of the best-known rock formations in Yosemite National Park in California.
The climbers, Jason Wells, 45, of Boulder, Colo., and Tim Klein, 42, of Palmdale, Calif., were scaling the Free Blast route on the granite monolith El Capitan when they fell around 8:15 a.m., the National Park Service said in a statement."
El Capitan doesn't care about your preparation or your expertise. Do the right thing.
4
Thanks to Beth Rodden for this short piece...and for working on a memoir. In an age where we hear, perhaps, too many life stories, we need to hear hers. To many of the commenters about risk and responsibility: everyone who goes uphill or out there in any fashion knows that s/he never goes solo. There are always others who matter. That, no becoming a parent, someone should be asked to shift her life to being another person is to ask that she become an impostor rather than a parent. We have enough false people in our world; give us parents true to themselves. And give them the skill and luck to go on.
2
This article and some comments, seem to bring out the worst in us. Why? When criticism is rampant one must ask, why? I suspect jealousy.
Let’s allow people, to do and be whom they want, shall we? Not everyone is meant to climb, or be a parent....or whatever. Let’s ACCEPT each other. Life is short, fragile and love IS the answer.
7
Falling for two? On my string?
Third & fourth FREE ascents of the Nose.
No copy editor on belay.
You're free soloing this, Beth.
Right on!
2
So OK, you're self-obsessed and not even the welfare of your kid will slow you down.
Life demands many choices--sometimes many times a day--and many of them are painful, or require a hard consideration of priorities.
And we can predict nothing--the most sedentary of parents can die unexpectedly anywhere. But one ought to do what one can to minimize the chances of orphaning one's kids. You don't choose to? Don't ask me to celebrate you. (Which you are implicitly doing by having this published, and in a forum with a comments section...)
3
And how about old women climbers? Who are they? Where are they?
And, I wish more intelligent passionate people like Beth Rodden would think twice about having babies. There are too many of our species, and if you doubt that, go to Yosemite and see the crowds - to say nothing about what our species is doing to the planet.
3
Lol. Sponsors first is not the best lodestar for a Mom. P.S. Can't wait for your child's first show-and-tell. "What does your Mom do?" "She's a female climber!" Wow! Not.
2
All well and good until you die. (Look that up)
4
Good for you Beth! I always knew you'd succeed at whatever you chose to do--climbing, writing and now parenting.
In the late 1990s you guided a few of my co-workers and me up some easy routes at Smith Rock. I had wrangled a few hundred dollars from my employer for a day of team building, and we were happy to spend "corporate money" to help a promising young climber. I'm so glad you found sponsors who support all your dreams.
Climb on!
5
Ms Rodden - your story brought tears to my eyes. You are exceptionally brave, including for writing this article. See all the ways that moms can get criticized :-)?
I am a successful professional woman with kids myself who didn’t have a road map to follow. The only professional women I knew in my male dominated field were either childless or had given up most of motherhood for their career. It’s changing now - but just even 11 years ago when I found out I was pregnant, I had no idea where to turn for an example of how to work in my field and be a mom that could really be there for her kids. I had to write my own road map.
Those who create the road maps often don’t speak up like Ms Rodden did - for fear of criticism, fear of being told we mothered wrong or did our jobs wrong or that we relied on others (babysitters, coworkers, you name it). So we just try to do it our way, and cross our fingers that it works. And maybe - just maybe - we help other women who come after us to see a clearer path for themselves from what we did. Thank you, Ms Rodden.
9
I was NEVER a climber but was climbing in the world of retailing in the 1970's in New York.I was one of the first, if not the only executive pregnant and not one to quit my job or slow down in my career. I can relate to this overachiever in a male dominated world. All women should keep "climbing" for the right to equal pay and equal respect.
6
Many commenting are question why companies would pay less to sponsor a woman if they really stood to gain equal or greater revenue, press, etc. from sponsoring a woman compared with a man.
One answer: There are too many male executives at these companies and they are blind to the worth of women.
7
@Simon Alford, You are right, and also because there are probably only a handful of potential sponsors, so not much competition among them; in such a case it's easy for bias to prevail. The real world does not work like a competitive market does in textbooks.
I’ve followed Beth Rodden’s career for years, mostly through reading about her in snippets from outdoor and climbing magazines. When I started climbing 40 years ago women were often relegated exclusively to the “first female ascent” category, their achievements coming in the shadows of previous “male ascents”. While women have emerged in recent years to become some of the strongest and better climbers, Beth points out they still have a ways to go to achieve parity with males. As a single dad who raised his daughter to be independent and outdoorsy, Beth was one of the women I would point out to my daughter as being “awesome” and a role model. I’m glad to see her speaking out as a mother and believe she is still at the beginning of ushering in more societal change in how we view women in sports. I look forward to reading her memoir.
81
As a climber and a mom (my daughter is learning to climb as well) I find the sanctimonious nature of some of the replies disturbing. I’m not sure if the comments are due to misperceptions about climbing or to the fact that Rodden is a woman. I doubt that her husband’s choices would be criticized to the same degree.
All activities carry risks, including sitting on the couch (heart disease, diabetes...). In climbing, there is much that I can do to control the amount of risk that I face. There are different styles with some being more risky than others. There are different types of climbs (runout face climbs with no pro, cracks that I can sew up with gear). In climbing, I make choices. I don’t have perfect control over risk but that doesn’t exist in the rest of life.
Climbing is something that I hope my daughter will continue to enjoy. She is becoming brave, learning valuable life skills, pushing her boundaries and becoming independent. The skills that she learns while climbing will stick with her throughout life. (In case you are wondering, when it comes to her safety I am very conservative.)
89
Dear Beth. We watched this in the media, and were inspired by it. Thank you for speaking loud and clear, and being an example we can point customers towards, and say "Look! She Can, You Can!".
Much love from Scotland :-) x
125
and your tombstone will say...
1
"Motherless Children have a harder time"
2
Wonderful article, but some really depressing comments/reactions here from people who have no idea about risks, and who seem to think mothers should sacrifice everything for their children at all times. This has made me think I should actually think more about me.
7
Here's an angle: for the folks wailing about the dangers of climbing -- a day in the life in a city is far more dangerous than solo backcountry work or rock climbing.
In an urban area, hundreds if not thousands of strangers can potentially harm you through accident, negligence or intention. Happens all the time.
In the backcountry or the climbing wall, you are in control of your destiny. Yes, if you make a mistake, you get injured or die. In a city, you have a thousand risks beyond your control.
It's really that simple.
5
I love ribeye steaks, but I don't pay $15/lb when its on sale for $10/lb. I pay what I need to.
Women aren't 'less valuable' but Rodden needs to understand that in business, you will be paid the least amount the other party can get away with.
If a sponsor will only pay her 67% of what they pay her husband, the reason is because that's all they have to pay. It's not personal.
I would think women climbers would be worth more, not less. There's less of them, and on average amateur women spend more money on gear than guys who just wing it.
Those who would criticize Rodden for climbing as a mother should explain why it's acceptable for fathers to risk their lives but not mothers. Both parents need to make responsible decisions to be there for their children. Not just mothers.
