Toward Feminist Geographies of Cycling
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Toward Feminist Geographies of Cycling by Lea Ravensbergen-Hodgins A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Geography, Department of Geography and Planning University of Toronto © Copyright by Lea Ravensbergen-Hodgins 2020 Toward Feminist Geographies of Cycling Lea Ravensbergen-Hodgins Doctor of Philosophy Geography, Department of Geography and Planning 2020 Abstract Transport cycling uptake is on the rise in many cities; in Toronto, Canada, cycling is the fastest growing mode of transportation. In many of these cities there is evidence that cycling participation rates are not distributed equally across the population. Notably, a gender-gap in cycling has been observed in many cities with low cycling rates, including Toronto, whereby approximately two thirds of commuter cyclists identify as men and one third identify as women. This thesis is concerned with gender and cycling. Drawing from perspectives from feminist geography, this research examines how the embodied experience of cycling shapes, and how is it shaped by, intersecting axes of identity. A critical literature review of articles concerned with gender and cycling finds that two hypotheses are commonly explored to explain the gender-gap in cycling: (1) that women cycle less than men due to greater concerns over safety and (2) due to their tendency to complete more household-serving travel, a type of travel said to be more challenging to do by bike because it often involves carrying goods and/or children. The social factors underpinning these trends, as well as the ways in which other axes of identity intersect with gender to shape cycling behaviours is lacking from the current literature. This research aims to address this research gap by providing a feminist geography of cycling. To do so, a research project was completed in collaboration with Bike Host, a cycling mentorship program targeting immigrants and refugees in Toronto, Canada. Amongst other research activities, semi-structured interviews were completed with participants to explore the embodied experience of cycling. Key results from this study are ii presented in three chapters. The first examines the gendered and classed embodied practices that shape and are shaped by cycling. Then, the social, temporal, and spatial dimensions of many different types of fear of cycling are explored. Finally, the ways in which participants used bicycles to complete household-serving travel, a gendered mobility, are reported. Taken together, this dissertation demonstrates the role patriarchal and classist power relations play in shaping who cycles. iii Acknowledgments This dissertation would not have been possible without the support, inspiration, and encouragement of others. Firstly, I would like to thank my supervisor, Ron Buliung. Over the past six years, Ron has shown an unwavering support for my work, both for my MA and my PhD. Thank you, Ron, for the countless rounds of feedback on my chapters, articles, and awards applications, and for the many stimulating conversations about transport, gender, and equity over the years. I am also grateful to my PhD committee members Nicole Laliberté and Paul Hess. Nicole, thank you instilling confidence in me to do a qualitative and critical research project, and for pushing me to be a committed teacher and a better rock climber. Paul, thank you for all of your support and feedback, your comments on my PhD proposal were particularly helpful in shaping this project. I would also like to thank my external examiners, Dr. Sarah Wakefield and Dr. Susan Handy. I greatly appreciated their feedback during my final oral exam and their encouragement to continue doing research on equity and cycling. Financial support for this research was provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Ontario Graduate Scholarship, the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science & Technology, the Joseph A. May Scholarship, the RBC Scholarship, and the University of Toronto Doctoral Completion Award. I would also like to thank the UTM Graduate Expansion Fund for conference and research support throughout my graduate studies. This project would not been possible without my research participants. They were all new to Canada and only settling into their new lives in Toronto, and yet they made time in their busy lives to meet with me. I truly enjoyed getting to know them and hearing their stories. I would also like to thank everyone involved in the Bike Host program, particularly Kristin and Rubeen, for supporting this project. This project would not have been possible without support from my colleagues. A special thank you goes to members of my cohort, the Geography and Planning Writing Group, my accountability group, and all Writing Workshop members. Valentina, Emily, Roxana, Jennifer, Ewa, Naomi, Trudy, Asya, Nickie, and Leah: thank you for all of the support. I am grateful for all my supportive iv friends outside the department as well, Joel, Rachel P., and Paulina. I would like to thank Rachel Harris in particular for helping me celebrate the end of my comprehensive exams. A few professors not directly involved in this project were exceptional mentors. Steve Farber, Amrita Daniere, Charles Levkoe, and Kathi Wilson, thank you for guiding me. A special thank you goes to Nancy Ross who encouraged me to pursue graduate studies. To my parents, Frances and Glenn, thank you for being such incredible sources of support and love. Mom, thank you for all the bike rides over the years; Dad, thanks for all the tune-ups. You two made my defense celebration extra special and memorable. I am also grateful to my grandmother, my Oma, for bringing her love of cycling to Canada with her, and for passing it on to her children and grandchildren. To my siblings and siblings-in-law, Freya, Ché, Aiden, Clinton and Valérie, thank you for the support and encouragement. Freya & Ché, thank you for teaching me to ride a bike all those years ago (and thanks mom for encouraging them to do so!). Freya and Clinton, my time in Toronto would not have been the same without you. Thank you for the friendship, the family meals, the board game nights, and the beers around your kitchen table. I already miss living across the street from you. Ché and Valérie, your generous loan of a car for the summer of 2016 made my comprehensive exam experience one of a kind – it was such a treat to do nothing but read, camp, and hike for a summer. And to my nieces Aria, Nora, and Nell, thank you for reminding me of all the wonders in the world. I can’t wait to teach you all to ride! Finally, thank you to my biggest supporter Shane. You have been a defining part of my graduate school experience. Thank you for everything. v Table of Contents Acknowledgments.......................................................................................................................... iv Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... vi List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. ix List of Figures ..................................................................................................................................x List of Appendices ......................................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1: Introduction Taking Gender ‘For Granted’ in Cycling Research ..................................1 1.1 Theoretical Perspectives ......................................................................................................7 1.2 Research Design Overview ................................................................................................11 1.3 Chapter Synopsis ...............................................................................................................12 Vignette 1: Historical cycles ..........................................................................................................17 Chapter 2: Literature Review .........................................................................................................20 2.1 Review Process ...................................................................................................................21 2.2 Results .................................................................................................................................23 2.2.1 Concern Over Safety .................................................................................................24 2.2.2 Trip Characteristics ...................................................................................................25 2.3 Discussion ...........................................................................................................................26 2.4 Ways Forward .....................................................................................................................28 2.4.1 Performativity, Intersectionality, and Embodiment ..................................................28 2.5 Conclusion ..........................................................................................................................32 Chapter 3: Methodology ................................................................................................................36 3.1 Research Context ................................................................................................................37