The title of this blog was taken from a Submission Hold song of the same name. The song is about women being seen as less than human, an idea that owes much to the concept of "Otherness". It was probably an ethically dubious move on my part - as a guy, claiming the name of a song about feminism as your own smacks of male privilege. But I claimed it nonetheless, because as guys I kinda think we have an obligation to constantly consider this stuff - how our thoughts, words and actions sideline women because of their gender. And plus, it's a kicking rad song.
The problem I'm currently considering spans both bikes and punk rock, which is nice. In terms of numbers, women are not majority participants in either scene. At the last alleycat I ran there were 48 participants. Two were women. At the last show I went to I saw two bands (I left early. I do that these days). Only one had a female member. I've spent a lot of time thinking about this, and will probably spend a lot more, because I have no idea what I can do to make more women show up to these events. I'm tired of feeling like the two communities I love aren't inclusive, are dominated by the same patriarchal bullshit we find in our working lives. The Ladies Who Leisure ride is an awesome start, but I'm supposed to be running another Alleycat in November, and I want to know what I can do.
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if i can add my own two cents to this one, from my many years of experience in both arenas, don't forget i was a drummer of a band called the marx, oh yes! i think the reason the girls don't come to alleycats and the like is because the majority who ride, speaking very generally here, for either pleasure or because their boys got them into it. i can't see a girl who was given a bike by her bf getting all that riled up about winning more wheels or a crumpler bag. just my thoughts, try not to beat urself up too much about it, i thought some would show up for skidz especially because of the mad dress-code but oh well the world is a crazy place.
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