3
Interesting article - emphasizes the value of all people seeing women powerfully represented through their lifecycle. She's fortunate to have found a key sponsor who was completely fine with her pregnancy, and her recommendation of sticking with sponsors who are supportive is well taken.
However, there's something missing. In many cases in life, it's hard to tell who is going to say they'll be supportive and those who intend to follow through. What does it mean she was able to find such - they were honest, not mass market, smaller stakes? Does the fact that Nike is Nike mean their men can flaunt decency? Or are they like our general national climate - women who are pregnant belong to the nearest man and are incapable of making their own decisions and should be punished when they do.
Since the decision makers in all these situations are men (she didn't say hers were men, but let's say they were), where are the decent, supportive men? Where are the men who respect the contributions women and mothers make? Where are the dads who couldn't be dads without women? Why are they not the champions here?
I saw a film about it on Netflix.I liked watching it from the coffee table.I'm looking for closeout prices for a winter parka.
1
To the naysayers, you know, there are a lot of ways to live a life. She chose this way because she can. Other than the unequal pay issue, which affects all women, I don't see why her choice should matter to someone else.
3
Thank you for sharing this. Amazing person, wonderful story. Inspiring.
3
It wasn't until I became a mother that I realized how hard it is for women to balance the inherent childrearing pressures of society while also trying to maintain some semblance of the life they had before children. I struggle with this daily. I no longer wonder if people out there are judging me when I'm working at my job as a physician or racing a 5K or engaging in some other hobby I enjoy - I know they are. These comments attest to that. It's not the same for men. Why can't we adjust to the times? Why can't people realize that it's not the eighteenth century anymore, and that women can still have lives after kids (in part because we don't have to bear ten of them anymore)? I hope society is kinder to my daughter if she chooses to have children.
11
I noticed from the comments that most of the people posting here are not climbers.
Climbing is not a death-defying activity and elite climbers do not exemplify a "death wish." It is a sport that requires enormous discipline, a rare level of fitness, a hunger for working through complex problems, and a constant attentiveness to the risks involved and safety precautions in place. The rush is not in cheating death; it's facing a challenge and pushing your body and mind to accomplish something you couldn't otherwise do. For legal reasons, climbing is an inherently dangerous activity. For practical purposes, I'm more worried about loved ones on long road trips than I am while they're climbing.
For those who say that a parent who's also a professional climber is putting a recreational activity ahead of their own children, would you tell NBA athletes that they need to stop playing playground games and start being responsible parents? A parent who climbs professionally is not being selfish any more than a parent with a 9-5 job. Climbing is also extremely communal. I know several climbing families, with parents who have taught their children and shared their passion from a young age. It fills my heart with joy to see these families, two or sometimes three generations climbing together and bonding over a shared activity.
Beth Rodden is a legend and a role model. I'll bet she's also a pretty great mom.
17
Ignore the critics, live your life to the fullest!
4
I've been a climber since the late 70s and followed Ms. Rodden's career (with awe) from the beginning. So it is with no surprise and great satisfaction that I read she is no more willing to be intimidated by social walls than she was by physical walls.
Her comments about being under-rated in an marriage of equals match the experience my wife and I had in teaching. We dated in high school and matched each other within single digits on all standardized tests. We both got college scholarships and then both taught at the same school, where she was constantly asked "What's it like to be married to such a smart person?" To her credit, she frequently replied "I'm not sure. I guess you'll just have to ask him"
As far as risk goes, I used to drive from Philly to Colorado to climb each summer. My wife (math) and I (physics) actually looked into the risks involved, and it was pretty clear that the craziest thing I did on those trips was to cover 5000 miles in a car.
I frequently told concerned friends that climbing was probably going to lengthen my life, because there is no stronger motivation to stay fit than an impending cage match with gravity. After 71 active years, that seems to be working.
When I got serious about climbing 40 years ago, one of the real attractions was older climbers. They really looked like the kind of person I hoped to grow into. Ms. Rodden is not certainly not old yet, but she's already a person I'd hope to be like.
25
Twenty five years ago, myself and two woman friends hiked to the top of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. We were literally the only all-female group of hikers we saw all day. There were women on the trail, but always with men. When we got to the top, we made a woman symbol with rocks. I have been an REI member (Recreational Equipment Incorporated) since before that hike. A couple of years ago REI dedicated an entire year to highlighting women in the outdoors in their "Force of Nature" campaign. After looking at pictures of groups of men enjoying the outdoors in their catalog for many years, the first time I opened up their catalog and saw a group of women hiking, I literally sobbed. It was a moment I had been waiting for my entire adult life.
19
What you do for your thrills, putting at much higher risk your life than most parents would do, is your choice. My choice is to consider you self-indulgent. You’re welcome.
6
@Norman Dale by thrills, you mean paycheck. She's a sponsored athlete. Sure Tiger Woods got a fair chunk of change for winning tournaments, but he most most his money (probably 90% of it) from sponsorships and endorsements. Since there isnt a governing body in outdoor climbing handing out checks, Beth and other climbers are making 100% from sponsorships. It's no different.
2
What if you fall off the mountain and leave your kid an orphan? At a certain point we outgrow recklessness to become parents.
3
@Sarasota Obviously you don't know much about rock climbing. There are many types of climbing and safety equipment has been developed to minimize the risks. Children are increasingly involved in outdoor climbing as well. Please don't judge someone as being reckless if you don't understand the sport.
7
"What if you fall off the mountain and leave your kid an orphan?" makes for a fine metaphor. The only people it doesn't apply to are those without children.
2
@FY
Yes, children are involved in climbing. One thinks of the 12-year-old Italian climbing prodigy, Tito Claudio Traversa, who died when the quickdraws used for safety failed and he fell 50 feet to the ground. Dead at 12.
Things go wrong. Rock climbing and mountain climbing have high fatality rates.
4
"I’m a modest person"--not based on the content of this article.
6
@ZHR Reporting her accomplishments to illustrate a point about gender inequality does not make her an immodest person. Knowing her worth makes her an insightful person, not a conceited one.
12
@ZHR
It's not bragging. It's the truth. Her accomplishments are verifiable.
5
There was something about this article that seemed slightly amiss. I think it was the number of times Ms. Rodden used the words "I" or "I'm" or "me." I counted 57 times.
It would have been interesting to hear more from her about what life is like traveling with Theo, how he reacts to her life as a climber, how she handles child care, and now that he is school-age, school, etc. I think that would have been interesting.
I counted six "Theo" or "he" references.
13
@scrim1 What's more interesting is how when a woman's writing does not focus completely on her child, her childcare, what her life is like as a mother, etc., there's something "amiss" and therefore she must be self-absorbed. Hint, hint: you did just that when you complained about how many times she said "I."
17
@scrim1
This is actually a perfect example of the gender divide that is sadly yet to be recognized.
What you seem to be missing/wanting from this article is her feminine motherly touch. That wasnt the point.
She uses the "me"s to convey that this whole time, when we have been praising only male climbers, she has been there CRUSHING like no other. Yet, we dont condemn such male climbers for their choices, or for only naming their child 6 times.
I am so saddened by these comments, because it is cornering women and motherhood to puritan-like standards. Can we progress already?
14
@scrim1 This article is about her life and her choices so it makes sense that she uses the word "I" throughout it. You've committed the classic patriarchal blunder in assuming that a woman ceases to exist once she becomes a parent.
