I don't know what happened with this specific individual to warrent them being asked to leave...but in response to the previous messages...

I must admit...what are your reasons for joining a / volunteering at a bicycle collective if it weren't to help underrepresented and/or oppressed individuals/groups? If your reasons are anything other than that maybe you are there for the wrong reasons...I don't think that is a poor assumption... (I also realize that people volunteer at collectives to learn mechanic skills for themselves so they can work on their own bikes...I don't think those people are attending B!B! and if they are I'd think someone from that collective would explain what this gathering is for/about)?..

I mean if you are attending bike!bike! but you're not looking to learn anything to bring back with you to share with your community there is some wrong- which means you're aware that the point of B!B! is to bring back knowledge to help  people within your community back home...

I hope that makes sense...

Pertaining to the "go to the end of the line" -To quote a volunteer whom I was explaining why we were going to be having a monthly night for TFW/lgbtq+ folks and it not being exclusive and I took a deep breathe after he asked "but I just don't understand why I can't be there since they are allowed to come here any time we're open"...oh calm down.

I agree with Ainsley on this matter,
--->"Treating everyone the same" is not a way to change our systems of oppression. 

Judith



Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 16, 2019, at 12:12 PM, Jason Moore <moorepants@gmail.com> wrote:

 > Anyone attending Bike!Bike! should have a fair understanding of anti-oppression and ways that our community works to fight inequality.

But isn't this a poor assumption? I'm sure that many people have had or have a less-than-fair understanding of anti-oppression but still want to attend Bike!Bike! to hopefully improve that understanding (among other things).

Jason

On Wed, Oct 16, 2019 at 7:58 AM Ainsley Naylor <needleandthread@gmail.com> wrote:
Announcements were made that food would be served to women, trans, and gender non-binary folks first, as is the rule for the group who were providing the food during Bike!Bike! 2019. They had forgotten to announce this on the first day of the conference. It would have been helpful if guidelines like these (any specific guidelines related to the spaces we were using in Tijuana) could have been communicated via email, the website, or the B!B! handbook for attendees.

Anyone attending Bike!Bike! should have a fair understanding of anti-oppression and ways that our community works to fight inequality. "Treating everyone the same" is not a way to change our systems of oppression. Creating greater access or exclusive access (like Women & Trans hours at our bike projects) is one step that can be taken to be inclusive and equitable.

There's lots of great writing available online and in your libraries if you are rolling your eyes at offences such as being put at the back of the lunch line while considering yourself to be an ally.

Ainsley (Toronto)

On Wed, Oct 16, 2019 at 3:54 AM Gordon Hamachi <gordon.hamachi@gmail.com> wrote:
It troubles me that anyone was kicked out of Bike! Bike!  I hope that we can get an official explanation from the organizers, explaining their reasoning, because the story as told reveals nothing that would warrant banishment. 

I myself have the dubious distinction of being kicked out of one Bike! Bike! 2019 session with the reason given that it was for women only. Evidently this was for cis women only, as nobody bothered to have a conversation with me about my gender identity. I also feel that if women want to improve the world they need to be willing to raise the consciousness of all through education. 

Since I am venting, a relatively minor third thing along these lines that bothers me was when I was standing near the front of a newly-opened lunch line, when some woman loudly declared that all of the men were to go to the back. I get that gender discrimination is hurtful to those who may have experienced It, but what sense does it make to impose the same hurt in return, upon different people who are innocent of offense?  The men in line obediently went to the back of the line, many with eye rolls, thinking that these women were ill-mannered or unable to fairly queue up and take their turn. 

In the future, I would like everyone to treat everyone else with more courtesy and respect, without regard for gender, race, or former occupation. 

—Gordon Hamachi

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