A promotional photo in a report by Camp Brave Trails shows a group of children standing together, all in various states of drag. One young male is wearing a revealing dress, and another is wearing a pair of fake breasts made of what appears to be construction paper.
This sounds both horrifying and dystopian, but it’s real. The summer camp, designed specifically for LGBTQ-identifying youth between 12 and 17 years old, advertises itself as a place where children can have their “name, pronouns, and identity not only respected but celebrated.”
At Camp Brave Trails - which has no sex-segregated spaces or gendered dress codes - workshops include “identity exploration & gender,” “coming out support,” and “intersectionality (race, gender, and more!).”
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What’s even more disturbing is the number of mainstream brands that support this camp. A 2023 blog revealed that companies donating to Camp Brave Trails include The North Face, TOMS, Chaco, and Starbucks.
Well…at least now I’ll have an excuse for not having a jacket from The North Face beyond “I can’t afford it.”