21
Reminds me of Ozymandias.
Everybody has a profession, whether it be a sport or a desk or an oven or a trash truck. I don't see the particular point of this article. period.
4
It is amazing how some people just don’t get it: read the title folks! Who do you think you are to tell someone how to live their life, which risks to take and which to not. I know very little about rock climbing, and I didn’t know the author before reading the article. But just by reading the article, you can see that these are thoughtful folks, professional athletes, not irresponsible jerks.
I applaud your tenacity and your sincerity. Being a mother and a professional rock climber at the same time sound extremely challenging. I’m glad there’s folks out there setting the example of how one must not sacrifice one or the other.
4
She may be a great climber but this person is incredibly self-absorbed - just nonstop 'I did this' and 'I did that' better than anyone else. Apparently this kind of self-obsession is what turns a lot of readers on. Probably not surprising in the age of Trump.
7
@JaneDoe Knowing her accomplishments doesn't make her a self-obsessed person. She's using them to illustrate a point about gender inequality. Also, this piece is about her process in becoming both a mother and a climber. Whose experiences should she refer to if not hers?
7
You’re amazing. You’re incredible. You’re climbing skills plus you’re courage in breaking professional barriers are super super cool. What a great mother Theo has - someone who trains with the work ethic of an elite athlete AND follows her personal passion AND navigates the treacherous waters of systemic, patriarchy and misogyny with aplomb.
The critical comments in this thread are...I mean what can you even say about them?
Pay parity is not something to be debated. Non-parity makes literally no logical sense. Paid parental leave (for both men and women) should be a right in the same way that healthcare is right. Discrimination based on biology of any sort is just plain inane. If you can do the job -which YOU clearly can - you should be paid and treated equitably.
Gender is an idea who’s time is over. Be you. Be strong. Don’t let ‘em get you down.
12
So inspiring! I don’t climb but my husband did when he was younger. Reading his Gunks guide, I was fascinated to learn that the fitness pioneer Bonnie Prudden (whom I knew from her ‘60s TV exercise show) was a top climber at a time when women “didn’t climb.” I hope sponsors of all women athletes take your message to heart (and checkbook). Is there a book for kids about you???
6
"Together, we made the second and third ascents of the classic El Capitan route, the Nose." I thought the second ascent was around 1960 by Royal Robbins and others. Do you mean the second and third free ascents?
2
It is great to see you speak out - unfortunately even though today women are realized to be better and more capable climbers than men there has not been a retro-fitting of due honor and glory to the female pioneers of the past. Most of them never spoke out and do not speak out even to this day. In some sort of sequence - briefest possible resume:
English climber Gwen Moffet who would scree glissade BAREFOOTED! Bonnie Prudden , physical fitness proselytizer, who often lead the hardest first ascents with climbing partner Hans Krauss, sometimes climbing topless.
Elaine Matthews, first female El Cap ascent sharing the leading - whose daughter was born in Yosemite. Bev Johnson - first all female El Cap ascent with Sybille Hechtel. Lynn Hill - all free ascent of the El Cap Nose in under 24 hours. At a Gunks Reunion several years ago Jim McCarthy correctly proclaimed that Lynn at that time was the BEST CLIMBER IN THE WORLD bar none!
5
Your track record on El Cap is very impressive...your love for your kids is very inspiring!
3
Of course you're doing great you're still alive. Can we ask your family this question after you become another climbing statistic? And this goes for any-gendered parent who has young children and continues engaging in any high risk sport that features an obituary section as a regular feature of its media and news reporting.
7
It will be a great day, indeed, when in speech or in writings, like this, we no longer feel the need to distinguish "male climbers" and "female climbers" because, 1) the person's gender is usually self-evident, so it's a redundancy, but, more importantly 2) who cares?
2
Professional climber, huh? OK, so someone actually paid you to climb.. Big deal. Once there was there anything worth getting? Was there a big pile of cash on the top of the mountain? A pot of gold?
Doing something just because you can doesn't strike me as actually accomplishing anything tangible that furthers the well being of anyone other than your pocket book..
Personally I'd much rather watch the likes of Harold Lloyd climb a building to hang off the clock dial. At least that was entertainment.
4
@Martino by that metric we ought dismantle the PGA, the NFL, NASCAR, NBA, MLB, etc
4
@Martino - May I assume that you have similar disdain for people who get paid (MUCH more) to play games that involve throwing a ball through a hoop or trying to carry one past a stripe painted on the grass?
3
I second the motion below that said Beth Rodden is a good writer. Now who was the English teacher in what school responsible? Let's hear it for all the great English teachers.
4
Bless you. As a father of two strong, smart and determined daughters, I salute you. Some people will always negatively judge you as though driven women can’t manage risk and reward. Nonsense. Good work!
5
Professional athletes are entertainers and spokespeople for the brands that sponsor them. They do not make meaningful contributions to the world, unless they are using their fame and money for charitable purposes.
Starting a family is way more than a "lifestyle-destroying choice" - it's actually very destructive to the planet. Enjoy the climbing now because the opportunities to do so won't exist soon thanks to rampant overpopulation by 1st worlders
3
No, very often life is unfair, especially towards women.
Traditionally, the climbing world is very sexist and egotistical.
You may not die pursuing this sport but injuries are common as is the hardship of remaining the parent who climbs. We all sadly have our limitations both physically and mentally. Not all women athletes are Beth Rodden. How will she. (and her husband), feel when Theo hits his prime climbing years?
She knows the dangers. Get back to us in 10 years time.
Looking forward to your book.
2
As a climber whose neighbor is a female climber who just gave birth to her daughter last night, all I can say is that the general public, understandably, has no clue really why people rock climb or how safe the sport is compared to cycling, football, and downhill skiing. Many think we climb without ropes or helmets, like Alex Honnold. He is the exception, and a very big one. Beth Rodden is too smart and responsible to climb unsafely, as is Tommy Caldwell. Both are great parents from the sound of it. I hope they have many more years of climbing with their families,
8
I co-publish SeniorsSkiing.com, the online magazine for older snowsports enthusiasts. Twenty percent of all US skiers are 52+, yet the companies making equipment and clothing for the winter market virtually ignore older consumers who ski more frequently and have more financial resources than the younger cohort. I admire Beth Rodden's persistence and the support from her sponsors. Wouldn't it be nice if those marketing to the outdoor community broke through the age barrier and treated its older audience with higher regard?
8
Work with your sponsors - and call them out when they do the right thing! The next time I have a choice between an Outdoor Research product and a competitor, I know what my choice will be and why.
6
To all those commenters who judge climbing the way Beth does as exceptionally dangerous. Hope you don't plan to sign your kid up for cheerleading, horseback riding or football. Cheerleading is the worst. Look it up.
85
Congrats Ms. Rodden on your choice of careers and accomplishments. Do you have the same attitude about parents who are extreme skiers and 8000M climbers? In your profession you're always roped up with protection installed but parents who engage in sports where death is always looking over their shoulder take different, much more extreme risks. There is a huge difference between protected wall climbing and the dangers of big mountain climbing where death can fall out of the sky and just happen. Parents who do death defying sports do it for themselves. Otherwise they'd be doing things for their children and not for the thrills and their ego. Good luck and keep climbing.
