When you’re trying out something new, it’s best to be among friends! You’ll feel comfortable, and there won’t be any pressure to be an amazing sculptor or tennis player on your first try. Plus, it’ll be much easier to find humor in the situation and create hilarious stories that you’ll retell for years if you’ve got a pal by your side.

But if not everyone is allowed to participate, a new activity with friends can quickly turn from an exciting outing to a heartbreaking experience. Below, you’ll find a story that was recently shared on the “Am I the [Jerk]?” subreddit detailing how one teen was excluded from rock climbing with her friends after she didn’t meet the weight limit, as well as a conversation with Annette Richmond, Founder of Fat Girls Traveling.

Rock climbing is a popular activity to try with friends

Image credits: Wavebreakmedia / envatoelements (not the actual photo)

But when one teen was told she couldn’t participate because of her weight, her friends decided that it was too late to change their plans

Image credits: seventyfourimages / envatoelements (not the actual photo)

Image credits: KlutzySpend7837

Indoor rock climbing has become extremely popular in recent years

Image credits: Wavebreakmedia / envatoelements (not the actual photo)

Indoor rock climbing has been rapidly gaining popularity in recent years. According to Indy Week, there were only 353 rock climbing gyms in the United States in 2014. By the end of 2023, however, there were 622. As of 2021, there were already 10.35 million rock climbers in the U.S., and the sport doesn’t appear to be dying down any time soon.

But what’s not to like about rock climbing? When it comes to the benefits of this activity, TIME reports that it improves cardiorespiratory fitness, builds strength, boosts brain power, can be great for mental health, improves communication between climbers and can be a fun way to build your confidence. There’s nothing like the feeling of accomplishing a huge climb and being able to look down to see how far you’ve come.

There’s no doubt that rock climbing can be a great way to spend your time, but is it an inclusive sport? Unfortunately, fatphobia exists in many facets of our culture, and the rock climbing gym is no exception. But it certainly doesn’t have to be that way. 

To gain more insight into this topic, we got in touch with Annette Richmond, Founder of Fat Girls Traveling. Annette was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and discuss how common it is for people in larger bodies to be judged while participating in sports.

“There are harnesses that would’ve allowed her to climb – that facility just didn’t have one”

Image credits: wirestock / envatoelements (not the actual photo)

“People in bigger bodies face judgement when participating in sports or physical activity in general, which is confusing,” Annette says. “The majority of the hate and fake concern comes from people pretending to care that fat people are ‘healthy’. First of all, people can be fat and healthy, just like people can be thin and unhealthy. Size is not an indicator of health, take a look at some of 2024 Olympians if you need proof.”

“The confusing part is: when bigger people attempt to participate in sports, they’re ostracized or gaslit,” she continued. “Many people don’t realize that things like harnesses, kayaks, and even chairs are not one size fits all, they have weight capacities. They often learn this at the most inopportune times, which is why we created a community to help educate and support plus size travelers.”

“However, this teen should’ve been able to expect support from her friends in that devastating moment,” Annette noted. “She was discriminated against, there are harnesses that would’ve allowed her to climb – that facility just didn’t have one.”

“If she was in a wheelchair and they planned to go shopping at a store that didn’t have a ramp, would they tell her to wait for them outside?” she asks. “Or would they find something else that they could all do together that didn’t exclude their friend for something out of her control?”

“Rock climbing could’ve been rescheduled, but showing up for your friends in their time of need can’t”

Image credits: halfpoint / envatoelements (not the actual photo)

In fact, Annette says rock climbing can certainly be an inclusive sport. “There’s a variety of harnesses available to secure people of different weights. Communities like Climb Big host events and help educate bigger people interested in rock climbing,” she shared.

We also asked Annette for advice that she would share with plus sized individuals who are interested in starting their own rock climbing journeys. “Join communities like Climb Big, and follow other plus size rock climbers. Social media is a great place to start searching for climbers you align with. The first step is to search relevant hashtags like #curvyclimber #plussizeclimber #climbingisforeverybody.”

“We’re proud of the plus size babe that stood up for herself to those fake friends,” Annette added. “It shows that she has self confidence and boundaries. Rock climbing could’ve been rescheduled, but showing up for your friends in their time of need can’t. The callous reaction from her friend group reveals how they really feel about her.”

We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda piece discussing similar themes, look no further than right here.

Many readers believed the teen was in the wrong, noting that she should have prioritized her friend’s feelings

However, some understood where the teen was coming from

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