a skirt divided is a crappy fit

I bought a divided "skirt" online. The divided skirt is another favorite amongst those crazy female bike riders of the late 19th century. (No I have yet to buy the ever popular bloomers, per my lovely readers, as I am forgetting to take my measurements).

The divided skirt is not really a skirt but more like a jumper. I wish I still had the picture of it online. But "skirt" actually meant skirt with an ugly turtleneck upper half sewed tightly to the skirt. With a zipper that goes from the neck to the lower butt area.

This is what I call false advertisement.

All is not lost. As I embrace my sisters of centuries' past, I will cut off the ugly top half and hem the damn thing so it is actually a skirt and not a jumper that is too short for me (hi, long torso! what up.)

The divided skirt is way awesome though. Warm, awkward looking, and above all else--bike friendly!

i'll have one pair of emancipation pants, please

In midst of digging through articles written about women and bikes in the 1890s, there is a recurring theme of women and dress. People were not too keen on women ditching the skirt for pants, such as the always stylish bloomers. And feminists were shooting back talking all about freedom-through-pants. And many women even asked for hip pockets to be added to their bloomers for their revolvers. Kick ass. Fear of assault? Carry a gun. While biking. In bloomers.

screw you, stupid husband. i have a gun and bloomers.

Bloomers, in their 1890s construction, are actually hard to find now-a-days. But variations are available.

And my dumb ass went and searched "bloomers" on etsy. I mean, c'mon, they had me at "emancipation." Sure I am emancipated enough, but I want to wear my emancipation too! And my weird affinity with historically-significant clothing continues...

You see, when I was a restaurant manager I started collecting housewife aprons. It was an easy way to look dressed up without having to put much effort into my outfit. Most of which I found on etsy. My collection was well-known (even though I only have a handful), and one person even bought me an apron. And yeh, there is something to be said about a loud-mouthed feminist wearing a housewife apron. i think it's called "reappropriation." but i seriously didn't think too much about it.

Anyway now I am sitting here, avoiding my pile of New York Times articles from 1895 and trying to decide between these or these. All I need is some lace-up, worn-in brown boots and you got me an outfit. i guess i need a shirt too. i'll figure that out tomorrow.

Stupid research grant...

did they have Kool Aid back then, too?

I started my digs into the archives today. Which, in modern times, means scrolling through electronic archives and clicking "save" many times over.

One article today is being awarded:

"You Made Me Audibly Gasp To the Level that Other People in the Library May Have Thought I Was in Trouble"

“Road Race for Colored Cyclists,” New York Times, Aug. 5, 1895.

“A bicycle race for colored riders, with watermelons and chickens as prizes, is being arranged by Alexander Schwalbach of the Liberty Wheelmen of Brooklyn. There are many fast pedalers among the colored cycling instructors of Brooklyn and this city, and a good race is predicted if they line up for a start. The date for the contest, together with the conditions under which the race will be run, will be announced in the near future.”

Here, have another shot of Cringe before you click away in astonishment:

(random image i found searching for images of african american cyclists. btw this image is originally titled "cyclistchubbymodel")

ok so i ignored this for a hot minute. so sue me.

Hello! I almost forgot about this blog in midst of some exciting activist activities. But alas, I am back.

What have I been up to?

Great question. I have been refocusing my research efforts on a focus I have long wanted to explore: the history of women and bikes! You may ask, that history must already be written, no? In some ways, yes it is written. But it is written in bits and pieces here and there. Some snuggled within volumes of Susan B. Anthony’s papers, some in very specific articles such as advertising to female cyclists and the feminist rhetoric of bicycling in the 1890s. My goal is to find almost everything written about the history of women and bikes and turn it into a rather epic literature review.

How are you defining the history of women and bikes?

Wow, another great question. Right now I am most interested in the 1890s. I am interested in that specific decade because that is when bicycles became mass produced. Moral, medical, and patriarchal panic over women cyclists also became mass produced at that time. Simultaneously feminists such as Anthony and E. Cady Stanton started making some fierce comments about how awesome the bike was for women. Finally, a way to get out of those corsets and away from the confines of their stifling husbands. I love it. I am afraid not much is written about women and bikes after the 1890s, but that will be a fear I will conquer after looking at all the literature written in and about the 1890s.

