SAFA Skysailor Magazine

42 SKY SAILOR March-April-May | AUTUMN 2025 As for many other adventure sports, the privilege of this chase is technically available for all to enjoy, yet many groups of people are underrepresented in paragliding. In 2023, 8% of all pilots reg- istered with SAFA were women (up from 6% in 2019). In Victoria, these figures are slightly higher: in 2023, 11%t of pilots were women (up from 8% in 2019). Whilst there is some research about the barriers to women in paragliding (see for example the Altitude with Attitude reports, 2019 and 2020), the VHPA secured funding from the Victorian Government to explore this issue further. The goal for this research was to identify: 1) Some of the reasons why women might be underrepresented in paragliding, and 2) Ways in which paragliding clubs, state associations and SAFA can make para- gliding more accessible to women. The findings described below are based on data collected in 2024 from an online questionnaire (27 female pilots of all licence levels) and in-depth interviews with 14 pilots (of whom nine were women, and seven were members of Victorian club committees with four clubs represented). Everyone’s welcome: So why aren’t there more women? The data revealed several barriers for female pilots. Some barriers are related to issues of gender inequality that exist in society more generally such as lack of female represen- tation and visibility in promotional materi- als and reporting, and accessibility during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Inclusivity in Paragliding by Dr Naomi Francis and Mia Østrup Nordentoft You’re standing at launch, harness weighing you down, eyes fixed on the windsock. Adrenaline pulses through your veins – a mix of excitement and anticipation. Maybe you’re a newbie, feeling unsure. Or perhaps you’re more experienced, but still feel the rush of taking a calculated risk. Either way, it’s a unique blend of exhilaration, facing fears, calculation, concentration, and chasing the feeling of freedom that compels pilots to fly.