Sisu Magazine | Issue 5 Black + White

Everywhere we look, we see opposite ends of the spectrum sparring, with little appreciation for what lies in the middle. We’ve become so dogmatic that even the most progressive people are conservative in their approaches when it comes to managing discourse within their own circles. Frances Lee, best known for their piece “Excommunicate Me From the Church of Social Justice,” explores this very subject inside this issue, writing about the need for imperfect apologies to bring activists and allies back together.

 

We also are seeing the very definition of what it means to be outdoorsy evolve. No longer can we force each other into identifying either as a city slicker or nature lover. The two are coalescing and the lines that once separated us are disappearing. Our feature on Mappy Hour dispels the myth that you can’t find outdoor experiences in cities, uncovering some of the most interesting places to recreate in urban areas. Faith Brigg’s piece on the Brotherhood of Skiing reminds us once again that we haven’t been paying attention—or perhaps we’ve been fooled by the media—to who actually plays outside.

One of the most significant departures from a binary perspective is gender fluidity. The notion that there are two genders—men and women—is quickly eroding to expose a more nuanced and honest representation of gender. There’s nothing unisex about this reordering of society; there is a broad spectrum of human beings who are choosing their own identity rather than being told how to show up in this world. From Lou Bank’s photo essay on their experience of embracing a new body after gender-confirming surgery, to Hannah Aram’s decision to compete professionally as the first trans woman in the Freeride World Tour, Issue 5: Black & White explores the depth of what lies in the middle. 

It’s those shades, those halftones, that we rarely experience. But that is where the truth lies. The place where hope lives that we can be better, more inclusive, more aware, more active than what we are today. You see, Issue 5 has nothing to do with being black or white. It’s all about the subtleties and the nuances that have been hidden in between.

Please note that if you purchase the digital version we will email you a link to download and refund any shipping charges that may have been applied.

 

Contributors include:

Why We Need imperfect Apologies by Frances Lee

The Pitch: Eastern Sierra Conservation Corps an interview with Agnes Vianson and photos by Lauren McMillin

Ask Jenny: Questions and Answers about Life, the Outdoors, and Whatever by Jenny Bruso

An Indoor Girl On the Outdoors: Soul Sludge by Melanie Briggs

The Great Outdoors: an interview with Sarah Knapp 

How to Soak and Shred the Eastern Sierra by Jenn Sheridan  & Photos by  Lauren McMillin

Brotherhood of Skiing: Changing the Mindset of Who Skis by Faith Briggs

Connections: How one Photographer explores the Relationship between the Landscape and trans Bodies by Lou Bank

Nature Never Misgendered Me: the story of Hannah Aram by Jennifer Gurecki

For the Love of Snow by Stephanie Maltarich

Guardians artwork by Wyeth Moss

I Did it Because it Was Fun: the story of Kim Reichhelm by Jennifer Gurecki

Roller Skiing to the Top by Charlotte Massey

Dream or Delusion? The truth travel influencers don't tell by Erika Fitzgerald

Hemp Takeover by Erica Zazo 

How Not to be a Climate Change Activist like a Basic Bitch by Kiona

Poetry In Motion: Who Am I? by Lynne Schmidt

Old Habits Die Hard: Tips for Winter Self-Preservation by Samantha Romanowski

DIY One Stitch Slouchy by Jamon Wolfe

Eat, Drink, + Be Merry: Cranberry Bliss Bars by Vanessa Barajas 

That's What He Said: #priviledge by Andrew Pridgen