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Camp Highlight has decided to take steps forward to create a more inclusive camp for all campers. Historically, camps have alienated some campers and families by reinforcing social norms related to the binary idea of genders - that all people are either male or female - through seemingly uncontroversial practices like cabin assignments, cabin names, pronoun use, bathroom designations, and the age old camp practice of splitting up campers into groups of boys and girls.
The Camp Highlight community strives to overcome gender stereotypes, encourage self expression, and provide maximum opportunity for growth. With that in mind, all Camp Highlight cabins will be designated as all gender cabins beginning in the summer of 2018. We want to reinforce the idea in our campers that all of them can be bolder, stronger, and more confident. Camp Highlight is leaving the gender binary behind! Some parents and campers may worry about privacy. However, the facilities at South Mountain YMCA provide ample privacy in the cabin and shower facilities. Our curriculum focuses on respect and continually communicates that campers must respect the privacy and boundaries of any person of any gender. Campers will continue to be housed by age. Camp Highlight will try to honor requests for placement in same cabins for campers of same age group. While this idea may be new or challenging to certain campers and families, we believe that this change today is necessary for the world of tomorrow. If you or your camper have questions or concerns about this new policy, please contact us. We are happy to hear from the community about this new and exciting development!