Empowering inclusivity in cycling for LGBTQ athletes

max.riese
max.riese Posts: 7
in The cake stop
I had the chance to do an interview with Allan Shaw, founder of Gay's Okay Cycling about his journey as a bike messenger, bike packer and most recently ultra distance racer at the silkroad mountain race. You can also learn why we all should support minorities (like LGBTQ and BIPOC athletes) in getting easier access to the bike community. I had so much fun with this interview and I really think you should read it! Proud to call an amazing individual like Allan my friend.

So why do I post this here? Cycling is supposed to be one of the most inclusive sports out there, however you might agree that it is dominated by white males. I wonder: In you opinion what can and should we do, to include minorities into our sport and make our community a more colourful and vibrant place?

https://gravgrav.cc/article/allan-shaw-gay-s-okay

Comments

  • davidof
    davidof Posts: 3,127
    What do you mean by "dominated". I'm sensing a micro-aggression with your use of that word.
    BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
    Instagramme
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Hi Max,

    Good on your for posting. The demographic of this forum, especially this part, is fairly old so you may struggle with getting traction (eg the above comment).
    _
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 17,379
    I'm struggling with the notion that anyone would be under the misapprehension that cycling is inclusive in the first place.
  • davidof
    davidof Posts: 3,127
    rick_chasey said:

    Hi Max,

    Good on your for posting. The demographic of this forum, especially this part, is fairly old so you may struggle with getting traction (eg the above comment).

    I think Max saw you coming, mate.
    BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
    Instagramme
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,108
    edited November 2021
    In my experience of women's football gay players are hugely overrepresented (well unless 50% of women in the UK are gay) - I believe that's also true of other popular women's team sports.

    I don't know if that's also true of women's cycle sport - anecdotally not as the vast majority of women I know that race are straight but it's a fairly small sample.

    I admit the inclusion of LGB or T athletes in cycling isn't something I've really considered so my starting point would be is there a problem - I'm open to be educated.

    If we are going on to talk about ethnic or gender mix then that's another issue. Yes it has occurred to me that cycling in the UK is largely white and male - other than offering support to female only initiatives at club level (rides, race categories etc) and trying to be aware of how my personal behaviour may or may not impact on inclusivity I've done f**k all about it because it's a hobby I want to enjoy and I already do enough volunteering.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • surrey_commuter
    surrey_commuter Posts: 18,867
    rick_chasey said:

    Hi Max,

    Good on your for posting. The demographic of this forum, especially this part, is fairly old so you may struggle with getting traction (eg the above comment).

    as an old fogey can i confirm this is a joke on the use of "micro aggression"?
  • davidof
    davidof Posts: 3,127
    edited November 2021
    surrey_commuter said:

    rick_chasey said:

    Hi Max,

    Good on your for posting. The demographic of this forum, especially this part, is fairly old so you may struggle with getting traction (eg the above comment).

    as an old fogey can i confirm this is a joke on the use of "micro aggression"?
    The forum is certainly not a "safe space" from Max's spam today or from Rick Chasey having a pop so he can "virtue signal".
    BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
    Instagramme
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,589
    rick_chasey said:

    Hi Max,

    Good on your for posting. The demographic of this forum, especially this part, is fairly old so you may struggle with getting traction (eg the above comment).

    I'm surprised you haven't picked it up as someone spamming for people to read their article as you usually challenge the motives of any new posters doing similar.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Fair
    _
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,589
    edited November 2021
    Seven posts, all thread starters with a link to their blog. Would have been banned by now when we have active moderation. Obviously flagging this one would probably lead to someone claiming it is a sign of the white males wanting to keep their dominance.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,589
    FWIW has anyone even considered the sexuality of a person they meet through cycling? It has literally never crossed my mind so I'm struggling to see why there would be any bar to inclusivity in the sport on the basis of sexual orientation (other than if you joined a club with Frank Wilson as a member obviously).
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 17,379
    Pross said:

    FWIW has anyone even considered the sexuality of a person they meet through cycling? It has literally never crossed my mind so I'm struggling to see why there would be any bar to inclusivity in the sport on the basis of sexual orientation (other than if you joined a club with Frank Wilson as a member obviously).

    It is the same in the workplace.

    We get a lot of messages from marketing along the lines of "this is world monocular achondroplasia week and we are running some events. Please send this link via LinkedIn to all of your one eyed midget clients and ask if they'd like to give a quote for an article on our website."

    To which you are supposed to think about sending a message that starts, "Dear Dave, I can't help noticing but you are extremely short and have one eye and I thought you would be interested to know that...."
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,226
    Weird to assume that white males aren't gay.
  • briantrumpet
    briantrumpet Posts: 20,697
    Still, at least it's given Shortfall some more opportunities to 'virtue like'.
    https://www.facebook.com/unanglaisendiois
  • davidof
    davidof Posts: 3,127
    So what do people think about transexuals in the women's pro peloton. Personally I think it is a good thing as it could make the racing more competitive.
    BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
    Instagramme
  • surrey_commuter
    surrey_commuter Posts: 18,867
    First.Aspect said:

    Pross said:

    FWIW has anyone even considered the sexuality of a person they meet through cycling? It has literally never crossed my mind so I'm struggling to see why there would be any bar to inclusivity in the sport on the basis of sexual orientation (other than if you joined a club with Frank Wilson as a member obviously).

    It is the same in the workplace.

    We get a lot of messages from marketing along the lines of "this is world monocular achondroplasia week and we are running some events. Please send this link via LinkedIn to all of your one eyed midget clients and ask if they'd like to give a quote for an article on our website."

    To which you are supposed to think about sending a message that starts, "Dear Dave, I can't help noticing but you are extremely short and have one eye and I thought you would be interested to know that...."
    It is very possible to have two eyes and be monocular so I think you would be strung up by HR for discriminating against two eyed clients.
  • womack
    womack Posts: 566
    As a cyclist I have never done a poll of other cyclists to ascertain their sexual orientation.

    In fact I hardly ever speak to other cyclists or people in general to be honest.

    @Pross. Nice to see you giving Frank a mention.
  • john80
    john80 Posts: 2,965
    davidof said:

    So what do people think about transexuals in the women's pro peloton. Personally I think it is a good thing as it could make the racing more competitive.

    Where do you stand if this inclusive stance of including trans athletes leads to not a single women on a podium in their protected class at a future point in time. Would kind of make being a women in female sport a bit pointless would it not. I doubt many give a toss how many LGBTQ cyclists turn up for the Whitton.

    I am not seeing how cycling is not an inclusive sport. LGBTQ people are surely as likely to learn to ride a bike as a kid as anyone else. I doubt many on a Sunday club ride care beyond if they can ride in a group.

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