Gender equality

[NicoBoshoff]

Sorry Wayne, let me clarify. I was not having a go at your event, I actually think its a great business idea. I was chirping about the irony in the initial motivation.

 

Your event makes sense, but only because of gender inequality.

Let me explain.

 

You seem to have gotten some big sponsors onboard, do you think they would have come on board if it was not for the USP of it being an "Exclusive to Women" type event I think not. The novelty of it being specific for a single gender is exactly why it will attract attention, and therefore sponsors. I know because I sponsor Woman of the Industry events in my business.

 

On the note of the inequality (not your event) which is a very real problem, what gets me sometimes is that we feel the need to force an equal playing field in areas it does not make logical sense instead of the economics and nature taking the natural course.

 

Forced correction that goes against logic is not always a good idea. I just look at my younger brother who got 9 distinctions in matric 2 years ago, and how other who have genetic factors counting in their favour have more doors opening for them.

 

It makes no logical sense, best man/woman for the job, best players get into the Boks, best looking models get most money... Most popular sports gets most funding....

 

Lets be realists about it. I am not about to give the guys in my office 6 months maternity leave, I am also not going to lobby for equal pay in the modelling world, or as that other chap said the naughty movie industry Various industries and sports are dominated by certain genders based on their genetic disposition, its a fact of reality not of some bigot.

 

Evolution shows that men are good at certain things and woman others. Capitalists will put their money where it will show the best returns. I doubt Calvin Klein will pay some fat dude millions to pose in his undies, or Victoria Secrets getting Rosie O'Donnell to walk down the runway. They get good looking people because that sells.

 

In our company, if a lady is more qualified and has more experience she WILL earn more than her male counterparts because she is more capable end of story. How well you can do your job is why we will hire you not because of BEE or gender equality political pressures.

 

So to conclude, ladies sport in general is not as popular as male sport and therefore the economics will lean in favour of male sport, is it unfortunate? Perhaps. Is it blatant discrimination? I'm not so sure.

 

Now I have to go, there is ladies beach volleyball on, much better than the mens version... oh wait.

Yeah, but then your incredibly reasoned and logical argument will just be shouted at with "WHAT ABOUT INSTITUTIONAL BIAS?!!!?"

[Wayne Potgieter]

Seriously not cool.  If you look at the PPA Heels on Wheels events, there's always a huge turnout from the ladies.

Yes, We had a few ladies that were interested.

 

I was prepared to personally fund all the prize monies etc.

 

BUT i needed help with Marketing the event.

 

All of our sponsors promised huge support with marketing (non financial) and we did not take a cent from anyone.

 

We just needed help.

 

When the time came...everyone had a million excuses and it never happened.

 

AGAIN  - I was not after any financial support...just assistance in marketing via whichever channels they choose.

 

Even our Charity benefactor couldnt even send out a bulk email advising ladies of the event.

 

And we were trying to raise money for them.

[NicoBoshoff]

Very disheartened to see 90% of references to ladies and bikes on The Hub being objectification/porn/slut poses with various bikes and components.

Sigh.

You're the one referring to them as sluts/sex objects.  They did so voluntarily.  They were brilliant athletes first before the pictures were taken and will be brilliant athletes after they collected the paycheck and you stopped your whinging about something that has absolutely nothing to do with you.

 

The problem with modern feminism / lefty claptrap groupthinkers is that you all assume you know best for everyone else.  As if no one has a flippin choice in this world and we're all victims of an invisible force.  I see completely independent, strong, beautiful women being shamed daily by other women purely because they decided they wanted to use their beautiful bodies in a way that they viewed as empowering.

 

Get a life.  Your own preferably.

[DIPSLICK]

chain guard you way out of line

[Disylizzy]

Yes, We had a few ladies that were interested.

 

I was prepared to personally fund all the prize monies etc.

 

BUT i needed help with Marketing the event.

 

All of our sponsors promised huge support with marketing (non financial) and we did not take a cent from anyone.

 

We just needed help.

 

When the time came...everyone had a million excuses and it never happened.

 

AGAIN  - I was not after any financial support...just assistance in marketing via whichever channels they choose.

 

Even our Charity benefactor couldnt even send out a bulk email advising ladies of the event.

 

And we were trying to raise money for them.

 

So basically what you're saying is that everyone wanted a piece of the pie from the promotions but they didn't want to contribute to getting the awareness out there?

 

Is it something that you might look at doing again in the future at all and do your own marketing?

[Joe Low]

I think women's sport is a different product to mens, and the men will be paid higher according to the market.

 

Wimbledon has equal prize money, which I dont think is justified - where you will see the true valuation is in the sponsorships, where the gulf is enormous.

 

#1 Roger Federer

On court: $9.3 million
Off court: $45 million

#3 Maria Sharapova

On court: $5.1 million
Off court: $22 million

 

[Warren_G]

So...my event has been canned.

 

Despite several LARGE corporates promising to come on board, no one did.

 

Strange...i thought it was a really great idea.

 

Maybe we should all do a "Ride in Drag" at big red barn in protest.

Thought it was a brilliant idea, poor form corporates!

[Warren_G]

You presume that viewership is anything but a reflection of interest,  Just as entertaining to you perhaps.  Numbers are amoral.

I do find the ladies racing just as entertaining however this probably only applies to the top 5 (Manon Carpenter, Rachel Atherton, Emaline Ragot, Tracey Hannah, Tahnee Seagrave)

[ChainGuard]

So basically what you're saying is that everyone wanted a piece of the pie from the promotions but they didn't want to contribute to getting the awareness out there?

