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Picture this; I’m online shopping and if I add a few more great British pounds to my basket, I can get free delivery. It’s actually an order I’m placing for my mum and she tells me to spend the extra.
I figure I could always do with another coffee cup, right?! So I peruse the website and see a cycling one. Now, it’s not terrible, but… it could be better.
When it arrived I was surprised any of the characters were actually women to be honest, but it was no surprise at all that none of them were women of colour or represented different body types or different ways to cycle.
So I fixed the problem I encountered.
Meet The Characters
I commissioned some artwork – thanks to the amazing Tegan Phillips who created exactly what I wanted – and I made my own mugs. Featuring women of colour, in various bodies, riding different bikes but all living their best life.
I’m claiming this character (in the yellow box) as the one that resonates the most with me. I do love my Liv road bike (and my cyclocross bike) and love me some lycra and a cute cap too. Follow along on Instagram to meet some more of the characters.
It’s Not Just A Mug
Now, if you think this is just a mug, you’re wrong.
To quote a quote from the book Period Power “White womens experiences are presumed to speak for and represent all women’s experiences. They do not. For years, Black women have been told to put aside their race and focus on gender. This is the agenda of white women so that their issues are the ones heard, and once again Black women are erased” – Mars Lord.
So this mug isn’t, just a mug. They’re me making the tiniest attempt to reverse the erasure of Black womens (and other marginalised groups) experiences, especially when it comes to cycling. To be honest, for some women of colour, it might even be the creation of possibility of them adventuring on two wheels.
When it comes to cycling, I’ve always questioned anyone who says they advocate for womens cycling… as in, do you advocate just for those who look like you… or are you all in, and advocating for all the intersectionalities that sit alongside gender?
Where To Get Your Women of Colour Cycling Mug
You might have to be quick as I only ordered a small batch and more than half of them have been sold already. You can pick up a pink and white version, or all white version from my Ko-Fi shop here.
I spent ages trying to source the best way to produce them – drop shipping was too risky with the quality and the price so I opted to purchase them all myself and then make my money back selling them. I’m only actually able to do this thanks to a grant I received last year to support Female Black owned businesses that struggled due to the pandemic.
More Cycling Stuff On The Blog:
I hope it would go without saying, but I want to be clear; you don’t need to look like me or any of the characters on these mugs to buy one.
I literally can’t wait to see all the mugs out in the wild – I hope they bring a smile to the faces of whoever gets to sip their tea / coffee from one and whoever just spots one and notices how unique they are!
Even if you’re unable to purchase a women of colour cycling mug right now, please do comment and share. Support comes in many different forms and it’s always appreciated!
What do you think of the design?! What other merchandise would you love to see these characters on?!
Elle
