Growing up with three older brothers was tough at times – an endless struggle to be apart of the club. How could I appear tougher? Should I ban pink from my wardrobe? Yes, I couldn’t win a fair fight. It infuriated me. I’d use all my force and not so much as tickle a muscle – boy did they think it hysterical!
My brothers were my first encounter but it didn’t stop there. On the basketball courts at school the boys told me that I couldn’t be like Allen Iverson because girls couldn’t jump that high. Then with my first boyfriend – apparently I was too ‘delicate’ to carry a case of beer. And then I joined the bicycle club… on the contrary to some of my previous experiences this club is not exclusive to boys. It must annoy them when I slow the rides down, but they show no impatience. BUT when it comes to competitions – the girls are defeated before the game begun. This is something out of their control and I don’t really have a solution for all of this. I’m not an activist, I’m not a feminist, I’m just a little girl wanting to be an indian while my brothers play cowboys.
Turns out I didn’t need a solution. The guys at Le Pista Resistance have noticed the increase in female participation and made allowances for their next event ‘A bowieCat’, there is a prize for first rider of the opposite gender over the line! woot! Annoyingly, I can’t actually make the event! What is the irony in that?
Check the event details in Meg’s previous post.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Renee-Boston // Sep 1, 2009 at 1:18 am
I’m feelin’ ya! I get a bit frustrated when I am stuck into the male single-speed category in a mtb. bike race because there aren’t enough females to hold a separate category. Naturally, I get crushed every time!! Races are doing well these days at making the prize pot equal for geared riders, but the women’s single speed division still suffers!
Good for the guys at Le Pista Resistance!
2 Rosy - Sydney // Sep 4, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Ah that sux! Interesting to see it’s a universal issue!
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