What kind of literature are you looking at?

Who wrote these questions? They are so perfect for this blog post. Anyway, I am really excited about this long list of NY Times articles I mined in 19^th century databases on women and bikes. I also am looking at the work of actual women who rode bikes in the 1890s. I am thinking of privileging their voices rather than all the lit written by male doctors and advertisers that were jerks to women. Hell, even some women cyclists were weary of women taking up the bicycle, so we will for sure get a good sense of the attitudes around gendered cycling just from them. Although for some reason none of the women seem to be screaming over the threat of masturbation while cycling that so many doctors were freaking out over. So weird…It’s like they don’t mind the possibility of pleasure while riding. Oh, and for the record, most women I know complain about saddle sores before they ever even mention the pleasure a hard bike seat up against one’s crotch.

How are you going to organize your historical findings?

This question is not good. Who wrote this one? I cannot answer this. I am not sure yet. I have never done a historical piece before, so I really need some help organizing all my findings. That is what an advisor is for, thank goodness. And my advisor rocks. An unapologetic feminist. And vegan friendly! Who could ask for more?

Where do you expel such brilliance?

That’s better. I got myself a lil’ research carrel in the library that I hide away in. On Friday I worked feverishly for like three hours straight. So it is working out fine thus far. The librarians have been most helpful. I am still avoiding the microfilm area. We’ll get there.

That’s it for now. Come back soon and I’ll tell you all about the sexist newspaper articles I find!

P.S. I just got asked to review One Less Car. Score.

happy (belated) international sex workers day!

A very happy international sex workers day to all sex workers and their allies!

My research as of late has strayed from pornography and sex workers, but I also dip back in from time to time. Most recently I wrote an intensive analysis of "AfroDite Superstar," a black feminist porn that grapples with issues in the hip hop industry (such as black love and standards of beauty).

And today I read all about the 1890s moral panic over women masturbating with their bike seats! Now if only we could get paid for such performances.

But seriously, I fully support sex workers and believe their safety and rights should be protected just like every other hard working laborer! Especially considering the rapes, assaults, and murders that are a very real part of sex work. Protection not persecution!

careers bore me.

Hi.

Duh I forgot to link you all, my invisible readers, to my twitter account. how can i discuss my life on twitter and not let you in to it?

http://twitter.com/melodyisazombie

i made awesome cinnamon buns today and shared them with the workers of the coffee shop i live at. seriously, i may be here more than my own house. ask my roommate.

some crazy UK bike scholars want to maybe put my work in a frickin book based off a bike conference. i didn't get into the conference but they want to publish my paper. best conference rejection letter ever.

i am a velorutionary!

another day as an organizer and teacher

the secret word is: velorutionary

today i learned a new term in one less car: velorutionary (ahhhhhhhh!!!!!), otherwise known as a bike activist, or biketivist. academics certainly love to make up new words!

today has been busy with some unpaid jobs i hold. i met with a fellow teacher about guest lecturing on feminism and porn. we talked for over 2 hours about media literacy. we talked in depth about dreamworlds, a media literacy video about sex and dominance in popular media. although the premise is a bit problematic (leaving little agency in the viewer to determine reality from fantasy), it is a fantastic video to show (and enlighten!) undergrads and others uneducated about media literacy.

i have also been helping to craft criteria for assigning TA gigs in my department. i am grateful to have a boss who is so committed to ensuring proper working conditions for us grad workers.

i just finished editing a training document to assist my fellow workers in talking with RAs about job issues and concerns. the training is largely based on some organizing i helped with in madison last weekend. i spent last weekend with a network of grad worker unions. it was inspirational and educational. woo.

thus i have stayed busy and have done very little GRPP-appropriate work this week. but i am staying productive and energized.

this blog is very "perzine"-esque. it should shift to a more academic angle soon.