ENJOYING THE RIDE - QUEER BIKE RIDES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF QUEER SPORT SPACES
By Leo Fröhlich (they/them)
identity, I did something I thought was normality. I cycled to the bus station, to school and to the grocery shop, to the lake on a sunny afternoon, and, starting in my teens, even just for fun. What I did not think was that I would ever consider cycling my favourite form of cardio, share that passion with a good few other queerios and end up in an LGBTQIA+ cycling group, QBR (Queer Bike Rides)! I decided to join QBR for their tour of Cork’s LGBTQIA+ history that they had organised in collaboration with Cork LGBT Archive. That way, I knew there would be others who were not part of the core group of QBR yet but soon would be, as time would tell. At QBR, we go on bike rides for cyclists of all levels. We are not one of those cycling clubs that you might see on the weekend cycling on big roads with enormous speed. Imagine yourself on a leisurely walk with a friend to get coffee or lunch – that is what we are, just on bikes. There are multiple rides every month catering to different skill levels. Especially for shorter rides, a TFI bike is perfect to try it out, to check out the vibe or before committing to buying a bike. In addition to that, we also take care not to go on the road and stick to the Greenways on our beginner rides, making it safe for everyone to join. One of them will be our Pride Week ride, so feel free to check that one out on our socials. We have plenty of equipment and newcomers can borrow a helmet if need be, just let us know! We also do not leave anyone behind, a policy I appreciate a lot. We adjust our pace to however slow is needed and – most importantly – nobody is angry or judgemental towards others. All of this makes QBR a lovely way to move and get some fresh air with friends.
Through QBR, the only queer cycling club in Ireland (so far), I learned to be more compassionate towards others and myself. I learned that I am worthy of taking care of myself without force. I learned that queer people can shape the world of sports in a way that accommodates our needs and fuels joy in being ourselves. Especially in times like these when trans bodies are more politicised than ever, queer sports clubs can offer a much-needed safe haven for us. A space where we are recognised for who we are, where we help each other (in times of flat tires) and where we can take pride in ourselves and our sport. Cycling is not necessarily a team sport, but being a member of QBR certainly feels like being part of a team. To everyone doubting themselves, thinking that they are not good enough to join a sports club: you are! You deserve to feel the wind in your hair and be moving in brilliant company! Grab a friend or come alone, hop on a bike with QBR and just enjoy the ride.
I am 14 years old, and my Olympic handball team is playing a match. Against whom, I cannot remember. I am in the changing rooms, on the girls’ team, choosing a jersey from our communal jersey bag. As always, the only jersey that would have been my size goes to the girl who was tall so that she would not play in a crop-style shirt. I do not fit. Not into the other jersey nor onto a girls’ team. As a child, my body type was never seen as athletic. Nobody ever believed I could be sporty in any way, be it the kids at school forming teams in PE or coaches of the many sports I have made my way through: gymnastics, then ballet, track and field, swimming, horseback riding, badminton, Olympic handball. I tried and tried, but I was never even good enough to be a beginner; I was worse. What escaped me all these years is that, actually, I was not bad, I was framed as being bad, pushed into a spiral of shame. Being a non-binary person contributed to these feelings even more. In my first PE lesson of secondary school, the girls asked me if I was a boy because of my short hair and my clothing style. They asked why I was in their changing rooms. I could not put my experiences into words back then; still, I knew I was feeling uncomfortable. Through all the years of looking for my niche in sports, of looking for a space I could fit into with all aspects of my
SOCIALS
QBR Instagram: @qbrcork
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