Pushy Women

Strange things happen when you ‘Like’ a Facebook page with the aim of winning a prize.   When I liked ‘The Squeaky Wheel’, a cycling group I had not heard of before, I found myself the lucky winner of awesome stuff, including an invitation to attend and review the upcoming show ‘PushyWomen – North’, the second in a series of Melbourne based events showcasing the talents of 8 women speaking about their loves, disappointments, misdemeanors and misadventures on two wheels.

The afternoon started on a high note when I rode my bike along High St from the Westgarth Theatre to the Thornbury Theatre and didn't have to stop for one red light or pedestrian at those dodgy tram stops. 

The entertainment continued with engaging stories from the 8 speakers:

Catherine Deveney, the MC, dispensed sage like advice that would indicate she’s been battling her own personal “Hell of the North” every day for the past 25 years and survived to tell a tale or two about it.  Listening to Catherine tell her stories about having to put up with being verbally abused while riding the streets of her own neighbourhood for no good reason, made me realise why she often comes across as such an angry woman.  With the apparent moron meter rising in the inner north she’s got every right to be.  Personally I think it’s time for Dev to just put a big D on her back and front with a flowing cape ala Super Dev just to let people know who they might be messing with.  Dev’s mantra for safe riding is to make it accessible, ride like you are invisible, maintain your line, look hot, and most importantly sound like a man when you’re shouting at moron drivers!

Karen Pickering made a grand entrance ringing her bell on a beautiful Lekker bike (10% off if you mention Pushy Women).  Karen’s talent for story telling exposed just how good cyclists have it here in Melbourne compared to her native Brisbane and how she fell in love with cycling.  Karen reminded the audience of all of the simple things we as cyclists take for granted every day - door to door transport; saving on taxi and tram fares; the wind in your hair; never having to wait for public transport; riding home from late night gigs – just to mention a few. 

With an audience consisting of at least 90% women, Anne Edmonds knew from the start that she was on a winner when she set loose on the MAMIL (middle aged men in lycra).  Guys take note - that thread bare lycra is revealing far more than you ever imagined and it’s not an attractive look. 

Kate Langbroek brought to the audience the reality of it being hard to have your own cycling identity when you’re married to a cycling obsessed partner.  Kate’s journey to a love of riding came from doing a triathlon whilst working on commercial radio.  Her noisy group rides to work gave way to solo rides of much needed solitude and reflection.  To bring home the difference between cycling and driving, Kate succinctly put that no one ever says I had a beautiful car ride. And to drivers out there, don't be angry in a car, just be.

Van Badham, playwright, author and columnist at the Guardian. staked her claim to fame by saying that as a cyclist she had never caused an accident, but caused a lot of problems for a lot of people.  Van’s expose on feminism and cycling through history, including her own BMX riding threat to the patriarchy in London.  As Van reminded the audience, the suffragettes were getting on their bikes back in the 1890s and it was truly a vehicle for emancipation.  Clothing trends of the day evolved as women sought to be more comfortable and bike designs changed as men determined the riding position of men’s bikes too stimulating for women.  Even an anti-bloomer league was formed for a short time with the aim of trying to influence government and women's rights to ride in pants. 

Lally Katz’s tale of being a fifteen year old riding to school whilst day dreaming teen soap style about an unrequited love was a mastery of storytelling and little white lies.  Without giving too much away, it’s Lally’s friend who comes through with some sound cycling advice that when approaching middle aged women walking two abreast on a bike path you probably should ring your bell.

Bev Kelly grew up in Townsville, likening it to growing up in a psychiatric ward and like Ringwood with palm trees.  As a self professed tomboy she was disgusted at getting a girls bike when she wanted a fixie,  That didn’t stop her from riding everywhere and seeking every thrill hill around until that ill fated day that the unthinkable happened which had the audience breathing a collective cringe and she’s never ridden since.  Bev took time out to take a crack at the Steiner yummy mummy complete with a box bike full of children looking like squawking birds being pushed along.  Not that she was out there to offend ?!. 

Pip Lincolne regaled us with the childhood fantasy of spotting a bike at a friend’s place and pretending to be one of Charlies’ Angels on a bike.  Pip hurtled down a hill, hair billowing Farah Fawcett style only to be stopped by a brick wall (lucky it was a hospital).  Pip’s message was clearly what happens on the bike, stays on the bike.

Genevieve Morris took us all to a familiar place of hope and excitement - Christmas morning.  Would there or wouldn’t there be a new bike under the Christmas tree?  Disappointment gave way to satisfaction as Santa delivered the goods and Genevieve took us on a suburban thrill ride with her older brother.   

The metaphor of life being like cycling reminds us of the freedoms cycling affords anyone willing to get beyond the fear that something bad is going to happen to them whilst riding.  To day dream, fantasise, reflect and be in the moment, these are all great by-products of cycling.  The Pushy Women also provided a history lesson in feminism and the important role cycling has played in providing independence and empowerment.  Yes, there were plenty of stories about falling off, but in the end there are two types of cyclists, those who have fallen off and those who are yet to fall off. 

4 Wheels err Stars.