When we talk about community, we often think about the people who show up at the table, but what about those who are left out? Whose absence goes unnoticed? Whose stories aren’t being told?

I’ve been a part of the cycling community for a while now, and I’ve often wondered if I’m truly part of it. Am I? If we’re not talking about those on the margins, then we’re not truly talking about community. Community isn’t just about who shows up, it’s about who feels welcome, who’s invited, and who’s made visible.

1. Whose voices are being centered?
2. Who’s being tolerated, rather than truly included?
3. Who’s being ignored?

As I reflect on this, I’m reminded of a phrase: “silence is violence.” But is it really? Or is it just a way to shift the focus away from the real issue at hand? I think it’s the latter.

“I, too, am part of the cycling community. Or am I?”

Whenever I attend a gathering, whether it’s a meeting, an event, or a casual group ride, I take a moment to look around. Then, I ask myself: Who’s missing? Whose absence goes unnoticed? Whose stories aren’t being told? Sometimes, I’ll see a group of people with similar interests, but it’s not until someone mentions the lack of diversity that I realize I’m not part of a true community. It’s not until someone points out the absence of certain individuals that I understand the true nature of the group.

Community isn’t just about the people who show up, it’s about who feels welcome, who’s invited, and who’s made visible.

Just when I think I’ve found a group that truly values diversity, I’m confronted with the reality that there are still people who are being left behind. The cycling community, like many others, has a long way to go in terms of inclusivity. Unless we’re intentional about inclusion, then we are by default participating in exclusion.

But what does it mean to be intentional about inclusion? It means being aware of the absence of certain individuals and making an effort to make them feel welcome. It means creating a space where everyone can share their stories and have their voices heard. Unless we’re intentional about inclusion, then we are by default participating in exclusion.

It’s about who has a voice and who’s being centered, not just tolerated.

The problem with identity politics is that it creates a false narrative about what it means to be part of a community. It implies that everyone fits into a specific category, and that anyone who doesn’t fit into that category is somehow less valuable. Community isn’t just about who shows up, it’s about who feels welcome, who’s invited, and who’s made visible.

But the truth is, community is about shared interests and values, not about identity. It’s about people who share a passion for cycling, not about their skin color, sex, or sexual orientation. It’s about shared interests and values, not about identity.

Unless we’re intentional about inclusion, then we are by default participating in exclusion.

But what does it mean to be intentional about inclusion? It means being aware of the absence of certain individuals and making an effort to make them feel welcome. It means creating a space where everyone can share their stories and have their voices heard. Unless we’re intentional about inclusion, then we are by default participating in exclusion.

But what about the people who are being told that they’re not part of the community? What about the fat black woman who starts riding bikes and is told that she’s not part of the “real” cycling community? Community isn’t just about who shows up, it’s about who feels welcome, who’s invited, and who’s made visible.

Sometimes, it’s the silence of the community that speaks the loudest. The silence of the community that says, “You’re not welcome here.” The silence of the community that ignores the stories of those who are left behind. The silence of the community is the loudest.

But it’s not just the silence of the community that’s the problem. It’s the way we speak about community.

We often use language that perpetuates exclusion. We say things like, “unless the cycling community ‘centers’ fat black women, that community is ‘participating in exclusion.'” We use language that implies that the community is a fixed entity, rather than a dynamic and inclusive space. But it’s not just the language we use, it’s the way we think about community.

We often think of community as a fixed entity, rather than a dynamic and inclusive space. We think of community as a group of people who share a common interest, rather than as a complex web of relationships and interactions. Community is a complex web of relationships and interactions.

But what about reality?

Reality is what people see and experience in the world around them. Reality is what drives human behavior and decision-making. And in the world of fashion, reality is what sells. Reality is what drives human behavior and decision-making.

The resurgence of reality, led by Sydney Sweeney’s jeans/genes, and yes, her breasts, just might help restore our representative republic.

The idea that breasts have the power to make men stupid is a classic example of human nature. It’s a reminder that, at the end of the day, people are driven by their desires and interests. The idea that breasts have the power to make men stupid is a classic example of human nature.

Woke isn’t nearly dead, but hopefully, it’s dying.

Woke is a mindset that prioritizes identity politics over human nature. It’s a mindset that implies that people can be changed through politics and social engineering. Woke isn’t nearly dead, but hopefully, it’s dying.

The resurgence of reality, led by Sydney Sweeney’s jeans/genes, and yes, her breasts, just might help restore our representative republic.

The idea that breasts have the power to make men stupid is a classic example of human nature. It’s a reminder that, at the end of the day, people are driven by their desires and interests. The idea that breasts have the power to make men stupid is a classic example of human nature.

Reality is what sells.

Reality is what drives human behavior and decision-making. And in the world of fashion, reality is what sells. Reality is what sells.

But isn’t Sweeney being objectified? Isn’t she being reduced to a pair of breasts?

Sweeney is being paid well for her work, and she’s getting great publicity for her career.

That’s human nature and reality too.

Get over yourself.

She’s being very well paid and getting great publicity for her career while she can. That’s human nature and reality too.

That’s reality.

But isn’t Sweeney being objectified?