There are many reason why the invention of the bicycle changed women’s lives, contributing to the individualistic thought that brought forth waves of feminism. Susan B. Anthony wrote, “That which made me succeed with the bicycle was precisely what had gained me a measure of success in life”; in The life and work of Susan B. Anthony: including public addresses, her own letters and many from her contemporaries during fifty years. A story of the evolution of the status of woman, she equates her journey through learning to ride the bicycle to her persistence in reform movements, and commends learning bicycle riding to increase wellbeing. The invention and acceptance as a women’s activity of the bicycle marks a turn towards the waves of continued
…show more content…
As stated by Garvey, “antibicyclers claimed that riding would ruin women’s sexual health by promoting masturbation and would compromise gender definition as well” (66). The sexualization of women might have prevented, or delayed, women’s liberation. Sexualization of women’s clothing was also dangerous to health, as stated by Riegel “Tightly corseted waists re-arranged the vital organs, encouraging the frequent and well-advertised feminine ill health. Tight garters interrupted the circulation in the legs” (pg. 390). These health conditions frequently resulted in not having healthy children and other health problems such as pneumonia. In addition to having tight clothes, women would frequently have heavy coats, as well as hoops under their dresses during the civil war, that would impose more health risks and injury to themselves or even people around them. After the invention and adaptation of the bicycle, it required different riding clothes. When riding, women would tend to wear the more comfortable clothes throughout the day, leading to less discomfort and less health problems. Even though the tight, over sexualized clothes were going out of style, the woman’s body was still sexualized and it was limited in what women could wear in order to not stimulate male sexual arousal. The publication by Christie-Robin, Orzada, and Lopez-Gydosh feature an ordinary scenario by today’s standards, illustrating that women didn’t have total freedom over proper cycling dress in the beginning age of the “wheelwomen” (pg.
As stated by Garvey, “antibicyclers claimed that riding would ruin women’s sexual health by promoting masturbation and would compromise gender definition as well” (66). The sexualization of women might have prevented, or delayed, women’s liberation. Sexualization of women’s clothing was also dangerous to health, as stated by Riegel “Tightly corseted waists re-arranged the vital organs, encouraging the frequent and well-advertised feminine ill health. Tight garters interrupted the circulation in the legs” (pg. 390). These health conditions frequently resulted in not having healthy children and other health problems such as pneumonia. In addition to having tight clothes, women would frequently have heavy coats, as well as hoops under their dresses during the civil war, that would impose more health risks and injury to themselves or even people around them. After the invention and adaptation of the bicycle, it required different riding clothes. When riding, women would tend to wear the more comfortable clothes throughout the day, leading to less discomfort and less health problems. Even though the tight, over sexualized clothes were going out of style, the woman’s body was still sexualized and it was limited in what women could wear in order to not stimulate male sexual arousal. The publication by Christie-Robin, Orzada, and Lopez-Gydosh feature an ordinary scenario by today’s standards, illustrating that women didn’t have total freedom over proper cycling dress in the beginning age of the “wheelwomen” (pg.