No one cares. Except for the cadre of like-minded elite climbers and manufacturers who test and produce equipment for this niche group.
Elite climbers personify the death drive. It is that rush they crave. They might satiate their cravings for adventure through cartographic exploration that engages important environmental issues and actually contribute to the greater good.
5
@Tibbs Speak for yourself. I care. You don't speak for everyone.
1
@Cam
Are there any drumlins in the midwest?
No one cares, except Rodden's fellow climbers, because their activities do not contribute to a larger social purpose.
In addition to Outdoor Research, I'd like to know who else stuck by her so I can buy their gear.
16
Appreciate the passion of your story and respect the choice you made; congratulations on your success. One can also describe your decision as choosing to put your interests ahead of the well being of your child. You are free to make that decision, but to act like it is a point of valor is to diminish the true courage of women who spend their life devoted to their children. The latter approach is far more important and valuable than getting money for a recreational activity that only benefits yourself.
34
Climbing is not a recreational activity, it’s her profession. It’s 2019, and women choose to have a work life and raise children. What a thought!
116
@Dr B Ms. Rodden is a *professional* climber. For her, climbing is not a "recreational activity", but her day job, the income from which presumably helps support her child. Advocating for pay equity in her field is not putting her interest ahead of her child's. Rather, is making sure her that work benefits her child in the very same way that her husband's work can. Her advocacy will also support other families' children, by making it more likely that they will grow up able to earn a fair living regardless of their gender.
96
It’s not a recreational activity; it’s her job. It’s how she provides for her son. Your attitude is right out of the 1950s.
68
"As my body changed, I just kind of made up how I wanted to be a pregnant athlete and role model. "
How sad. It must be SO difficult to go through life determined to predict and forecast every moment of every day.
I remember how utterly and completely impossible it was to even go to the grocery store when my kids were babies.
2
@Frank J Haydn - Come one man!! You put the babies in tow - in a backpack and/or front pack or whatever, and go to the dang store! Most times, they fall asleep and when not, keep walking, or *gasp*, ride your bike around a little. They love it.
Then go to the store and get a few things you can carry.
Life is different with kids, but it is done very differently by people all over the world, and going to the store just is not that difficult.
People everywhere do it. I did it. My kids are 28 and 26. It was different when they were 1, 2, 5, 10, etc.
Its funny how this article has sussed out two opposed camps - those who think sacrificing oneself for ones kids to no end, versus those who insist that one needs to keep living for oneself, while rearing the next generation. As for why camp 2 is my preference it has to do with getting after it, being outdoors and active, and doing it with my kids. Do it when they are 6 months old, and do it when they are 26 years old, and when they have kids, be there to help them and enjoy the whole family doing interesting things.
Camp 1 makes a case that sitting home and watching TV or playing Uno are enough stimulation. That safety takes precedence over using one's mind and body in challenging ways.
And who knows? Maybe the home body life is where God really is.
But I doubt it.
3
I know I'll bring grief upon myself for writing this, but I have always considered climbing - any kind of climbing and I do know the difference - a very self-involved, selfish sport.
I think anyone who becomes a parent should bow out. Why should a child run the risk of becoming fatherless or motherless to satisfy the ego of their climbing parents? Why should they feel anxious each time Mummy or Daddy set off on another climb?
Another reader likens a professional climber to being a firefighter or policemen - also dangerous jobs - but those are people who take risks to serve others, not to satisfy their own need for the rush that climbing gives them.
Each and every time I read of a climbing death and the climber's surviving family, I feel a powerful rage that the climber subjected his/her family to this.
16
@JMR Okay, how about miners? Construction workers? Airplane pilots? There are so many jobs that are dangerous.
3
@JMR Sorry, but you don't actually know the difference. Your talk of "setting off on another climb" is a clear indication that you're unfamiliar with many of the subdisciplines of climbing, such as bouldering or sport climbing, neither of which is particularly risky in the spectrum of outdoor endeavors; one would almost have to deliberately jump off a boulder head-first to get killed bouldering, and sport climbing fatalities are extremely rare. I've been climbing for almost twenty years, through two children, and the worst injury I've ever had was incurred skiing. I've never even come close to having a moment where I felt my life was in danger, and while not a pro like Beth, I've climbed at a decently high level. Yes, that's anecdotal, but it's broadly true of the vast majority of climbers I know who are primarily boulderers or sport climbers. Climbing is not a "rush", it's a physical meditation and it's exercise. Perhaps you should try it instead of sitting at your computer judging. Isn't prolonged sitting associated with an increased risk of early death?
5
@JMR As a relatively new climber yet experienced father, i couldn't disagree more. Climbing is extremely safe and many other sports have significant risks as well (cycling, triathlons, etc...). Climbing is the ultimate team/partner sport not a self involved death wish. Go climbing with your teenage son and tell me if you think it's worth the limited risks. You are exhibiting a huge bias based on what you see in the media not on the facts related to the number of incidents/deaths per 1,000 hours of climbing activity.
5
Beth, what a wonderful article! Perhaps people outside the climbing community don't see or know that women very often led the way. That has been especially true in your time, and just before you. Climbing is an extraordinarily equalizing and humbling thing, so human, where men and women both balance real fear and real difficulty. And where the small "miracles" of success alight on the head of women just as often as men. In my little time climbing, it never occurred to me -- to us men, i think -- to consider women "less than". Certainly not after you came along. We are actually in debt to you Beth. You and all the strong women with you made the climbing world better, and extraordinary. I'm thankful that the sponsors understand this.
11
After my wife died from a protracted illness, I was left to raise my kids alone. I became much more risk averse during this period, knowing I was the only parent they had left. I exercised much more caution in just daily tasks like crossing a street and driving. I still enjoyed skiing, but my mantra became, have fun, don't get hurt. I really dialed it back on the slopes, figuring I couldn't afford a major knee injury as a single parent. And yet I still had fun. The thought that someone who is a parent to a small child, and still willingly climbs cliffs for a living, is just anathema to me. My wife had no choice in her death, but a climber does have a choice, to stop climbing. Sorry to harsh your buzz.
13
But she is not the only living parent, her son has a father who is also a climber. Is your advice the same for the father? You only addressed your remarks to the woman.
2
To compare Beth Rodden to Tommy Caldwell is like comparing apples to oranges. Tommy Caldwell is one of only two climbers I can name. When he was very young, he became famous for killing his kidnapper and saving his own and three other people’s lives (including Beth Rodden’s). He then climbed the Dawn Wall over six, I think, seasons. This was just a weird thing to do frankly. But somehow it captured the world’s attention, including the front page of the NYTs.
I’m not sure when exactly Beth Rodden was paid a third less than Tommy Caldwell. If it was before he had freed them from kidnappers (and before he was an international hero) then this was twenty years ago, at a time when climbing was mostly male. Let’s face it, when male sports figures make more than female ones, it’s often because they’re drawing a bigger audience.
Having said that, I wish Beth Rodden well. It’s great to see people combining family life with wholesome hobbies, and I personally have benefited from female-marketed climbing harnesses and shoes. Climbing for me has always been something I’ve enjoyed with my kids. I’d love to see some ads featuring Beth and her kids! But having said that, we have to acknowledge that no responsible mom is ever going to capture the world’s attention the way the likes of Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell have, with their obsessions.
