Girls don't cycle?? What's up with that?

[Himalaya]

As a mother of boys I have vaguely noticed that you don't see many teenage girls on bikes these days.

I cycled to my son's secondary school today to drop something off, and in the bike shed counted 40 definitely boy's bikes, 1 definitely girl's bike and 3 that could have been either.

Being able to get around on a bike gives an important measure of freedom and independence to teenagers IME (as a girl, and as a parent). It seems like just another important, fun, freedom-giving thing that girls are missing out on more than they used to.

Anyone got any idea why? What is preventing more girls cycling? Is it parents being more protective of girls/more willing to drive them places? Cycling (helmets?) having an image problem amongst girls?

I found it wasn't just harder for married women. When I left university I wanted to continue playing hockey, but the only casual women's or mixed team played on the one day I couldn't make. My male peers on the other hand had a wealth of kick-a-bout footie teams they could take up with, ones associated with work, pubs, churches and the local Labour club. Things are possibly a bit different now, but at the time I definitely would not have been welcome had I tried to join in. When I moved to London I went to Regents Park to see if they had any casual hockey teams, but it turns out they only did rugby, football and cricket there - none of which are sports that most of my female peers would have learnt growing up.

I know it's a bit chicken and egg - no women to participate, no facilities for women, no where for women to learn to participate, or for girls to see participation as normal, etc. It's particularly difficult with team sports because you need a larger critical mass just to get something small started.

I agree with Xenia that women tend to be busier than men once they marry and have kids. I don't write that off with a "more fool them" though. I think it's a public health issue that requires attention from civil society. But I think sport is dropped long before that and I still wonder - why?

Sorry Himalaya, cross posted with you trying to get back on track!

That is a good question about what girls value over the independence, but I do wonder whether it gives them the same independence. Would they go off anyway?

I think these are two different but linked subjects, too. I was discouraged by my family from roaming everywhere on my bike as it was vaguely considered unseemly and not safe. My discouragement with sport at school (bullying sports teachers, focus and prestige on 1 or 2 team sports and not on ways to enjoy fitness, strength and activity, sexual harrasment, all of it) was a.distinct experince to my parents essentially not wanting me 'out all hours with who knows who' : eg not free.to travel independently and possibly snog boys, or whatever.

@suchProspects - I think I agree with you: lack of take up of exercise in daily life (not just organised sport) is a public health issue.

I work in public health - I am trying to figure out a way of making it my issue!

Time, place and person, the foundations of epidemiology. Who participates, where and when, and what are the differences in who, where and when between those who do, and those who don't?

Somebody mentioned men's sport being prioritised and I'd like to give an example from my hockey club: Women's teams practice and play at a school pitch which is about to be replaced after 10 years, it's not bad but obviously the new one will be FAB and a more modern material which will not hurt so much when you fall over, etc...guess what?

The mens' teams (and men outnumber women in the club by over 2:1) are very keen to adopt the new pitch when it is ready, relegating the women to the pitch the men have been using.

LieIns - I mentioned it and that kind of thing makes me

(Millfield is about position 850 for A level results so not exactly top of the exam tables but they certainly like their sport. If we want girls to become leading surgeons etc we would not send them to schools like Millfield.)

Sport and class though is another interseting issue although not a gender issue. something like 50% of Olympians in the UK went to fee paying schools and 7% of children go there. So perhaps the best way to ensure your daughters are sporty is pick a career which will enable you as a woman to be able to fund school fees for them.

I really dislike this idea that being sporty means being elite. I really don't want my kids to be elite athletes. It's a narrow and often physically destructive path. I want my kids to enjoy a wide range of sports and develop their all round physical prowess to good levels, stay heathy and have fun.

Indeed. In fact we would be better if children and adults did more physical activity to get from A to B and in normal life than specific sports. It is the loss of walking and manual labour in modern life which is one reason people are so much less fit rather than the fact they may not be a member of a gym or running club.

In fact it used to be the poor who took more exercise because they couldn't afford cars and did not have enough food and now it is all reversed - the poor move much less and eat badly.

I read somewhere, sorry cannot remember the refferance that you need a couple of generations of being used to enough food, before eating habits change. Also that the first generation to be sufficiently nourished often just get fat, because of being malnourished before birth / in early childhood, whereas subsequent generations are taller. I wonder if this is in part to blame for the poverty/obesity link ?

I asked my husband who cycle commutes everyday and he reckons the split is 50/50.

...or you might be able to get a sporting scholarship at Millfield if you really think your child has Olympian potential, as they probably wouldn't manage to be both a leading surgeon and an olympic athlete anyway...I know some extremely wealthy and successful Millfieldians, by the way! Bloody hell, if I thought one of my dc had that potential and could get them in there for free I would jump at the chance!

My point was really that girls at co-ed schools can have as many opportunities as those at single-sex, if not more, because bigger schools may have access to better facilities, through economies of scale, also a wider selection of sports on offer for example girls' rugby at dd's school is coached by the boys' PE teacher. Not all schools offer rugby for girls. They also have an indoor swimming pool because of the size of the site.

"It is the loss of walking and manual labour in modern life which is one reason people are so much less fit rather than the fact they may not be a member of a gym or running club."

Absolutely agree. Fortunately, my post-modern life involves struggling with a 19th/early 20th century (pre-car) urban environment! Lots of walking...

It depends on the country. I don't think you will find those differences in countries like Holland, Sweden, Germany, ... My DD was highly amused when she was 10 and a friend's 14 year old daughter said she wouldn't run to catch a bus because it would make her look 'silly'. I'm abroad for a while and I agree with Himalaya. There is a difference. That was something I noticed too. It just seems the girls who have been pinkified are reluctant to do anything that involves moving fast. On the other hand, cycling isn't a big thing in the UK. I remember someone telling me that adult cyclists were a bit weird. I could hardly believe my ears. In Holland or Germany you would probably be considered weird or poorly educated if you or your kids didn't cycle.