Power To Pedal: A Gendered Analysis of the Barriers and Joys of Cycling in Oakland

Amidst increasing investments in cycling infrastructure in California, trends continue to demonstrate that women from low-income communities of color are underrepresented as cyclists. I argue that prevailing bicycle justice movements have neglected the intersectional needs of women from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities by centering the ‘white, lycra-clad male’ and his commute needs within organized bicycling advocacy. Further, contemporary bicycle planning does little to investigate the barriers and joys related to cycling, as they are experienced by these women. This article draws from nine in-depth interviews with women of color in Oakland, California, to identify the racial and gendered barriers that influence the decision to cycle and whether only the construction of cycling infrastructure is enough to overcome these social barriers. Findings suggest that the fear of traffic injuries, coupled with the perceived and actual risk of victimization, sexual harassment, and racial violence discourage women of color from cycling. The concerns are further exacerbated by systemic failures of the city, including housing unaffordability, increasing income inequality, and the politics of gentrification. This suggests that bicycling planning must address more complex social factors besides infrastructural ones, create more opportunities for women of color to be included in bicycle planning and advocacy spaces, and help destigmatize cycling by increasing the visibility of BIPOC women as cyclists. I conclude this article by offering suggestions for practitioners and policymakers that might help reduce social barriers to cycling for women of color.