Are British Cycling & Sky being deliberately sexist?

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For a number of years now, Sky have teamed up with British Cycling to promote themselves cycling to a wider audience. Before the TdF sponsorship, there's a whole raft of money been spent trying to get more people onto two (or three) wheels. And that's a good thing.

However, there's a distinctly male/female split in the way they've gone about it. As they're fully aware, there's a much smaller proportion of female participation in cycling, so they've put dedicated resources to try and encourage more women to try cycling.

If a woman signs up to run the female only rides under the Breeze Banner, that person expected to plan the route, publicise it and lead it, all entirely as a volunteer. And you have to run at least 12 per year. More info here.

However, if a man or woman wants to run a normal Sky Ride, open to all, you get paid for it! You only have to commit to running at least 4 a year, plus possibly some other events. And according to a Sky Ride Leader I was chatting to the other week, he doesn't have to plan or publicise the ride at all - he's sent details of rides occurring near him in the next few months, and asked if he wants to lead them. More info here.

It would however seem very sexist to expect women volunteers to do all that extra work, whilst a bloke gets paid to do far less. But then again, why am I not surprised at such a tactic from an organisation like Sky?
 
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deptfordmarmoset

Full time tea drinker
Location
Armonmy Way
For a number of years now, Sky have teamed up with British Cycling to promote themselves cycling to a wider audience. Before the TdF sponsorship, there's a whole raft of money been spent trying to get more people onto two (or three) wheels. And that's a good thing.

However, there's a distinctly male/female split in the way they've gone about it. As they're fully aware, there's a much smaller proportion of female participation in cycling, so they've put dedicated resources to try and encourage more women to try cycling.

If a woman signs up to run the female only rides under the Breeze Banner, that person expected to plan the route, publicise it and lead it, all entirely as a volunteer. And you have to run at least 12 per year. More info here.

However, if you want to run a normal Sky Ride, open to all, you get paid for it! You only have to commit to running at least 4 a year, plus possibly some other events. And according to a Sky Ride Leader I was chatting to the other week, he doesn't have to plan or publicise the ride at all - he's sent details of rides occurring near him in the next few months, and asked if he wants to lead them. More info here.

It would however seem very sexist to expect women volunteers to do all that extra work, whilst a bloke gets paid to do far less. But then again, why am I not surprised at such a tactic from an organisation like Sky?
Are normal Sky Rides not open to female leaders?
 
Are normal Sky Rides not open to female leaders?
Yes, they are, and women cyclists are allowed to ride in them too. But that's not the point. If women are a specific target audience for Breeze, to get more women cycling (i.e. "positive discrimination", "we're doing something extra just for you"), then why are Breeze Champions left on their own to plan and lead the rides, with absolutely no compensation? Those are extra hurdles that reduce access/availability = discrimination of the good old-fashioned kind.
 

Mr Haematocrit

msg me on kik for android
So on balance do you feel you're getting the short end of the straw here?

Never stated or suggested that at all.. I was simply expressing that if the goal is fairness excluding men from the ride based upon nothing but their sex is as unfair as what is being asked of the ride organizers. I fail to see why my British Cycling fees should be spent on any ride which excludes another individual.
If you want something specific and exclusive for your group you should be prepared to do the leg work and preperation for it imho

On balance I don't think Sky is being unreasonable as normal Sky rides can be led by women, my local one is. So the reality is they have a choice
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
Are female only rides not sexist in themselves..
Yes, in a positive way.
What is wrong with male cyclists to warrant exclusion?
Testosterone surplus? Patronising attitudes? Machismo? Inability comprehend the merits of positive discrimination?
I could go on.
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
Never stated or suggested that at all.. I was simply expressing that if the goal is fairness excluding men from the ride based upon nothing but their sex is as unfair as what is being asked of the ride organizers. I fail to see why my British Cycling fees should be spent on any ride which excludes another individual.
If you want something specific and exclusive for your group you should be prepared to do the leg work and preperation for it imho

On balance I don't think Sky is being unreasonable as normal Sky rides can be led by women, my local one is. So the reality is they have a choice
The goal is achieving fairness, and equality of opportunity, for women.

BC's policy is to support women only events so you best cancel your sub if exclusion nips your sack so hard.

But I guess you don't mind exclusion on economic grounds either, lots of BC events are not free to enter.
 
Never stated or suggested that at all.. I was simply expressing that if the goal is fairness excluding men from the ride based upon nothing but their sex is as unfair as what is being asked of the ride organizers. I fail to see why my British Cycling fees should be spent on any ride which excludes another individual.
If you want something specific and exclusive for your group you should be prepared to do the leg work and preperation for it imho

On balance I don't think Sky is being unreasonable as normal Sky rides can be led by women, my local one is. So the reality is they have a choice

The goal isn't "fairness" as you seem to be defining it but increased numbers of women on bikes.
 

Tommy2

Über Member
Location
Harrogate
They are being sexist, by discriminating against men.

Women can join normal
Sky rides, but if they are incapable of participating with the men folk maybe they should just stay at home with the kids. ;)
 
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