As part of our Members’ Newsletter we give our readers the chance to ask us questions about what we do. Not all of them are quite so in depth as this, …

By stwhannah

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Why we (probably) won’t be making a themed women’s issue of Singletrack Magazine

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Interesting and I get it.

Maybe have an “outliers” (there’s probably a better name) section in each mag?

The trick to truly structural and cultural change is to have these articles by women in every issue, or on the website site every week. Unless your themed issue is a pathway to making that happen, I personally think it’s more of a publicity stunt than a game changer

^ this.
Please keep doing what you do, cover the breadth and depth of MTB and related stories, taking great pictures and making inspiring stories for all.

I think this is absolutely right, whether it’s a story of an up an coming female enduro rider or a group ride with mixed or two men on an epic….. it really doesn’t matter. It’s all bikes, just bikes and biking, keep up the great work team!

@cynic-al Outliers? I really don’t understand what you mean here. I decided I’m going to put my two bob in on this as an F.B.U. fairness at work/equal opportunities observer for many years. However, it’s a subject that is best discussed in daylight hours with a cup of tea and a slice of cake!

Yeah outliers not the best word. I just mean the type of stuff they might want to theme issues about.

I get that including articles by/for/about women in the mag is and should be the norm, and you know your market better, but I have no problem with the idea of an issue solely dedicated to women, to attract those who maybe wouldn’t normally look at the mag perhaps?

Just floating an alternative viewpoint. If you can’t afford to lose the neanderthal readership then fair enough. Women do amazing things across all aspects of cycling, if a one off issue gets them publicity and raises the profile and maybe reaches and inspires other women and girls, I’d back it happily.

The fact that you’re even having this conversation and being open with your thought processes is good to see.

The trick to truly structural and cultural change is to have these articles by women in every issue, or on the website site every week. Unless your themed issue is a pathway to making that happen, I personally think it’s more of a publicity stunt than a game changer

Yes, this. Making an issue (arf!) of something doesn’t help to normalise it, it just serves to make it more ‘other’ and gives idiots more reasons to be idiots. Be inclusive by not having exclusives (you can use that if you like!)

I agree with that and on your take Hannah.
As cyclists / people who ride bikes, we’re often a collection of outsiders in some way or other; which actually makes us all insiders really doesn’t it!?!

Just keep writing / doing good stuff….simples 😆

This subject of having a women only edition is quite interesting. I’ve always thought that STW magazine has been an outsider in the cycling magazine and cycle industry in the way that it appears inclusive to both genders.
However, I do think that the bike industry as a whole is dominated by white men and cycling as a leisure pursuit by white men with reasonable “disposable” income. The question is, how do we encourage more people from disadvantaged and different ethnicities to enjoy the freedom and fun that a bicycle can bring?
During the first lockdown I was inundated with people from disadvantaged backgrounds who needed their bicycles to get to work and avoid public transport. I got their bikes running and safe, often for nothing, pointed out training schemes and gave them the Chesterfield Cycle Campaign maps. The smiles on their faces were something to see, hopefully they’re still cycling! There are lots of schemes around the country that recycle bikes and distribute them but I’m not sure how far their “market penetration” goes. Sometimes magazines may put off prospective cyclists by giving too great an emphasis to the need to have the latest gear and spend most of your time doing jumps, I stopped reading most of them due to the macho nonsense – show us your injuries etc.
Which brings me to Issue 141. The articles about Hattie Harnden and the Minehead club can’t help but enthuse beginners, but in particular Pilgrim’s Regress, normal people on normal bikes – not a strap-on in sight!
Now, STW, how do you encourage more ethnicities into cycling?

it appears inclusive to both genders.

How many genders?

Both biological sexes better?!!

You tell me. I’ve not been..

 an F.B.U. fairness at work/equal opportunities observer for many years.

🙂

Retired in 2010 though, things have moved on, rapidly! I sense a rabbit hole coming along and lot’s of people diving down?

Shouldn’t it be ‘gender spectrum’?

Two genders is very 2010….

I guess the question you need to ask is why would you do it, what is the benefit, and i mean real benefit, not just the benefit being that you can do it.

Personally i find ST magazine articles, reviews, etc are pretty much for all, how many folk have read a article and thought ‘that’s men only stuff’, honestly, ask the question, what is the benefit and why do it if you’re contemplating it.

Theres no handbag section ?.
No wait, i meant er…er…manbag, NO.. thats not it. ummm er…. Bike pack. Yes thats it….plausible.

Theres no section on bike packs 😀

I think i’ve got away with that one … 😳

If gender-based inequality didn’t exist – you wouldn’t need a woman-focussed issue. Unfortunately it does, so:

themed issue is a pathway to making that happen,

Sounds a great idea to me. I’m just as interested in hearing about the exploits of women as men.

Hannah’s article convinced me to keep paying the subscription

on a practical level if you do a themed edition you risk the following edition having no theme content so it looks like the pendulum swinging backwards

A ‘the joy of fat bikes’ themed issue – I’m in!! But it better be twice as thick….

Ha. It tickles me that this is a “members feature”

Hur hur. Members.

I would buy a Ladies only issue. I might even argue that people who would be put off ST by a ladies issue are no great loss to the community.
But you do you. Its all good.

What a great article and approach. STW does seem to be a making strides both in the magazine, and to a lesser extend on the forum.

I do wonder if this sort of thing might be the marker of a society properly on the way to change. For me the watershed moment will be when ‘Woman’s Hour’ on R4 is rebranded or the content is disseminated into different programmes. Not that then content is not needed/wanted but it does not need the flag waving above it to say this is safe content made just for you little ladies, away from the ‘manly’ talk of complicated things about politics or numbers.

Well reasoned and articulate writing from Hannah, as ever.
From Jenn onwards I’ve always thought that STW was a very female friendly and inclusive mag and female content has been a cornerstone of it.