Tales of Two Malaysian Chinese Women – Becoming Outdoor Professionals and Paving New Ways in Australia

Summary Two Malaysian women had a dialogue about their respective experiences pursuing a career in the outdoors. Pei Ting Tham is entering her second decade as an outdoor educator, with nine of those years in Australia working with school groups, whereas Joanne Lee is primarily a rock climbing guide and instructor. Both women, with Chinese heritage, grew up in Malaysia but went through very different pathways to end up working and settling in Melbourne. Both women are now engaged in social justice and advocacy work in the outdoors in their respective ways. The conversation centres on their initial beginnings of engaging in the outdoors as women-of-colour, the trials and tribulations of their outdoor career and their work in advocating for diversity and inclusion in the outdoors.