abstractform20

as a fellow minority, what has been your experience?

as a minority, i have enjoyed cycling thusfar. it would be interesting to see the demographics of BF.

transgender and transsexual are included...really any historically marginalized group that still lacks representation in power structures.

milkbaby

I am also a minority in the US. Most of the cyclists round these parts (where I live) are white/caucasian males. Next largest group is white females. Rare for me to see other minority cyclists, well ones doing it for sport or recreation versus solely for transportation purposes...

Yaniel

I'm a minority, but I live in Miami. In Miami, I am the majority. Regardless, I've never met anyone on the bike that cared about race. They just care about how well you ride.

Velo Gator

You are trolling hard today abstract.

abstractform20

i remember seeing 3 black guys on their road bikes one day. they were riding together. most of the people ive seen have been late 20s+ white males, followed by white females, and then a mix of other ethnic groups.

Velo Gator

I'm Cuban.

kf9yr

I'm Greek...

Seriously does anyone really care about race, gender or religion while cycling?

I may notice a pretty woman but I'm more likely to be checking out the bikes than the riders...

abstractform20

that would be true if i were not a minority. really the only troll was the ice cream...but i do love ice cream.

the women's forum thread was sincere. ive never met a female cyclist i could not talk to. ive even given advice to help on fit.

i can say certain words without giggling...words like pubic symphysis, and perineum/perineal artery. its crazy. i sincerely do think
that it does not benefit women to keep them hidden, but its not my site.

abstractform20

well, i dont have direct experience with discrimination regarding cycling, but ive certainly witnessed some outright racism against customers...like most discrimination today, it was not overtly committed.

there was one AWKWARD moment too where i saw a very old white man tell a group of black men that did not want black helmets, because their skin heats up fast and their wooly hair wouldnt help. no one seemed offended, but it was so awkward.

kf9yr

Hey Velo Gator, have you regained your appetite?

Velo Gator

Not really.

kf9yr

Good Luck, There are a lot of times I could give away some of my appetite!

abstractform20

whats wrong with your appetite?

wkg

Yo man are you actually a minority?

I'm black on the inside.

Velo Gator

It got lost.

kf9yr

Well hopefully those attitudes only exist with really old people and keep fading away. I have a business and we employ/serve everyone. For employees I don't really care gender or race, just as long as they do their job. Customers are the same, I think it helps that we are near some large businesses that have many differenct races, nationalities, etc.

My kids are 14 and 11 and have friends from a lot of different races, they don't seem to really notice race anymore. Some of their minority friends make jokes about their race that make me uncomfortable (especially the boys when they're playing XBox 360 online). It seems like they think discrimination doesn't exist anymore and joke about it with each other.

I'm more worried about the general lack of ambition/drive I see in a lot of young people than I am in the way they treat each other. Also, it's amazing how many 25 and under kids smoke cigarettes...

kf9yr

Every time I've cut myself I've noticed I'm pink and red on the inside.

pgjackson

White, conservative, christian living in Southern California...how's that for a marginalized minority?

jsutkeepspining

why? if they're find making jokes about it, then that ust shows you that they're comfortable with their identify and dont fear anytype of negative action. the best thing you can do is just laugh along with them.

wkg

Yeah well you probably deserve it. Christianity is archaic starting 50 years ago.

kf9yr

I know it's a good thing that they're all comfortable with themselves and their friends, their places in the world and their friendships.

It's just that my ex was/is a human resources director and I'm a business owner and we always have had to be so careful about what we say out loud or in writing.

In business it's not enough that you don't care about race or gender, you also have to be concerned that you don't appear to be through something you write or say. Even if it's an innocent mistake because of the way the English language can be misinterpreted it can hurt the people involved (both the people slighted and the ones that were misunderstood).

deacon mark

Roman Catholic Cleric are we in the minority with cycles?

jsutkeepspining

i cna understand that. But i am in the newest generation (16 years old) where race isn't as big of a deal as it was even 20 years ago. I have friends of all different races, and i treat all the same (im just as mean to one race as i am to another and im just as nice to one race as i am to another. i do not act differently at all). i feel that people trying to separate race..aka talking about minorities and feeling uncomfortable about talking about race actually hurt the idea of just the "human race" versus black/white/hispanic/etc.

rebel1916

I am a dominant male of the species. There seem to be fewer and fewer of us around.

wkg

Yeah but are you Jewish Black Mexican or what?