 

Is it something that you might look at doing again in the future at all and do your own marketing?

Appreciate the efforts all. 

Interesting how my previous post aggravated so many folks. Not the intention. Having worked in cycling advocacy and exploring the great work being done in other countries, my observation is simply that SA has a way to go.

Here's a wonderfully written piece I encourage everyone who has posted on this thread to read. Its an honest account of a woman commuting in Cape Town.

http://www.thecultureist.com/2014/07/25/sex-city-girl-bike/

[Patchelicious]

Appreciate the efforts all. 

Interesting how my previous post aggravated so many folks. Not the intention. Having worked in cycling advocacy and exploring the great work being done in other countries, my observation is simply that SA has a way to go.

Here's a wonderfully written piece I encourage everyone who has posted on this thread to read. Its an honest account of a woman commuting in Cape Town.

http://www.thecultureist.com/2014/07/25/sex-city-girl-bike/

No sorry, its not interesting. It was expected, you knew your posts were going to get a reaction and now you are pretending that guys getting upset about your views is somehow validating your stance.

 

Most people on his thread have said that gender in-equality is a problem, so your link to an article that was written by somebody else is a poor attempt to deflect from from your posts here where you tried to point out "Hub sexism". Her unfortunate experience has nothing to do with you insinuating that 90% of the people on the hub objectify woman.

[ChainGuard]

You're the one referring to them as sluts/sex objects.  They did so voluntarily.  They were brilliant athletes first before the pictures were taken and will be brilliant athletes after they collected the paycheck and you stopped your whinging about something that has absolutely nothing to do with you.

 

The problem with modern feminism / lefty claptrap groupthinkers is that you all assume you know best for everyone else.  As if no one has a flippin choice in this world and we're all victims of an invisible force.  I see completely independent, strong, beautiful women being shamed daily by other women purely because they decided they wanted to use their beautiful bodies in a way that they viewed as empowering.

 

Get a life.  Your own preferably.

I appreciate your comments. We are assuming each other to be quite naive here. By all means enjoy imagery you assume to have been created in an equitable and fair way. If that is true then great.

Please read my previous post about how I believe it to be important that we help to normalise bicycle riding as way of ensuring women who are not empowered in the way you describe have better access to bicycles and the choice to ride.

Women simply have a very different experience in the city and when riding. Please be open to other experiences, including us lefty claptraps. Here is a honest account that will make for an interesting read.

I'll be posting an article shortly on my experiences as a woman shopping in bike stores. Might need to make some popcorn for that one, hahahah

#claptrap

[Escapee..]

Appreciate the efforts all. 

Interesting how my previous post aggravated so many folks. Not the intention. Having worked in cycling advocacy and exploring the great work being done in other countries, my observation is simply that SA has a way to go.

Here's a wonderfully written piece I encourage everyone who has posted on this thread to read. Its an honest account of a woman commuting in Cape Town.

http://www.thecultureist.com/2014/07/25/sex-city-girl-bike/

 

 

Appreciate the efforts all. 

Interesting how my previous post aggravated so many folks. Not the intention. Having worked in cycling advocacy and exploring the great work being done in other countries, my observation is simply that SA has a way to go.

Here's a wonderfully written piece I encourage everyone who has posted on this thread to read. Its an honest account of a woman commuting in Cape Town.

http://www.thecultureist.com/2014/07/25/sex-city-girl-bike/

 

http://replygif.net/i/1475.gif

[DIPSLICK]

Very disheartened to see 90% of references to ladies and bikes on The Hub being objectification/porn/slut poses with various bikes and components.

Sigh.

 

WHAT BLOWS MY MIND IS THIS HAS NOT BEEN REMOVED EDITED MODERATED YET 

 

YET SAYING SSHIIT IS A PROBLEM

 

COME NOW MODS

[DIPSLICK]

No sorry, its not interesting. It was expected, you knew your posts were going to get a reaction and now you are pretending that guys getting upset about your views is somehow validating your stance.

 

Most people on his thread have said that gender in-equality is a problem, so your link to an article that was written by somebody else is a poor attempt to deflect from from your posts here where you tried to point out "Hub sexism". Her unfortunate experience has nothing to do with you insinuating that 90% of the people on the hub objectify woman.

FUNNY HOW HUNTING FOR A REACTION GETS OVERLOOKED       

[Brickleberry]

I think it's a simple question of economics . If more woman watched sports in general it would lead to more viewership of female sports and attract bigger sponsors and therefor generate larger win purses. It's the same as 3rd div footballers don't earn near as much as a premier league players earns, it's not down to discrimination , it's simple economics. I personally enjoy watching the womans road racing and find it extremely competitive. But it obviously doesn't generate enough viewership for whatever reasons. Without trying to generalize most woman I know will watch a sport that they take part in but not much else other than the odd rugby game, while men will watch just about any sport available if it means not having to sit through an episode of Greys anatomy ????. And therefore generates a lot more viewership. Sponsors seek to market through those channels to reach the viewer on the other side, which just so happens to be a largely male audience. But with that said, I find woman's cycling to be an enjoyable experience from a viewer perspective.

[Brickleberry]

And in terms of the way woman are objectified in terms of looks, the same is done with male sportsmen. David Beckam can be seen in his undies on a billboard and get paid millions, but the female market will not give the same attention to John mackenroe doing the same pose, now would they?