7 POUNDS OF PANTIES
I read the greatest article today on CNN.com that really shows how far women have come in life and in bicycling. I think its fantastic that biking played such a big part in the Women's Lib Movement.
Back in the early 1900's women were trammeled their whole life. If it wasn't by the men they were with and their societal obligations it was the heavy tight undergarments that they wore every day of their life. Their clothing practically cut off their circulation and heavily restricted their movements. Of course biking was a big no-no along with the fact that women could barely move on a bike with their clothes and the length of their skirts.
Eventually women fought back and argued for "reasonable clothing" with undergarments weighing no more than 7 pounds. That's what they call reasonable?!?! That's almost half the weight of my bike! Soon after women started wearing bloomers because they were shorter and wouldn't get caught in the bike while riding.
Once women began riding the female cyclists were often accosted. One of the first women to ride a bike in London, Emma Eades, was
attacked verbally and physically. People actually threw bricks and stones at her...wow. The fact that a women was out enjoying her freedom was threatening to the rest of the world. Luckily it didn't bother these women. They stood up for themselves and just kept riding. Love that!
Susan B. Anthony once said, "Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. A woman on a bicycle, the equal rights champion observed, presents "the picture of free and untrammeled womanhood."
Needless to say women are riding more than ever so let's keep the numbers going up! Feel the freedom!
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