While there's much I could quote and comment on on this thread, I'll just start with this.
Originally Posted by
Machka
You're new here so you probably don't know ... but it has always been like this. I guess that's what comes of allowing teenagers and college kids into a forum. The youngsters look at women merely as sexual objects ... they don't take women seriously at all. Some, but not all, grow out of that attitude as they become more mature.
Much of it I think is maturity, when it comes to both men and women. It just depends on where you go. Overall, though, I do tend to believe that in places like BF and elsewhere (I've observed it in both with regards to women), men tend to be less mature on which of their thoughts they choose to vocalize. That being said, I've drawn cat-calls occasionally (as a clyde no doubt! I'm not really in much way attractive in that regard) from women while I was out on the bike. So (and I would have to defer to women who are brave enough to admit their thoughts), I would say the thoughts are there for most people in regard to the opposite sex. It's just maybe that men tend to be less socialized on when to speak their thoughts and not speak their thoughts, and perhaps that is divided by age, marriage, and genuine contact with women as people and not as sex objects. There's a time and place for such comments and they usually are not out in public.
Much is probably perspective on hearing those things as well. I understand that most women really don't find such comments welcome. Yet I find in observation that a lot of men tend to take them with a degree of flattery. As for me in the example above (women saying things in public), I tended to think it a bit wierd, unwelcome in a sense, but also a bit flattering. The unwelcome part, because in a certain way, I would rather have them come from someone who knows me and can appreciate me. Again the proper social context.
Originally Posted by
Machka
And ... I have my doubts that most male road riders (or at least the teenager/college crowd) want more female involvement in our great sport, or care one way or the other. Perhaps the idea of women doing as well or better than them on the bicycle is somehow threatening.
A lot of this, I'm sure, is due to ego. Maybe socially ingrained, maybe otherwise. As for me (the only one I can really speak for), I notice that if there is anything that can be equal on a non-competitive basis as to ability, it's cycling. So a woman can do better than me? So what. As long as I'm achieving what I need to do for myself while I'm out on the bike, I'm pleased.
Besides, the world is much better when there's variety and all of us (men and women) are out there doing things. I find it interesting to read about women out there doing cycling and achieving (yes including the women on BF, but also competitively). Maybe it's because it's not so common-place. If I got anything out of such threads like the "Hot Cycling Body" one, it's a little more awareness about some of the women who are out there doing it.
Speaking of this, I got a question, but I'll make another thread of it.