29-year-old alpinist Giulia Fusconi, an accountant from Italy, has explored the Italian and Swiss Alps, Polynesian volcanoes, as well as mountains in India and Nepal. However, despite her skill and experience, Guilia says she is discriminated against all the time as a woman participating in the dangerous sport. She said: “Being a woman is difficult in this particular field. You are hardly respected or taken seriously, even though there are some strong and amazing female climbers, it is mostly a male dominated sport. Mountaineer Giulia Fusconi, 29, from Italy, has been climbing mountains since she was seven However, despite having more than two decades of experience, the athlete says she regularly faces discrimination in this male-dominated sport. According to Giulia (pictured) there are some amazing and talented female climbers, but it’s still hard to be taken seriously in the sport The 29-year-old, who has spent more than two decades scaling peaks (pictured), wants other female climbers to keep going despite gender discrimination “I mainly climb Italian or Swiss mountains because this is my land and I feel quite connected to the Alps. “It’s very important for me to feel that connection with the mountain.” According to Giulia, “being a woman is difficult in this particular field”, but she has no intention of giving up her beloved sport The 29-year-old works as an accountant – a stark contrast to her adventurous lifestyle outside of work She admits the sport is expensive, due to equipment and travel costs, but while she has some sponsors, she largely finances her outings Julia, pictured in action, started climbing mountains with her father when she was just seven, more than 20 years ago While he loves the sport, he admits it can be “scary” at times when the weather changes suddenly without warning But, he says, the sport is “special, unique and challenging” and offers an opportunity for people to push themselves According to Giulia, the sport can be expensive due to the equipment required as well as travel and accommodation costs. She explains: “I have some sponsors who help me, but mostly I finance the trips myself.” Julia started climbing with her father when she was seven and says she “hasn’t stopped since”. Strike a pose: the 29-year-old looks right at home climbing challenging peaks and balancing between rocks (pictured here climbing a mountain at Alpenliebe) Adverse weather conditions such as snow and fog can make the activity daunting, admits the seasoned climber Giulia (pictured climbing a mountain in Alpenliebe, left) has traveled the world to climb different mountains, but says she mainly climbs Italian or Swiss mountains because “this is my land”. The athlete says that despite the fact that the sport is male-dominated, there are “few strong and amazing female climbers” She has experienced highs and lows while climbing, from being scared during bad weather to feeling “so blessed and alive” when she reaches the summit of Piz Bernina “I’ve traveled all over the world, from Polynesia to Russia, from American national parks to India,” he reveals. “One of my favorite moments so far was when I reached the top of Piz Bernina. My heart was so full and I felt so blessed and alive. “However, it can become very scary when the weather changes suddenly without any warning. The 29-year-old says that when she steps up, it’s “really important to [her] to feel this connection with the mountain” Giulia urges other women interested in the ‘special, unique and challenging’ sport to ‘never stop’ and keep pushing to achieve their goals “For example, when it starts snowing and it’s completely white, you have no idea where to go. “Alpinism is special, unique and challenging. “My advice to other female climbers would be to never stop and always push your limits. Only in this way will you really achieve your goals.’