2
@C Did you read the article, or maybe Tommy's book? Beth was there for all of of Tommy's early successes, and she had plenty of her own. In fact, she was better known than he was in the early days, at least among climbers. That you don't know who she is underscore's the point that women are treated unequally.
55
@C - Wholesome hobbies? Beth Rodden is a professional climber. She established one of the hardest single pitch trad lines on the planet. She and Tommy were the first people to ever repeat a free climb of The Nose on El Cap. A route first freed 10 years earlier by...a woman named Lynn Hill.
5
So for the man climbing is a business, his job, something he earns a salary for? For the woman it's a hobby?
3
Great piece, Beth! I'm glad your sponsors were supportive. As a middle-aged mom, lawyer by day, and avid recreational climber, I buy a lot of climbing gear. Smart sponsors will market to women in their 40s with disposable income, and we want to see athletes we find relatable and inspiring.
13
Old bag, here. Once you have Children, it is your absolute responsibility to be there for them, as long as possible. This includes risk reduction, and giving up ridiculous, “ extreme “ sports or hobbies. And YES, I would absolutely say this to Fathers, also. Your “ sport “ is not as important as being in your Child’s life. You will drop out, maybe very suddenly and tragically.
58
@Phyliss Dalmatian Beth Rodden is a Climber, she is not a mountaineer (Alpine Climber). The difference is night and day. Her risk of "suddenly and tragically" dropping out are less than the risks you take in your daily commute.
Society has no issues with dad's coaching their kids baseball, soccer or football. Her child is growing up in an amazing community maybe he will choose a different path. Maybe not. Regardless, he will have the love and support of a worldwide community something that is rare within the NCAA sports community.
83
@Phyliss Dalmatian Your command that mothers give up everything in their lives that makes them interesting and good role models is a good recipe for producing drones.
What Ms. Rodden is doing is much more likely to produce an extraordinary, high performing person.
And if you support a woman's right to choose, you should remember she doesn't give up that right when her first child is born.
44
@Phyliss Dalmatian Hey Phyliss, isn't it up to her and her partner if she decides to pursue her passions? It's not different then me driving to work in fact, it's probably more probable that I would be in a life changing accident than climbing. My bf has climbed in Peru, AK, Ecuador, Brazil, and all over the states. He went and did it with his best friend who died less than a mile from his house in a car accident. Most women in these situations have a contingency plan if anything were to happen, it's in their blood.
33
Beth
As a longtime climber I have watched your career progress with awe. Climbing is one sport that can be truly gender neutral. I see youngsters (anyone under 30 in my world!) positively floating climbs that would have been seen as inconceivably difficult when I began climbing. And women are every bit as present as men.
I admire your speaking out. I am sad it is still necessary. But you are making a difference and serve as a wonderful role model.
135
@Kevin Sparks -hey, old climbing friend! I agree with you - climbing can be inclusive in ways other sports will never be...hope all is well in your world.
5
I had my very first encounter with a climber about three weeks ago, and it has left me a permanent fan of the profession.
My sweet, gorgeous black and white cat -- Scamper by name -- went missing for three days -- leaving our whole family bereft.
Then suddenly a miracle -- a call from a woman in my neighborhood informing me that he was stuck up a tree in the woods.
We called our local Fire Department for help, but they rather brusquely informed us that they were too busy and important
to help.
Then another miracle -- the same neighbor gave us the telephone
number of a tree climber in a community about 30 miles.
I called the number and explained our situation. Within a few minutes, he was on his way.
He arrived about an hour later dressed and equipped in full climber regalia.
His first words to me were "I don't expect any money for this."
Five minutes later Scamper was safely down off the tree.
Don't tell me about Fire Departments or waiting until your cat is so weak and hungry that he falls off the tree.
Just give me the phone number of a climber who knows what he/she is doing and is willing to accept $100. for their services when prevailed upon.
13
... in a community about 30 miles away.
1
Call me cynical, but to complain about having the opportunity to do what you love most and get paid, seems just a little out of touch. Should men and women be compensated equally for being a teacher, doctor, architect, data analyst, etc.? Of course they should. There should be no difference in a person's pay based solely on gender. However, if OR, North Face, Salomon and others, have data that leads them to believe that men buy more outdoor gear, naturally these companies are going to steer a greater amount of their revenues to their male sponsored athletes. It makes sense to them for business purposes. I can't imagine that there is any sort of coup in the outdoor apparel industry trying to oppress women or keep them "in their place".
Beth Rodden is clearly an incredibly talented climber with nerves of steel. I hope that she has continued success on the rock face and continues to enjoy the miracle of parenthood.
6
@Brian. Implicit Bias?
"..naturally these companies..."
"...makes sense...business purposes..."
As a husband to a strong, athletic woman and mother of my 2 kids, one a former world cup alpine ski racing daughter, brother of 5 older sisters who grew up in the 60s and 70s, and son to a 91 year old super woman I assure you, your point of view has serious flaws.
It is a broken system. It is getting repair, but needs a lot lot more.
It is build this way because Men did it the way they wanted, and when women tried to help build it differently, they were pushed aside, etc.
If it can be rebuilt with gender equity in mind it will improve.
But it needs to be rebuilt and white men (like me), better learn how to listen and work together better than our fathers and grandfathers, etc.
Because details matter, readers might like to know that my mother was born in 1928 and was the youngest of 6. My sibs were born in 1951-1958 and I was born in 1962. That might be useful when trying to decode why I and my family have certain views....and experiences.
29
@John Marno With all due respect, you left off an important part of my sentence. I said that if these companies have data that suggests that men buy more of their gear, then naturally it would make sense to compensate their male athletes at a higher rate. No implicit bias in that statement when looked at in full. There is no need to cherry pick words to prove your point. I am all about equity and truly live it out each and every day.
2
@Brian: There's a big part of sponsorship that most people don't know about. Ms. Rodden is not simply getting paid to climb, she's getting paid to draw the attention of consumers, that large body of the general public that might buy the sponsor's products.
Every sponsored athlete I know spends an enormous amount of time and energy providing a constant stream of social media content. Some come by self-promotion naturally and joyfully, but many do not. This is work, and it's often done at the end of a very tiring day.
And once a sponsored athlete has a large following, it's necessary to keep upping one's game to keep the attention of a fickle and easily distracted public. It never ends.
Lastly, the arc of excellence in these sports trends ever upwards, whereas an individual participant's arc peaks, then declines. At some point the athlete is acutely aware that their personal trajectory is declining while the requirements for great achievement keeps rising ever higher.
And no one here is getting rich. Most make just enough to get by, and only for a few years, until younger athletes post more spectacular feats.
5
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
(mom of triplets, and yes, it has been my most extraordinary adventure yet)
11
I love this piece. I put the climbing part aside - for a moment - and I rejoice that another exceptional woman has broken a stereotype and combined an elite career with motherhood. We need precious more of these. She speaks only of the support from her sponsors - good for them. We hear nothing though, about the support from her husband and the child's father. These achievements (career AND family) are rarely, if ever, one person endeavors. More power to Ms. Rodden. Keep climbing, keep endorsing products, keep mothering! Power on!
