Making Space for Women
The thing about gender inequity is that once you see it, you can’t unsee it. And once you’re aware of it, you see it everywhere. Not because you’re looking for it, but because it is actually everywhere.
If you’re reading this, then you probably already know that cycling especially is a very male-dominated space… and very white male-dominated, and to take it one step further, very straight white male-dominated. This isn’t an article to bash anyone, but those limited demographics tend to foster an environment that’s not always very welcoming for the rest of us. Every female cyclist I know has a story about being talked down to, and even sometimes belittled, by male employees at a bike shop. Or showing up to a ride or race and having a *probably* well-intentioned dude comment on their tire choice, tire pressure, gearing, etc. These men aren’t going around to other men with the same advice; they’re making assumptions that the women need to hear it because we don’t have the same level of experience – because we’re women.
I once asked in a Facebook group for upgrade suggestions for my bike – wheels, bars, etc -- and one of the responses was “Save your money and hire a coach.” To his credit, the guy realized that his response was insulting and later apologized, but other men in the group still piled on and defended the original commenter and bashed me for calling him out. Needless to say, I left that group.
The women’s podium with equal prize money at a recent Southeast Gravel event
Disparities also persist at events and races. From the axing of the women’s Tour de France to the huge disparity in the pro men’s and pro women’s prize purses at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad earlier this year.
Despite an effort to get more women to the start line, the folks Southeast Gravel told us at their first event of 2021 that the field was around 15% women. Ahead of the event, they had announced that the women’s and men’s pro races would have an equal prize purse – a great signal from race directors that they recognize the importance of being more inclusive – and something we’re keen to support.
Nicole Johnson and Christy Keely of Southeast Gravel told us that “as female racers, we used to always wonder why we weren’t privileged to race the same distance, or collect the same prize money as our male training partners/spouses. Now that we are on the other side of the fence, we have the opportunity to do what’s right for the sport!”
Gavin Coombs from the new Dead Man Gravel event in Nederland, CO, had a similar feeling when creating his event, and says there was no question that diversity and inclusion among women and people of color was a priority right from the beginning.
“Our number one priority is bringing more people into cycling, so that means trying to make space for women and athletes of color, and to do whatever we can to increase those numbers,” Gavin says, adding that they could have easily “just planned a bike race, but wanted to be something more.”
Part of that “more” was opening registration early for those groups, but Gavin says the move wasn’t without controversy, including hate emails and accusations of being racist and discriminatory. He feels those people are intentionally choosing not to see that women aren’t treated equally in sport and have historically been treated as an afterthought, and “once you’re willing to see [that], it’s pretty obvious why we can take a week out of our registration window and dedicate that just to women and athletes of color.”
Kristi Mohn, co-host of the Girls Gone Gravel podcast and one of the people working tirelessly behind the scenes of UNBOUND Gravel in Kansas, says in her mind gravel has been unique within cycling in that “the mindset, broadly speaking, has been about a community experience open to all.” But she says that “doesn’t mean everyone has felt welcome.”
“As race directors, brand managers, community leaders, we need to make sure we are extending that invitation to join, and doing the best we can to invite more into our community. It enhances the experiences for all of us, and we learn and grow from that,” Kristi says.
As part of that invitation, Kristi helped push the “200 Women, 200 Miles” campaign, an effort to get more women to sign up for the 200-mile UNBOUND, then DK, course by holding 200 spots for women, and she says the experience was a “game changer.”
“What I learned with 200 women, 200 miles was so many women just needed that invitation -- to know we wanted them here and that we were making space for them. It was a game changer, and that experience has challenged me to continue to make space for more inclusivity,” Kristi says.
Claire Colbert at the Gravel Battle of Sumter Forest in South Carolina, March 2021
UNBOUND and Dead Man have both gotten pushback for prioritizing certain groups during registration, and some people have even called it special treatment. But to me, it’s not about special treatment, it's about correcting a fundamental inequality that’s existed for generations. And if you’re one of those people who will inevitably quip, “But we are inclusive, everyone is welcome in our group.” Look around and see how diverse your cycling group actually is. If you see a lot of different faces, then great, you’re probably doing the work, even if you didn’t know it. But if not, then ask yourself if you’re really looking outside your bubble and extending a hand. You may think you’re welcoming & inclusive, but how is anyone going to know it if you’re not making a point to reach out & tell us?
While we all need to do our part at a micro/local level, for change to be real and lasting brands, race directors, and community leaders also need to step up (and some are!). And honestly, it’s not that hard… Be more mindful of the way you talk about women in sports. Choose diverse brand ambassadors and diverse models for ad campaigns & race promotions, social and otherwise. If you can see it, then you can be it. Offer equal prize money. Hold a certain number of spots for women and BIPOC. Offer early registration for those groups. There are a number of ways to signal to people that you want them there, and we all benefit from diversity.
Sports journalists also need to be aware of what messages they’re sending. Like perhaps using a photo of bikini-clad volunteers handing out water to male participants at an aid station doesn’t send the best message to women. Or when you’re writing about a race that falls on Halloween weekend, maybe don’t say: “So are you going to turn it into a family weekend and bring your wife and kids.” Images and language like that send very clear signals to women that you don’t see us as competitors, and you don’t take us seriously.
Speaking of brands, a shoutout to Shimano, who released the “All Bodies on Bikes” short film, featuring Marley Blonksy and Kailey Kornhauser, as I was writing this. If you haven’t seen it, take a few minutes and go watch it now. You don’t have to be a fat cyclist to relate to the message they’re sending. Riding a bike is probably one of the most fun things you can do as an adult, and everyone should be able to enjoy it & be able to share in that joy. And it’s up to all of us to do our part to make sure there’s space for everyone, especially those people who have historically been left out or treated as less than. It isn’t special treatment, it’s just course correcting.
I’ll end this with one of my favorite quotes from All Bodies on Bikes: “To be a cyclist, you just have to be a person riding a bike.” - Kailey Kornhauser
If any of this resonated with you, we’d love to have you in our Women’s Gravel Cyclists Facebook group!