Sisterhood to promote the rhizomatic bodies of Mexican-mestiza women mountaineers

Abstract

Employing a post-structural approach, this study relies on the rhizomatic body to understand the Mexican-mestiza women mountaineer, to address negotiations and overcome gender inequalities. Drawing from a larger study and using a qualitative method, it focuses on sisterhood as a core strategy to build mestiza rhizomatic bodies to foster women mountaineering in a traditional society. The main findings suggest that sisterhood supports women’s mountaineering and promotes deterritorialization and reterritorialization processes to sustain diverse strata for their negotiations. Accordingly, Mexican-mestiza women mountaineers’ rhizomatic bodies embedded vulnerability, adventure, risk, physicality, criticism, or freedom to promote activities that are more inclusive.