Is NSQ a “Camp for Girls”? Yes, AND …
North Star Quest Camp was founded in the late 1990s by a nurse named Karen Moulton. Karen was concerned about the way her teenage daughter and her friends talked about themselves. She sought to build an impactful experience for people like her daughter who needed to be reminded of their worth beyond the size, shape, and color of their bodies. In order to make campers feel safe and comfortable enough to take this journey of personal growth, camp was restricted to “girls.”
In the over two decades that NSQ Camp has been helping people build self confidence and communication skills, the conversation about gender, biological sex, and sexuality has evolved. The colorful tapestry of human experience has become more rich and varied as it becomes safer for everyone to speak their own truth. Lately, we have noticed that many of our campers do not call themselves “girl.” Since a big part of our mission is to encourage campers to think for themselves, be themselves, and act on what they believe is right, we want to make it clear that you don’t have to be a “girl” to go to camp.
Quick definition of terms: At camp, we subscribe to the “Pants” model of understanding. Biological sex is what physical parts are in a person’s pants. Gender is what kind of pants a person wears to feel like themselves, and sexuality or attraction is what someone does or doesn’t want to do with what’s in their pants. While we don’t get into “sex education” at camp, we do acknowledge that we all have a biological sex, a gender, and a sexuality. We also discuss “healthy relationships” with or without physical attraction, and the importance of communication, mutual respect, and consent.
The bottom line on gender at NSQ: ALL Girls are welcome including those assigned “male” at birth. Non-binary, and gender fluid folks are welcome. Transgender boys are also welcome, because their biological sex is an important part of their lived experience even though they are boys. Our campground has all private bathrooms and showers, so your pants are your own business.
If you think that North Star Quest sounds like something you’d like to try, but you’re still not sure if you’ll fit in, please reach out to our camp staff. We will happily discuss your specific situation and answer any questions you may have.
(707) 633-4522
northstarquest@gmail.com