Pedalling toward empowerment
Community bike labs offer safer spaces to practice repair skills
Women, queer and non-binary people can find empowerment and self-sufficiency through learning and practising bicycle mechanics. Local community bike labs have identified the need for programs that create safer spaces for groups of people who may feel intimidated or uncomfortable in what is typically a crowded, hectic, masculine-dominated environment.
Three programs in Winnipeg are working to remove cultural barriers that often prevent people from learning bike mechanics.
The Bike Dump runs Women and Queer Night on Mondays. The program is meant to encourage community and leadership for ladies and queer folk who are not used to taking on such roles.
The UWSA Bike Lab runs a similar program, called Fab Lab. The newest of these programs - Mellow Vélo, a program headed by The WRENCH - starts on March 12.
“Mellow Vélo is for people who feel marginalized, intimidated and/or unsafe in macho, male-dominated spaces. This can include women, trans*, non-binary and two-spirit people. We believe bicycles are inextricably linked with empowerment and freedom and that gaining knowledge of bicycle repair can have an immensely positive impact on one’s life and sense of self,” Sarah Thiessen, volunteer coordinator and youth program instructor, says.
With spring fast approaching and riding weather nearly upon us, if you have been thinking about trying bike mechanics but have been uncomfortable about the male-oriented, crowded, hectic atmosphere, perhaps it is time to try one of the three more accessible, non-judgmental bike programs out there.
The Bike Dump
Women and queer-identifying only
631 Main St.
(Back of the Red Road Lodge)
Monday 6 to 9 p.m.
(Closed on holidays/long weekends)
bike-dump.ca
UWSA Bike Lab
Fab Lab
515 Portage Ave.
Tuesday 12 to 4 p.m.
FAB Lab is dedicated open shop hours for women, trans and non-binary people.
theuwsa.ca/uwsa-bike-lab/
The WRENCH
Mellow Vélo
1057 Logan Ave.
Starting March 12
Sundays 2 to 5 p.m.
For women, trans* and femme people
thewrench.ca
Published in Volume 71, Number 23 of The Uniter (March 9, 2017)