National Bike Summit: Women's Forum

[shootingstar]

But it was disappointing overall. The panel presentation about women in bicycle advocacy leadership was particularly disappointing. They talked about work-life balance.

The worst of this was that they used up their female speakers in the Women's Forum. The rest of the Bike Summit was almost entirely male.

It is interesting in the world of bicycle advocacy leadership, at least for the 3 big cities I've lived in, the volunteer boards and committees do tend to naturally be dominated by men. Not all the time, but often enough. And I would say in cycling advocacy circles a lot of the men I know who are long term cycling advocates (tend to be middle-aged and older), to me..in my opinion much more accommodating for everyone. They are excellent competent cyclists but more patient/apt to cycle with a group of different levels, instead of leaving everyone behind in the dust all the time.

In a way cycling advocacy at least for the larger cities, to make a group sustainable and effective with higher public visibility, is to treat it like managing a little non-profit organization and even getting into business planning and financial strategy for funding/fundraising. Figuring out mission/vision, messages, multi-pronged approach for marketing/lobbying, coalition-building, etc.

Just based on conference call meetings, stuff dearie says on issues discussed, etc., the meetings can be awfully long-winded and sometimes to me, highly process oriented or general statement pronouncements/ theories. Yes, of course there is also a technical component since advocacy means discussing cycling infrastructure and dealing with a municipalities engineering/transportation dept., etc.

Whenever dearie complains that there's a lot talk and not enough action/follow-through, I have visions of mostly men across a region spinning away there ideas and thoughts for several continuous hrs. during a meeting but unable to commit to action. Then there are those who want media profile, etc. Dearie has a patient nature in such volunteer advocacy work and produces reports, blogs, meets various govn't officials, etc. But that's just him by nature

I am impressed by the women whom I know and have been cycling advocates long term: you have to have high tolerance for long meetings with mixed action results, etc.

I have been involved in cycling advocacy for a women's group...for nearly 5 years when I was in Toronto. We were not a racing group but focused on activities to encourage more women to bike..meaning also practical educational/demonstration sessions. Membership of women was over 200 from southern Ontario. As former member of the 5- women member organizing committee it was very hard to let the organization dissolve...we no upcoming cadre of volunteers to take over.

Thereafter I volunteered at cycling events where usually it was meeting members of the public and providing info....I enjoy volunteer work that enables me to share directly with the public and get them interested/encourage them. It's a switch from my paid job with some long meetings, technical matters.

It is disappointing Melavi the discussion was on work-life balance for a predominantly cycling advocacy focused day. The closest to that, we ever organized a workshop was cycling with children..
I'm not familiar with bike commuter trains....group riding? Or?

After some thought, I do have a feminist bent about cycling and wrote about it here last year: http://cyclewriteblog.wordpress.com/...feminist-life/ I was taking a broad, global position. Not just thinking of ourselves here in North America or Europe.

[Wahine]

I totally get what you're saying. I've often been at "women's" events and felt exactly the same way. Don't get me wrong. I'm a feminist through and through. But just like men aren't all lumped into one category, women shouldn't be either. We need to celebrate diversity and focus on equality.

[Crankin]

I stay away from these kinds of things; I have found people often have their own agenda, no matter what the topic is supposed to be. Like Wahine, I get nervous when any group is lumped into one category.

[Melalvai]

Thank you, I feel validated. And I don't feel like an anti-feminist for having these thoughts and feelings.

A commuter bicycle train is a group of people who bike to work together.