How the bicycle became a symbol of women's emancipation

Alice Hawkins cycled round Leicester 100 years ago promoting women's rights – now a flash mob aims to conjure up her spirit.


   

One hundred years ago, Alice Hawkins, a suffragette, cycled around Leicester promoting the women's rights movement, causing outrage by being one of the first ladies to wear pantaloons in the city. During the fight to win the vote the bicycle became not only a tool but also a symbol for the emancipation of women.
The American civil rights leader, Susan B Anthony, wrote in 1896:

"I think [the bicycle] has done more to emancipate women than any one thing in the world. I rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a bike. It gives her a feeling of self-reliance and independence the moment she takes her seat; and away she goes, the picture of untrammelled womanhood."

I'm sure many women cyclists would still claim those feelings of self-reliance and independence, but sadly today three times more men than women cycle and the number of female cyclists is actually dwindling. Women appear somewhat more reluctant to "take to their seats".

However, Leicester is quickly developing a progressive and forward thinking cycling culture. There is a strong community of advocates championing the cause of cycling in the city and once a month many of them gather for the Critical Mass rides.

Leicester Critical Mass, now a year old and currently over two hundred riders strong, has brought together many people with ideas and a will to make change. This is how we came together as Cycles and Suffragettes, an organisation with an aim to encourage potential women cyclists.

Inspired by Alice Hawkins, we decided to conjure the spirit of the suffragettes, celebrate the legacy of our local heroines and raise a clarion call to all Leicester cyclists to rouse, inspire and an incite a modern day revolution in women's cycling. We believe by evoking a little community activism and a lot of fun we can demonstrate this form of transport as an attainable, fun and beneficial and once again elevate the bicycle to a symbol of emancipation.

  

On Saturday 5 November our free event begins at 11am with a led ride that includes a tour of blue plaques around the city celebrating local women who had an impact on the local community.
At midday there'll be a flash mob where we're encouraging the feisty free-spirited ladies of Leicester to don bloomers and join us in a bit of community activism in the spirit of the suffragettes. There will also be film screenings, including a showing of Pedalling to Freedom, a documentary film by Vijay S Jodha about a unique initiative in Puddukkottai, India, where the bicycle changed the lives of many women when it became a tool for empowerment, promoting literacy.
Everybody is welcome, so come and join us for a day of pedal power and the rallying cry of "on your bikes ladies – on your bikes!"