Principles for Publishing Climbing Route Names
*This document is a draft version, we look forward to your feedback and contributions.
Mission Statement
Build the best publishing practices to avoid harm caused by discriminatory or oppressive route names.
Commit to Lead
Route names are a reflection of climbing culture. They are humorous, witty, and celebrate the grit and penchant for pushing physical boundaries through climbing. These are long-standing hallmarks of our sport that we should preserve.
As publishers, we not only have the tools to help the community move toward more inclusive route naming practices, it is our obligation to use them.
Trust in Community
Local climbing organizations, affinity groups, first ascensionists, climbing gyms, regional mountain clubs, and other such groups of climbers are our eyes and ears on the ground. Women, individuals with disabilities, Black, Indigenous, people of color, and LGBTQ+ climbers shape and enrich the community; however, the work of adapting route naming practices is not theirs to carry alone.
We take our cues from the climbing community, which holds profound wisdom. More than 5 million strong, it tells us which route names are funny, which are cheeky, and which do harm. A route name is harmful when it hurts any community member or when it discriminates and discourages a climber from experiencing the route.
Invest in Process
Evolving our practices for publishing route names will require an industry-wide process that is consistently executed.
We support the development and expansion of new or existing tools to identify and evaluate the use of language furthering ableism, racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of systemic discrimination.
We may choose not to publish new route names that do not meet the standards evaluated by the chosen evaluation system.
We invite first ascensionists to rename existing routes that do not meet the guidance standards and believe, unequivocally, that the impact of a route name outweighs the intent. We also embrace first ascensionists as partners in the work.
At the request of a first ascensionist, and only when appropriate and without risk of doing further harm, we may:
acknowledge in the notes of a revised name that “harm caused by this name was unintentional”
and annotate a renamed route with a naming history, a living record of our community’s growth and commitment to change.
Learn Always
These industry-wide guidelines for publishing climbing route names are an evolving process. As we learn new beta and new methods of reaching a greater sense of community, we will adapt.
As publishers, we are dedicated to continuous learning and improvement, investing in diversity, equity, and inclusion training for our teams, and advocating to make resources available to first ascensionists.
DRAFT ROUTE NAME GUIDELINES
*This document is a draft version, we look forward to your feedback and contributions.
These Guidelines focus on the practice of publishing climbing route names and are presented as a recommended evaluation system to support publishers and authors in both print and web.
Criteria
We must remain highly objective in our review and decision-making process. As a general agreement, we will think critically of words used in the context of: ethnicity, nationality, sexual identity, gender identity, and ability.
References to historical and current events that are/were meant to oppress individuals and groups must be considered in context and we must remain objective in our review and decision-making process.
e.g. Holocaust, Slavery, Trail of Tears, Nazi, Confederacy, KKK
List
The provided list is non-exhaustive and subject to review and change.
List of Unacceptable Words: These words cause harm in any context and should not be published or socialized in any manner.
Publishers are encouraged to use discretion and engage with the RNTF, Director of Climb United, and colleagues with questions.
This list shall be made available to the public. A user form will be available for individuals to submit words that they would like added, along with an explanation of the potential for harm.
Process
Publishers will conduct a thorough review of existing route names when versioning any printed works in their catalog.
Upon determining an existing route name does not meet the guidelines,
The publisher will contact the first ascensionist (FA) to inform them of the intent to change the route name.
The FA will be invited to provide a new route name within a timeline determined by the publisher.
If the FA is unavailable or unwilling to provide a new name,
The publisher can choose to replace the route name with an easily replicated method.
Example syntax: [crag], [FA last name], [number]
If the FA is deceased
the publisher will make their best efforts to reach out to family, friends, and climbing partners of the FA to determine if an honorary name can be submitted.
If unavailable, see 1bi above.
Publishers will review new route names submitted via direct communication to the publisher, gathered through word of mouth, web services, and any other form of information sharing.
Upon determining a new route name does not meet the guidelines,
The publisher will contact the first ascensionist (FA) to inform them of the intent to change the route name.
The FA will be invited to provide a new route name within a timeline determined by the publisher.
If the FA is unwilling to provide a new name
The publisher can choose to replace the route name with an easily replicated method.
Example syntax: [crag], [FA last name], [number]
Community Engagement
Publishers will set up a communication channel for their community to submit discriminatory route names. This can be as simple as adding the below statement to a Publishers existing contact information:
“The community is invited to submit route names that are discriminatory for review.”
Next Steps
All Publishers who sign onto these guidelines are invited to meet with the Director of Climb United on a bi-weekly basis, with no scheduled end date, to address questions, feedback from the community, and to convene around general support.
RNTF members can voluntarily convene monthly, facilitated, and hosted on the AAC virtual meeting channels, to continue conversations surrounding route name changes.