18
Though I'm an avid backpacker (even at 69) and when young did some climbing, I think all high rock climbers are incredible brave and maybe incredibly crazy. But I am awed and proud of Ms. Rodden's skill and bravery both on and off the pitch. Women have to fight discrimination every single minute of their lives. Mr. Rodden is a beacon of light in the darkness.
12
What an amazing, courageous and inspiring story, and an eye opener. I am a male and I am fed up and angry about gender pay inequity. I can only imagine what a better country this would be if women and men were both equally compensated for equal/comparable work. That this is still happening in the US and flagrantly under our noses is beyond unacceptable; it is criminal and just don't understand how or why this wound is allowed to fester. And then there is the rest of the world. But I sense that slowly, too slowly, unfortunately, but surely we will come full circle. It cannot be a day too soon.
10
Beth, I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Dawn Wall' and reading afterwards about your history in this sport. As an aging thrill sport athlete (male) with two kids, I understand the challenges of doing what you love AND being a parent. Just ignore the comments from people who've never experienced what you have. They haven't a clue.
I was lucky enough to have twice climbed El Cap on easier routes, and with a good bit of aid climbing. I was a decent climber in the 80's, but nowhere close to the stratum you and a handful of others occupy. It was always thrilling and inspiring to watch people of your calibre, the grace and beauty and meticulously analytic strategies employed to solve problems. It seemed a lot like the mathematics and physics I was studying in the Ahwahnee lounge in the evenings: precise, exact, unyielding, but breathtakingly beautiful.
I'm glad to see that sponsors are supporting women now, even through pregnancy. And your advocacy goes a long way to continue this trend. It's always hard to put a value on these activities, but for this aging guy, my life is made all the richer by your feats of skill. Brava!
18
Great piece. Women represent slightly more than half of the population, and probably represent an even larger share of the consumer market. It boggles the mind that major sports brands wouldn't see the value in marketing elite-athlete/mothers' stories! But then again, those brands are often still run by men, so why am I surprised?
10
Beth, thank you for your thoughtful piece. And bravo to your sponsors for their support. As a newly returned to climbing mother (after a 20-year break!) and a daughter, wife, and mother of climbers, I applaud you. Climbing has given my family community, challenge, sanctuary, and beauty. I applaud your dedication to your sport and you sharing it with your son.
10
Good article, Beth. Long been a fan.
Have passed it to my daughters, both of whom climb.
5
As a former climber before old age took its toll, I know that women as well as men can be great climbers. That said, there is differentiation between males and females iand why they compete separately in many sports. Although each individual is unique, on a bell curve basis men have greater strength and stamina than women. Women tend to be lighter and can excel individually which they do in many sports such as climbing, race car driving, etc. The complication is when a woman is part of a climbing team and needs to belay (control the rope attached to another climber in case of a fall) a heavier climber including his/her climbing hardware and other equipment. This is not an issue in free climbing where there are no ropes or other equipment but raises the question of excessive risk taking and having a death wish.
3
1) lighter climbers can belay heavier climbers without a problem. It’s not an issue.
2) Free climbing means climbing with a rope only for protection (not using it or other gear to pull yourself up the wall). It does NOT mean climbing without a rope (that’s called free solo climbing)
14
@Mike
Free climbing involves the use of ropes and protection, i.e. chocks, hexes, friends, etc. You must mean free soloing.
1
It's clear that women are not as well respected as male athletes. But it's not all clear to me that you are doing great by trying to climb and raise a youn g child. However, that's your choice and I respect that. I have less respect, however, for the idea that extreme sports show respect for nature itself.
5
I am impressed by Ms. Rodden, whom I'd never heard of. Seems she could have as good a career as a writer than as a climber.
14
"I’m a planner. I research almost all of my decisions neurotically to understand all ramifications before I move an inch. "
What's your plan if you fall and are killed, given that you are the mother of a five year old ?
It seems that you haven't considered the ramifications that your potential death or serious injury will have on your child.
That has nothing to do with being a woman. The same applies to your husband. My father started purchase a life insurance for each of his five children at the time each baby was born, and continued to add through the policies throughout the years .He didn't engage in any dangerous sports, but he wasn't about to take any chances when it came to his children.
What is your plan, , and that of your husband?
10
@DJS
There was a great study done in 2010 (Schoffl, Morrison, Schwarz, Kupper) which evaluated risk of injury and death associated with 'high risk' sporting activities. The study "...revealed that fatalities occurred in all sports, but it was not always clear whether the sport itself or pre-existing health conditions contributed or caused the deaths. Bouldering (ropeless climbing to low heights), sport climbing (mostly bolt protected lead climbing with little objective danger) and indoor climbing (climbing indoors on artificial rock structures), showed a small injury rate, minor injury severity and few fatalities. As more objective/external dangers exist for alpine and ice climbing, the injury rate, injury severity and fatality were all higher. Overall, climbing sports had a lower injury incidence and severity score than many popular sports, including basketball, sailing or soccer; indoor climbing ranked the lowest in terms of injuries of all sports assessed."
Now just because she does not specifically state her plan, nor that she even has life insurance, does not mean that she has either.
4
@DJS: Ms Rodden's plans about her possible death on a climb are the same as a Father's plans. Are you going to tell men climbers that they are irresponsible parents if they climb the big walls? Of course not. You need to examine your sexism. Do you also criticism fighter pilots or astronauts of Military members about whether their profession is the right thing for a mother to do?
3
@DJS
I'm sure she has a plan. I'm also sure it's none of your business.
2
After reading some of the comments, it's obvious that many tie Beth's climbing in with Alpine style climbing--which is definitely more dangerous and there is definitely a higher % of deaths. I wish more women could see the value of raising their children exposed to nature (okay I know there are different ways to expose your children to nature--but this is the path that Beth chose). Maybe if more mothers got more involved in the outdoors with or without their children--their children would be at least exposed to the outdoor world at a younger age. Who knows maybe sometime in the future the world would become a better place as a result. Include me in as an outdoor enthusiast that will orient my buying towards those sponsors who stand up for women with children. And to the sponsors --I believe that you will ultimately benefit greatly from you decisions to support women through pregnancy and beyond.
19
To all of the non-climbers posting about the dangers of climbing: Don’t confuse free climbing with free soloing. Free climbing can be done and exceptionally safe manner, and always involves a rope, protection, and gear. Free Soloing involves a rope, and is generally considered to be high risk.
41
@Flora Waples Thanks for providing this clarification. I think there is a typo in it, and you meant to say "Free Soloing involves *no* rope, and is generally considered to be high risk." (in contrast to the free climbing with a rope that Rodden does).
3
@Flora Waples
These people aren't confused.
They are threatened by a person who has chosen excellence, passion, and purpose over indolence and mediocrity.
3
I think you are right that a lot of people are mixing this up, esp. given the recent movie “Free Solo.”
3
Beth, thank you for your thought-provoking article. I'm looking forward to reading your memoir. Keep safe, and keep climbing! I also intend to support your sponsor's products.
17
I think it’s what this piece is glaringly *not* about that is mnhoke’s point. Serena Williams probably won’t orphan her kid playing tennis.
10
@Mala Nor will she.
