Neighborhood
Bike Works has Bike Church, it is a time when adults can come in and
use the tools available to make repairs on their bikes. These open
shops are staffed by volunteers who provide guidance to anyone who
wants to learn how to make a specific repair. In 2004 NBW designated
Wednesday nights for women and the transgendered to create a safe
environment to where they can learn bike repair and not have to worry
about dodging unintentionally offensive
interruptions from other people.
I
was somewhat appalled and confused by the recent appeal for volunteers from Carol Borek, Outreach Coordinator
for Neighborhood Bike Works. For NBW's open shop night on Wednesday
for women and the transgendered, because of the criteria. The
criteria for volunteers is you must be a woman or transgendered.
As
someone who uses Bike Church I won't deny that their have been
occasional questionable behavior on the part of a
few attendees. But more often what I have seen is several gifted male volunteers patiently guide inexperienced men and women through a bicycle repair and help them master that particular skill. To imply that male volunteers cannot assist
on Wednesday night because of their gender, sexual orientation or the potential for transphobia and misogynistic behavior is insulting. How hard would it be to ask select volunteers to help on Wednesday night? Who would best meet the needs of Neighborhood Bike Works, the attendees and their individual concerns, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
If
Neighborhood Bike Works wants to create a safe environment that is
free of misogyny
and transphobia. Then Carol Borek needs to intentionally uphold
values of nondiscrimination when it comes to volunteers for Wednesday
night. Not just the ones who fit a specific gender, sexual
orientation, or agenda.
* I mean trans to include all gender identities beyond cisgender, i.e. transgender, genderqueer, nonbinary, genderfluid, and so on.
