"Granny gear" and sexism

[Blue Hills]

It's neither of those things, unless you're looking for a way to be offended.

Folk looking to be offended is I fear an all too common thing these days smokin joe.

It's the new bullying.

While the important issues in society are resolutely ignored.

Fresh air and more cycling, in whatever gear, can help with some necessary perspective.

all the best from me and my 22T

 

[Ian H]

It is a derogatory term, but it has been adopted by those against whom it was used.

I think we should call it a MAMIL gear.

MAMILs seem mostly to be exactly the kind who use the term sneeringly (whilst riding compact chainsets and dinner-plate cogs).

It's always good to pause and consider the language we use, though (perhaps it's my age) I don't think this is terribly pernicious.

 

[slowmotion]

It's not as simple as "denigrates women". Using low gears is actually a very sensible thing for most people to do. There are complex layers to do with the unstated implicit assumptions that (a) cycling is supposed to be macho and hard, not easy, and (b) therefore not suitable for women.

Sorry, that's just crap.

 

[Tin Pot]

Is the term actually sexist?

There’s a massive assumption that Granny refers to Grandmother, rather than Grandfather.

Ageist, fair enough.

And so we move to gender stereotyping.

 

[Tin Pot]

MAMILs seem mostly to be exactly the kind who use the term sneeringly (whilst riding compact chainsets and dinner-plate cogs).
.

More stereotyping...

 

[screenman]

It is a derogatory term, but it has been adopted by those against whom it was used.



MAMILs seem mostly to be exactly the kind who use the term sneeringly (whilst riding compact chainsets and dinner-plate cogs).

It's always good to pause and consider the language we use, though (perhaps it's my age) I don't think this is terribly pernicious.

You seem to have a low opinion of cyclist like me who wear lycra on every ride.

I wonder if dogs are offended by the term dog eared.

 

[Tin Pot]

Using low gears is actually a very sensible thing for most people to do.

SHHHHHHHHH!

Let them have their power plays and daft terms about staying on the big ring while burning all their matches, we can cruise by later.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I get the gist of the argument here, but two of the most vehement cycling feminist I know also refer to using their lowest gear as ‘deploying Grandma’.
I guess they were also wrong. Maybe there are shades of wrong depending in who uses it. If not I shall take them to task next time I ride with them....

 

[Wixsteman]

I had never heard that term before joining the forum. I don’t like it, so I won’t use it. Not because I think it’s offensive or sexist just a bit silly.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I was just trying to demonstrate that Intention is everything.

So when some theoretical inventor of the term in the past decided to use a word strongly associated with gender and age to describe what could have been a technical or a descriptive term (like pretty much the whole of the rest of the bike), a term which caught on, what do you think that theoretical inventor may have intended? It's a distinctly unneutral term. Why do you think it caught on?

Could it be that it fitted smoothly into a set of commonly understood background assumptions, assumptions which may be just a tad outdated and unnecessary?

 

[Serge]

It's not as simple as "denigrates women". Using low gears is actually a very sensible thing for most people to do. There are complex layers to do with the unstated implicit assumptions that (a) cycling is supposed to be macho and hard, not easy, and (b) therefore not suitable for women.

I agree entirely.

The term itself is explicitly derogatory, that is the purpose of using it: "you are not capable of climbing that hill in anything other than the lowest gear available therefore you are a lesser person than me. You are an old woman."

Just because it has become a regularly used term in the cycling community does not make it acceptable. I'm sure we can all think of terms to describe ethnic minorities in the 1950's and 1960's that would rightly cause absolute outrage if they were used on this site today.

Shall we all just follow the Zeitgeist like every generation before us?

 

[Tin Pot]

I entered the water at Ironman UK with a woman beside me old enough to be a granny, I didn’t ask about her progeny but I did wish her a good race as I did all those around me. I’m an okay swimmer as it happens, and the event photos show her leaving the water still on my shoulder.

I attended the awards ceremony after the race had finished.

She qualified in her age group for the 70.3 World Championship at Chattanooga....and qualified for Kona.

 

[Slick]

I entered the water at Ironman UK with a woman beside me old enough to be a granny, I didn’t ask about her progeny but I did wish her a good race as I did all those around me. I’m an okay swimmer as it happens, and the event photos show her leaving the water still on my shoulder.

I attended the awards ceremony after the race had finished.

She qualified in her age group for the 70.3 World Championship at Chattanooga....and qualified for Kona.

Why were you surprised?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

MAMIL now there is an ageist sexist derogatory term that should be banned.

 

[slowmotion]

It is a term that many of us find ourselves using, sure, but I think it is interesting to reflect on where it comes from, which is the idea that old women somehow embody weakness. It is certainly grounded in a bit of an insult, in the same way that referring to someone as 'Grandad' implies that he is feeble and past it. I don't think the word alone is worth a huge fuss, but then again I do notice how defensive certain types of people instantly become when asked to even think about the general idea of sexism/ageism in their everyday language.