The Impact of Solo Female Travel and the Media in Creating a Counter Space and Counter Narrative

In both historic and contemporary culture, society has created a distinct narrative surrounding solo female travel. The creation of this narrative has prevented many women from pursuing travel and outdoor recreation, despite their various benefits. Both outdoor recreation and travel in the context of female involvement carry parallels in regards to the development of a counter space. Travel cannot be properly understood without understanding outdoor recreation, since the two are so inherently intertwined. Therefore, this thesis will analyze the benefits and counter space that travel and outdoor recreation provide. It will analyze the current media narrative, why the presence of cisgender and narrow-minded stereotypes prevent women from traveling and recreating outdoors, and analyze personal anecdotes from various women to further understand counter space in travel.