An ongoing question I have posed on this blog is: How is your bike riding contributing to making the world a better place for all?
In western countries, we think little of getting up, getting on our bikes and going for a bike ride – this is because we feel confident, safe and secure riding in our communities.
It’s easy to take for granted the inclusive access, rights and conditions we enjoy – not all cyclists are privy to the same recognition, value and acceptance that mainstream white MAMILs, (middle-aged men in lyrca) for example, experience.
This blog works to bring a range of other-than-the-dominant-norm ‘cycling’ perspectives.
Some examples which are well worth a look if you missed them include:
- Celebrating the debut of the first ever black African female road cyclist Jeanne d’Arc Girubuntu (Team Rwanda) into the UCI Road World Championships in Richmond (USA).
- Meeting keen mountainbiker and artist Brooklyn Bell who discussed her experiences of being a woman of colour in a predominately all-white MTB scene in the US.
- The incredible advocacy and bravery of the forbidden women riding bikes in Iran – a group of female bike riders who continue to push to be recognised despite a 2016 fatwa prohibiting Iranian women from riding bikes in public spaces.
Since their Instagram inception in May last year, I’ve been following @blackmuslimwomenbike.
This group of riders proudly and publicly working to fray dominant views about cycling and of what cycling bodies ‘do’, what cycling bodies should look like, and who gets recognised and valued in cycling…and to raise the profile of black, Muslim, female riders.
Meet @blackmuslimwomenbike
This group is an Instagram collective celebrating black, Muslim women who ride bikes.
Their profile shares photos, stories and quotes and bring together bike riders from around the world.
Each week, the organisers introduce a new rider by sharing a photo, a short bio and the rider’s responses to these 4 questions:
- What inspired you to cycle?
- How would you sum up your (biking) experience so far?
- How important is it to have platform that represents you?
- What advice would you give to other black, Muslim women cyclists?
Despite being relatively new, this group has a growing network and support base.
They are actively involved in a number of big ticket social riding events and have instigated their own fundraiser to support a hospital in Senegal.
I find this group exciting as they are actively building community and supporting each other to hold space and be recognised as riders, they are a formidable group of women working to make change, and are telling their own biking stories in their own words.
So if you haven’t done so already, check this group out, follow them and tell others.
Background to @blackmuslimwomenbike
Friends Muneera and Sabah were both living in Bristol, UK. During COVID they were looking for a way to keep fit and stay happy. Sabah has a triathlon background and was keen to stay active. Unbeknownst to each other, the two friends started cycling independently.
Soon after, Sabah left the UK to live in UAE and Muneera started sharing her journey in a more formal way to centre focus on diversity and inclusion and draw attention to black Muslim women specifically – hence @blackmuslimwomenbike.
Sabah joined her so they could share their biking experiences and adventures with each other (now they lived apart) and more broadly.
Soon after they were joined by Mona and Rashida and together these four women are the driving force behind the group.
Read more of their story and the origins of @blackmuslimwomenbike here.
Their first post is an image of Muneera wearing her helmet with the description:
“We are doing it all, the hijab, the biking cap and the helmet. As we embark on this beautiful journey that we have found, You have to be the representation that we want to see, the star we want to see, the black girls on bikes in our dreams.”
All images: IG @blackmuslimwomenbike