The Ovarian Psyco Cycles Brigade miiiiight be the best thing ever (well, besides Black Women Bike D.C., which we posted about earlier). The all-female group of bicyclists — primarily women of color — was formed to stick it to macho male biker groups. Writes the L.A. Times:
Like men’s bike crews, it defies L.A.’s monolithic car culture with an in-your-face ethic … The group says the name “is a play on words intended to be playful and simultaneously create some sort of acknowledgment/acceptance/pride in one’s historically oppressed body.”
KickstarterA Kickstarter-funded documentary is in the works.
Evelyn Martinez joined after her mom told her, “Bicycles are for men”:
Martinez isn’t the only one in the group who started riding at a later age because of parental apprehension. In many Latino families, women are considered fragile and must be protected.
“A lot of the times the women that have never had the privilege of riding a bike is because they don’t have the resources, or it’s the fear of physically falling, or no one was there to teach them or motivate them,” Martinez said.
KickstarterIt helps that they have the raddest sign ever.
Every month at the full moon, Ovarian Psyco Cycles Brigade does a neighborhood ride, usually with a progressive theme. (Their take on Critical Mass was “Clitoral Mass.” UGH WE LOVE THEM.) Although occasionally drivers cuss at them, the brigade gets local support too:
“Older women come up to me and tell me ‘Mija que bueno! Es muy bien ejercicio!’ (That’s so good my daughter! It’s really good exercise),” Martinez said …
“I wanted to be able to show other women on bikes that your weight, age or size doesn’t matter,” said the 21-year-old. Now her mother wants to learn to ride too.
Can we join?