Empirically, climbing is roughly as dangerous as driving a car. There are millions of climbers in this country, and only 40-50 fatalities per year, almost entirely due to inexperience or carelessness. Beth isn't particularly at risk for either of those conditions....
13
We all make calculated risks. Driving is a calculated risk. Driving while texting. Flying. Drinking. Eating. Choosing where we vacation. Choosing who we partner with. Just because the risks Beth takes are risks you don’t understand doesn’t mean you have the knowledge necessary to judge them.
There is a difference between risk and consequence. The consequence of falling while top roping (Beth climbs with ropes) is hitting your head and getting concussed or breaking a bone. The risk is very low if she, as she suggests, spends hours upon hours of planning each hand and toe hold.
How much planning do you do when you head out for your morning commute or drive your kids to school? How much physical and psychological preparation do you engage in? Beth’s profession has less consequence than a significant traffic accident on your daily commute and her professional preparation reduces the risk to almost null.
Cut her some slack.
2
@Mala: So, women should not be climbers, astronauts or warriors because of the impact on their children if they die?. Then men shooed not be either since children need both parents. I guess men should not be drag racers or indie 500 drivers, or military men or Astronauts either.
4
Some things in life are as immovable as mountains. And this article made me want to throw up.
Anyone who free climbs and is a parent is, by definition, irresponsible. There's just no getting around that. I have nothing against climbing or parenthood, but the two--and there is no getting around this--are, or should be--mutually exclusive. It has nothing to do with gender. Men who venture to the Himalaya, or Yosemite for that matter, leaving mate and kids behind are as selfish and narcissistic as women who do the same.
This has zero to do with misogyny. Where the heck are the author's priorities? Perhaps, before she got pregnant, planning things out like she does a climbing route (that's what she writes), she should have visited with kids whose dads or moms died in the mountains. Perhaps she should have asked those kids what it's like to grow up without a mother or a father.
Kids need their parents. Kids need stability. Neither is compatible with climbing, professional or otherwise. It is all good and well that the author celebrates the willingness of her sponsor to keep giving her money to climb rocks and mountains at tremendous personal risk. But I wonder what her son will think, when he is old enough to read, when he reads this piece. It would not be surprising if he concludes that he is a second fiddle.
13
@August West - Once again a climber is criticized as irresponsible because of a simple mix up in terminology. "Free climb" does not mean climbing without a rope. It refers to climbing without any artificial aid. To free climb is to use only one's hands and feet on the rock, with no pulling on ropes or gear. The rope is only there to catch a fall. Climbing without a rope is called "free soloing", and that is a very, very different thing.
37
@August West this is very judgemental and also curiously selective. I suppose you also object to police, firefighters, construction workers, etc. having families because their jobs have an element of danger.
33
@JS
Yes, it is judgmental. Commercial fishermen make, or at one point did make, more than just about any profession, and it is one of the most dangerous jobs around. Other jobs, as you note, also are dangerous. The difference is, these jobs, for the most part, pay very good money. In the case of cops and firefighters, the jobs come with good health insurance, survivor's benefits and pensions. If you die in the course of duty, your family is cared for. If you stick with it for 20 years, you can retire with a comfortable income for the remainder of your days. Is this true with rock climbers? I doubt it. These are not jobs, per se, as much as hobbies/avocations at which the most skilled and fortunate land sponsorships so that they can do what they love to do with someone else paying expenses. Do they get pensions? Health insurance? Sufficient income to provide for a kid, or kids? Life insurance in case a piton or whatever you all it fails and you plummet thousands of feet? Even the author confesses to moments of profound fear while practicing her craft.
I confess that I do not know all the answers, but I suspect that climbing remains a fairly dangerous endeavor that pays a fairly low wage and is not the sort of thing one can do for a living much past the age of 35 or so. If that's compatible with motherhood, then so be it.
4
If you are lucky, you are an expert in one field and an amateur in many. I meditate daily but I am no Dalai Lama. I have hiked most of my life, even the Lemon Squeeze, but I am no Beth Rodden or Lynn Hill. Yet as Ms. Rodden aptly wrote, outdoor companies sell more to the Saturday hiker variety than to elite professional athletes and a lot of Saturday hikers are women. As women, are beginning to wonder what those companies think of us. It is kind of a Twitter moment - a kind of #Include Me - moment. We are tired of buying from companies that do not promote our gender. We want to see women valued, included and sponsored. A bunch of skinny white men with buns do not represent us. We want to see women. Because when women go outdoors, if the only images presented are men, women may not realize how awesome they are - on rock, on snow, on wave. To see Beth Rodden - professional climber, woman, and mother - is to see all of our glorious possibilities even if we just buy the gear for a Saturday in the National Park. So, include me and well, as every business CEO knows, women still do most of the shopping.
190
Thank you for your article. Just yay for you, your son and all climbers, athletes - and sponsors are you listening/ reading?
9
I'm glad your sponsors were supportive. Now, how about being supportive of your child and his need for a long term stable commitment from his parent? Climbing is dangerous no matter how much neurotic planning you put into it. Why would you repeatedly roll the dice on your kids future? What kind of relationship can a kid form with a parent who may be killed the next day, weekend, or month?
9
@Harley Leiber Would you say the same to a male formula car racer? Show me the man who quits his sport once he become a parent, especially if it’s his livelihood. Why should Beth?
8
I would say the sponsorship worked for Outdoor Research. They appeared in the NYT in a positive light and at least got me (a very affluent outdoor geek) to look at their web page. Nice equipment too.
13
Climbing is the great secret sport. They are rewarded in competition against others, in their progression through grades and in completing great routes worldwide. I can't say if the perceived risks athletes take, or the lack of money, but the behavior of climbers is exemplary.
Jesse Ventura and his father run a campground for climbers in Kentucky dating back to 1984. As a chaperone, i have seen hundreds camped out on their property. One evening I asked Jesse about fights for what ever reason. There had been two in thirty years - both involving non-climbers.
Our daughter is a young pro climber, sponsorship at her level is not great, but they find ways to take care of her and she them. Sponsorship deals vary, but in competition the rules are firm. No male only events and equal prize lists men and woman. With a job in the industry, she is making ends meet and making friends across the globe.
There are no college scholarships, just amazing essays. Our daughter's school figured out this was a growth sport on campus and found a way to fund her participation in Collegiate climbing events.
Beth Rodden is one of a handful men and women who paved the way for climbing as a now Olympic Sport. Accidentally, or with purpose they created a healthy space for all participants.
20
Exceptionally well-written piece, Beth. The climbing magazines have long glorified a narrow fantasy of the ideal climbing lifestyle. We stay in our early 20's forever, unburdened by the events in life that climbing allows us to avoid or at least forget for the moment. As a long-time climber who is now 60, my hardest accomplishments are behind me, but not my best days of climbing. I have spent more money on climbing gear and clothing in 40 years than on anything other than my house. Yet, the outdoor companies and media do little to make me and my peers feel I am a welcome customer anymore. Climbing values freedom. And perhaps aging, like pregnancy and parenthood, is a reminder that we aren't as free from life as we wish, that our climbing trips now require planning instead of spontaneity. Yet as I finish plans to head to France in a few weeks to climb with one climbing partner of 30 years, I'm well-aware that the joys of our sport can last a lifetime. I live in a climbing Mecca, where the greatest women climbers of the 1990's, like Robyn Erbesfeld and Lynn Hill, not only continue to climb at a high level well into their 50's, but raised their children and run businesses. They are idols and regular parents doing the stuff we all have to do. Maybe that's the story the climbing industry should look into telling.
