Gaby Dijkstra – Outdoor Enthusiast and PhD Researcher Studying the Role of Gender in the Extreme Mountaineering Industry.

Gaby Dijkstra is an outdoor enthusiast, solo traveller, and researcher with a passion for remote mountain environments. Whether climbing, skiing, or paragliding, she feels most at home in the mountains and has travelled to all seven continents, breaking barriers as a solo female adventurer. After years of working in education and girl empowerment projects, Gaby became increasingly curious about the construct of gender and how societal expectations shape our behaviours, opportunities, and experiences. This curiosity ultimately led her to pursue a PhD at Rotterdam School of Management, designing her own research project to investigate the role of gender in extreme environments. In 2024, Gaby spent 191 days in the Himalayas, including 132 days living on the mountains, conducting fieldwork during a full climbing season in Nepal. Her research explored the role of gender in the extreme mountaineering industry, particularly among the people who work and operate in these challenging environments. Along the way, she joined a commercial expedition to climb Ama Dablam, visited the Khumbu Icefall and the Manaslu region, and was invited to take part in an exclusive winter expedition to Annapurna I. Through interviews, observations, and lived experience, Gaby gathered what she describes as "a mountain of data" on how gender norms continue to shape the culture of mountaineering. In this episode, Gaby shares what she learned from her time in the Himalayas, why the traditional heroic narrative of mountaineering can be harmful to both men and women, and how understanding gender as a social construct can help us rethink leadership, decision-making, and belonging in extreme environments. Listen to this episode to learn about conducting a PhD in one of the world's most challenging landscapes, the hidden gender dynamics within the mountaineering industry, and why talking to other women and pursuing your curiosities can open doors to entirely new adventures. ***  New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.  Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.  Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x *** Show notes Living in Amsterdam, Netherlands 37, freelancer and researcher  Having a background in sports management  Using sports to help society tackle challenges PhD at Rotterdam School of Management  Designing her own study project - the role of gender in extreme environments  Gender as a social construct  How social constructs can limit us in who we are and how we behave What is appropriate behaviour for societies gender expectations  Study something that is interesting for you Looking at gender and not understanding the construct  Loving all types of outdoor sports.  Being most happy when in the mountains  Where are all the women - always being surrounded by men Starting to work in leadership project. Girl empowerment projects. Introducing girls to sports  Getting frustrated and wanting to learn more about the construct of gender  Wanting to know how this plays out in extreme environments  If there are no obstacles - where would you like to go for your PhD? Wanting to go back to the Himalayas  191 days in the field, spending 132 days on a mountain Conducting fieldwork in the mountains of Nepal for a full climbing season  Looking at the role of gender in the climbing industry - especiall