10.1177/0891243204268127 GENDER & SOCIETY / October 2004 Wesely, Gaarder / THE URBAN OUTDOORS THE GENDERED “NATURE” OF THE URBAN OUTDOORS Women Negotiating Fear of Violence JENNIFER K. WESELY University of North Florida EMILY GAARDER Arizona State University Women who participate in outdoor recreational activities reap many physical and emotional benefits from their experiences. However, gender-related feelings of objectification, vulnerability, and fear in this space limit women’s participation. In this study, the authors investigate how women pursue their enjoyment of urban outdoor recreation at South Mountain Park in Phoenix, Arizona, despite their per- ceptions and experiences related to fear of violence. Through surveys and interviews with women who recreate at South Mountain, the authors look at the ways the women cope with their fear using various strategies. This study reveals the gender-related conflicts that persist for participants, who grapple with their appreciation of uncompromised nature and their need to feel safe in this environment. Ultimately, they illustrate how an ongoing negotiation exists for the women as the authors balance choices and con- cerns related to their outdoor recreation and what aspects of surveillance and control they consider, reject, or accept. Keywords: gender; outdoors; fear; violence; urban; women Both the outdoors and recreational activities have been heralded as empowering for women. As Simone de Beauvoir (1952, 333) noted, “Let her swim, climb moun- tain peaks, pilot an airplane, battle against the elements, take risks, go out for adventure, and she will not feel before the world the timidity which I have referred to.” Yet many factors have the potential to temper the benefits and rewards of out- door recreation for women. For instance, feelings of vulnerability to sexual assault heighten women’s fear of harassment and violence—what Ferraro (1995) called 645 AUTHORS’ NOTE: The authors thank Dr. Ingrid Schneider for her involvement and guidance during the multiple stages of this project, particularly in terms of her contributions and literature suggestions. They also gratefully acknowledge Dr. Nancy Jurik, Dr. Gregory Morris, and Karla Cohen for their help- ful suggestions and insights. This research was supported in part by a grant from the Center for Urban Inquiry at Arizona State University. REPRINT REQUESTS: Jennifer K. Wesely, Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Jus- tice, University of North Florida, 4567 St. Johns Bluff Road, South, Jacksonville, FL 32224. GENDER & SOCIETY, Vol. 18 No. 5, October 2004 645-663 DOI: 10.1177/0891243204268127 © 2004 Sociologists for Women in Society at PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIV on May 16, 2016 gas.sagepub.com Downloaded from