Thursday, December 05, 2013

I Never Thought About This…

…Being harassed while riding a bike, yes I can understand being harassed while riding, but LGBT being harassed more? I came story and I wonder just how much is it a problem for LGBT people.
How should bicyclists handle harassment? D.C. area groups teach empowerment tactics.
Washington Post
By Lauren McEwen and Michael Livingston II,
November 29, 2013

Bicyclists face numerous dangers as they struggle to share already congested roads with drivers. In the United States, a cyclist is killed every 12.6 hours.

But for gay men, women and transgender bikers, the dangers can be compounded by harassment and the threat of assault.
[…]
Workshop participants were asked in an online survey about their experiences with street harassment and public transportation. “The most frequent type of street harassment seems to be having someone from a car or sidewalk shout rude and disrespectful things at you,” whether the victim’s on a bike or a pedestrian, one person said. A CASS [Collective Action for Safe Spaces] study in May found that 90 percent of women and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community had experienced some form of harassment while biking.
Is it really more of a problem for LGBT bikers or is it the same for non-LGBT riders? I know when I used to ride a bike, which was before I transitioned, I had beer bottles thrown at me and curses shouted at me. But I don’t understand why LGBT are more likely to be harassed. I can understand that we would be more susceptible to physical attacks if we are identified as LGBT but how can they tell by just driving by us in car?

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