Increasing gender equity in snowsports instruction at Big Sky Resort, MT

Abstract

This research answered the question, “how might the Big Sky Mountain Sports School and the Professional Ski Instructors of America and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors (PSIA-AASI) increase gender equity within the highest levels of certification and leadership in snowsports instruction?” Using theory from Feminist Action Research and the Action Research Engagement model, I worked with snowsports school instructors and supervisors to identify barriers and solutions to increasing gender equity. This research employed an innovative method called the Bonkers Cocktail Party, which promoted empathy and transformational learning among dominant group members and thereby enabled whole community problem solving on gender equity. Major barriers identified included gender stereotyping and its impact on work distribution, occasionally toxic training environments, and the paucity of advanced, female-identified snowboard instructors.