Although the pandemic has pulled the world to a grinding halt, some people continue to dream big. One trans woman by the name of Erin Parisi plans to, someday, climb to the top of Mount Everest and plant a trans Pride flag, tall and proud.
The idea came to Parisi as she reached the top of Aconcagua, the highest peak outside of the Himalayas. As she stood up there, overlooking the ground below, she whipped out her white and blue trans flag and held it high.
She recalls the trip saying, “So, I’m thinking that right now, the person that’s standing highest on the planet is a trans person. And the highest flag, the highest banner – that means it’s being held by somebody – is the trans flag. I just held it high and proud. I don’t know who noticed or who cared.”
Parisi seems to be the modern Wonder Woman. Parisi has accomplished hiking up to the top of four big summits – Mount Kosciuszko in Australia, ten days later Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mount Elbrus in Russia, and then finally mount Aconcagua. Mind you, it’s worth mentioning Parisi has hiked up mount Kilimanjaro once before, once in 2011 before transitioning and the second time in 2018. If that’s not a powerful feeling, I don’t know what else is.
With four peaks down, and three to go (Vinson Massif in Antarctica; Mount Denali in Alaska; and Mount Everest in Alaska, the highest peak in the world), she grows closer and closer to her final goal.
“When I look at Everest, I really very much see it as our way to be resilient, and to show that story of strength and recovery and resilience,” She says to PinkNews.
You can read the original story here: https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/07/24/erin-parisi-seven-summits-mount-everest-transgender-trans-pride-flag-mounting-climbing/