82
I’m all for pay equity, but athlete endorsements all about revenue for sponsors? If climbing is a male dominated sport and the manufacturers and advertisers have deduced they will reach more male customers with a male endorsement, doesn’t it follow that said male would be paid more?
Therein lies the rub of working as an influencer. I guess it’s just a bummer that people can’t be paid to only climb.
6
@T. Rivers If climbing equipment manufacturers can convince women to climb, they double their potential customer base. You think they aren't interested in that?
The money in climbing is not in selling tickets to the competitions the way it is in many other sports. It's in getting people to climb and buy your gear to do it.
21
@T. Rivers - Climbing is much less "male-dominated" now than it was in the 1970s when I started. Then, there was no such thing as a woman's harness or women's rock shoes. (Fit is important, and women's feet and hips are different from men's.) If the equipment manufacturers want to keep expanding markets, they should be pitching to women.
9
@T. Rivers I’m guessing that the vast majority of people who wear yoga pants have never been in a downward dog pose, whether they aspire to hold one or not. And that 95 percent of people walking around in Rip Curl t-shirts have never been on a surfboard. The point is that millions of dollar’s worth of athletic wear is purchased by armchair athletes of both sexes. Women buy more apparel than men do—for themselves and for the men in their lives. And companies can make more money when a customer sees an elite athlete who looks like them hocking their merchandise. It follows that Beth’s image on a poster floating above a tidy pile of t-shirts will prompt the targeted consumer—a woman—into picking one up. That she would be paid less than her male counterparts is wrong. She’s selling more shirts.
18
Decades ago one never saw women in automobile ads, and I remember my bemusement observing the transition, "hey, look, a woman in a car ad!" What happened? Women started buying cars!
I'm glad that OR, and perhaps other companies have figured out that women buy gear! They are inspired by female athletes who do cool stuff, get pregnant, raise children, and do cool stuff.
It would be great if sponsors supported women because it's the right thing to do, but that may not be necessary; the power of market forces, and the almighty dollar might just do the job.
26
Thank you for your article. Yes, we recently read about the track star who lost all her sponsors when she became pregnant. It was disheartening, but you were embraced. I would have loved to see a photo of you climbing when you were pregnant, but maybe you didn't take that risk (with another being inside of you). I was a rock climber in my 20's. I predominantly rock climbed with my brother in various places around NYC, a gym and once out in the Tetons. It is an exhilarating sport. Again, thank you for sharing your experience and thanks to your sponsors who did the right thing.
9
I'm surprised that Tommy didn't stand up for you at the negotiating table when you partners both in life and on extraordinary climbs.
26
@MC people are more "woke" about these things than they used to be. When I was in my 20's, I accepted these things, and many others as just "the way it is."
3
@ MC Tommy shouldn't have had to "stand up" for her. She is a grown woman and it is this type of attitude that women have been sick of since I was girl. I'm now 73 and I STILL don't need a man to "stand up" for me.
1
@MC
I think the point of the article is that Beth didn't stand up for herself.
1
Wonderful piece Beth. Thanks for writing it and for the example you’ve set. As a climber and the father of two now-adult boys who grew up climbing competitively, I am grateful for all that this sport has given us. I have always been particularly inspired by the sport’s gender parity and how it teaches young people to see the world through that lens.
Keep pushing boundaries and setting the example as a woman, a mom, and an aging athlete! And stay safe.
17
Motherhood, pro sports, and the pay gap are all interesting subjects for conversation. However, I'm actually curious how parenthood intersects with aging out. I've known people in their 50s still scending 5.14s but it's not like they're getting paid to do it anymore. Age comes for everyone eventually. That's true of any professional sport.
Right now people are marveling that Tiger Woods made a comeback at 43. People are absolutely amazed Tom Brady is still competitive at 41. Williams and Federer are both considered old at 37. These are the outliers though. For most purposes, a professional athlete retires around 40 if not earlier. Beth Rodden is 39. How does that work if you're just starting a family in supposed twilight of your career?
It's not really surprising other athletes might consider pregnancy a retirement announcement. The biological clock is ticking in more ways than one.
You then have to wonder about the off-ramps too. We typically associate climbers with premature deaths. However, here we have the opposite problem. Pro rock climbers are notoriously underpaid. It's called dirt bagging for a reason. Then you have an obscene gender gap as well. Perhaps parenthood is considered retirement because climbers can no longer be expected to support the lifestyle and the child. They'll need a day job. Children are expensive. You're not just shopping for plane tickets anymore.
Rodden is very accomplished. She is probably the exception that proves the rule.
16
One perhaps hopeful sign: while I know nothing about the highest levels of adult elite climbing, I am familiar with youth recreational and competitive climbing. My teenagers and their teammates are part of co-ed climbing teams on which everyone understands that gender and performance have very little to do with each other in this sport. No one is ever remotely surprised when a girl sends a climb that none of the boys can. Their co-ed teams have sparked many lasting co-ed friendships and real cross-gender respect, making climbing a real gift to my girls and my boys during the teen years when so many other activities tend to be separated by gender.
40
I own OR hats, but now I will look more into what they make and encourage other people on the trails to support this company. We need to support companies who support women.
Thank you for sharing your passion with us.
34
Thanks for sharing this, Beth - and I wish we collectively didn’t get to the end and feel surprise at the response you received, but it’s lovely to see a company acting in precisely the way it should.
I’d like to say it’s beyond me why corporate America can’t fathom not only the moral obligation to support women during and after pregnancy, but the benefits with regard to goodwill, loyalty, and maybe karma. But it’s not beyond me: companies think solely of what they perceive will help or hurt the bottom line, not the lives (and livelihoods) of the very real people without whom they wouldn’t exist.
As a man, I know precisely what would make corporations wake up to themselves: The money obsessed men dominating the C-suite finding themselves pregnant, trying to juggle motherhood and careers. A quick guess? We’d fail miserably. We’re just not as smart or strong as you are.
37
This is a good contribution to the argument but her suggestion that it is up to the athletes themselves to find sponsors that support them is only half of the picture. The other half is continued pressure on ALL companies to do what is right for half of the population, because this isn't just about devaluing pregnant athletes. It's a microcosm of the macrocosm in that many of these companies still see all women as "less than." They paid her 1/3 less than her former husband, discriminating right out of the starting gate.
92
Thank you for sharing your story of courage and grace. Wishing you a lifetime of fulfillment.
15
Think of all the women who may have bypassed motherhood because they thought they would have to give up their athletic endeavors. Here’s a worthy story and testimonial to - think again, ladies.
Congrats!
22
We need to think of parenting as an equilateral triangle -- with all three -- child, mother, and father -- having an equal, though sometimes different, role in what we call family.
Each side of this triangle much constantly make adjustments in order to maintain its equilibrium and, in so doing, maintain its integrity and strength.
Finally, it is important that each side of the triangle respect the adjustments made by the others, never taking for granted the sacrifices made -- both large and small.
16