Keep or delete "Hot Chicks and Bikes" photos?

[Joe Chapline]

Forum members, your chance to weigh in.

[CCrew]

While I’m certainly an advocate for eye candy of the feminine kind, I think it flies in the face of what (i believe) the purpose of the forum is.

So while the testosterone in me says “more!!” the business side of me says it shouldn’t be. I sure couldn’t put that on my office wall without a visit from HR.

[Mark Blacknell]

Eh. So many conflicting values, here. 1) It’s just tacky. Seriously, if you’re going to do soft pr0n it, be clever. 2) Not a fan of active moderation. I much prefer to let the community sort it out organically. 3) Objectification can be fun! 4) but not really here. This just kind of made me feel embarrassed.

So, maybe we can just leave this poll up for a while and let the original poster take his cue from there? Also, if it stays up, look forward to additions of Tommeke, Pozzato, and – if it gets bad – Bob Roll.

[acc]

As a woman, I’ve dealt with this my entire life from the weight rooms I worked out in with my swim team when I was fifteen, to a stint in the Navy, law school, etc. I’ve learned to ignore it. I am not terribly offended by it but I my regard for the person posting the pictures would be diminished and I would remember.

ann

[Joe Chapline]

Don’t forget to vote!

[Joe Chapline]

@Mark Blacknell 1701 wrote:

I much prefer to let the community sort it out organically.

I see your point, but a problem is that “the community” of bicyclists at this point in time is mostly young men. My own interest in this forum is not so much to provide a clubhouse for the existing, small, cycling fraternity. But that’s just my opinion, I’m saying it as a participating member of the community.

[Mark Blacknell]

Joe, I’m with you on all points, there.* I want Bike Arlington to be an open and welcoming forum for *all*. The question (for me) is just how much editorial discretion needs to be exercised to achieve that. A healthy community needs a margin of acceptable dumb@ssery. But given a choice between a community that is more tightly controlled than I like and a more inclusive community, I’ll opt for the latter.

*Except, man, I bet the average age here is a lot higher than one might expect/hope. I blame Dirt.

[acc]

On the one hand, there are few things finer than a fit male cyclist in bib shorts. However, it doesn’t occur to me to post those sorts of pictures here. I trade those links with my girlfriends where we can be obnoxious without a male audience. I noticed most of the women in the photos wouldn’t know a paceline from a pantyline but I guess reality has nothing to do with it. But let the pictures stay, what is more important is the tone and thoughtfulness of of the other posts.

ann

[eminva]

Well, as you might have guessed from my name, I am a woman, too. I’ve only been on this forum a short time, but one thing I have appreciated is that the more experienced riders are so generous with advice and welcoming of newcomers to the sport. Many are quite funny and get their points across with gentle or self-deprecating humor. I do not mind the give and take or casual camaraderie that comes with that.

I notice more women on the bike trail and on the forum everyday. Also, I think, given its sponsorship and nature, the forum would be a good entry point for families seeking advice on recreational riding or even cycling more for chores and activities (now here’s a picture I would love to see on the photo subforum: a family running errands on their bikes, with the smallest tyke on the back of the cargo bike!). I would hate for anyone to be turned off because of a perception that the website was not friendly for all visitors.

Also, I think there are plenty of other places on the world wide web for pictures such as these.

As for whether the administrators should remove the post or we should let moral suasion carry the day, I don’t have strong feelings. Maybe we should all post more pictures of ourselves, “hot” or not, “chicks” or not, to fill up that subforum with more content congenial to all users.

Liz

[baiskeli]

Why not just post some Hot Guys and Bikes for equality? I’ll pose.

[Just161]

I’d say, just please keep them in a separate thread or sub-topic, so if I don’t want to see it I don’t have to. It doesn’t seem terribly relevant to this forum.

But clothes fashion while bicycling is a legit topic, especially for getting non-riders to ride. For a more tasteful (in my opinion) look at bikes and fashion, check out District Citizen Cycling, or Cycle Chic.

[Joe Chapline]

Thanks for the thoughtful discussion, everyone. I decided to remove the pictures. Having them here creates a hostile environment for women, and if my bosses at Arlington County knew about it, they would create a hostile environment for me. I don’t know if WABA or DDOT would feel differently about it — I haven’t seen comments from them one way or the other. If they decide to overrule me, I’m sure we can find more pictures.

[CCrew]

@Mark Blacknell 1705 wrote:

*Except, man, I bet the average age here is a lot higher than one might expect/hope. I blame Dirt.

Ruh Roh. I better start acting young, because I know I’m older than dirt

[Dirt]

@CCrew 1739 wrote:

Ruh Roh. I better start acting young, because I know I’m older than dirt

One of the nice things about this screen name is that making the comment “I’m as old as dirt” is 100% content-free for me. Not so sure about the rest of you though.

[Ian Brett Cooper]

I think the problem with the thread is the title rather than the content. If it had been called “Hot people and bikes” I don’t think there would have been an issue.

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