Breaking Barriers
Cycling has an issue: unequal access for underrepresented genders. Breaking barriers and exploring solutions is key to its future.
Interview with Sebastien Sutherland, elaborated by Alessia Giurgiutti.
POLIS: From Scotland to the Netherlands, can you tell us about your experience moving to Amsterdam and how it influenced your involvement in the cycling community?
Federico Vandone Dell’Acqua @federicovandone
Sebastien Sutherland: Moving to Amsterdam furthered my relationship with cycling because it is a city that has been set up to literally live by bike—in a way that is safe, accessible, and normalised in society. However, there is a difference between cycling in the city to get around, and getting into cycling as a sport or lifestyle. Moving to Amsterdam (within cycling as a sport) I still felt a big gap in more accessible spaces for marginalised people—including myself as a non-binary and queer person. It was difficult to navigate cycling clubs and culture, because they were not inclusive or welcoming.
This made me passionate about making change and creating spaces where inclusion was at the centre of how we do things, teaching cycling clubs and organisations around me to do the same.
POLIS: What motivated you to start Queer Wheels, and what has the response been like?
Sutherland: Following on from the above, the motivation has come from my own need. I want a space where I feel comfortable to be myself and ride my bike. Where I can ride without anyone judging or behaving in a way that is not inclusive or discriminatory. Knowing that whatever club/cycling group I am riding with has my back with it. So, I set up Queer Wheels to do just that.
The response has been great. We are the first active LGBTQIA+ cycling club in the Netherlands with an organically growing membership base and more and more people from the community getting into cycling. I have found that a huge amount of people have always wanted to join a cycling club or learn more about cycling but have not due to a fear of discrimination.
POLIS: What are some of the biggest challenges you have encountered in creating a more inclusive cycling space?
Sutherland: The biggest challenge is that this is almost always volunteer-based. I do this in my own free time with little to no funding. There is also a very ingrained sense that other cycling clubs and industry professionals are willfully ignorant of the fact that cycling has a big problem with exclusion and discrimination - and that not everyone has equitable access to the sport.
Quite often you will see only the typical ‘cyclists’ riding bikes or at cycling clubs. That is usually: cis-gendered males, white, straight, affluent, ‘skinny’. If you only see the same type of person riding bikes, how can you imagine yourself there?
Cycling also has a problem with homophobia and transphobia. 1 in 4 LGBTQ+ people do not feel welcome in community sport groups or community team sports.
According to the latest Stonewall survey, 1 in 5 LGBTQ+ people (22%) who attended a fitness club or sports group in the last year (2023-24) experienced discrimination because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
These statistics translate to many EU countries across the board, with some showing even worse experiences for LGBTQ+ people despite progressive assumptions.
In 2022, a globally renowned cycling magazine’s social media account shared an image of a famous male cyclist containing a homophobic slur—this was later taken down but there has been no learning in the process, just bowing to pressure. Education is needed to understand why.
Overall, no work has been done to include gender-diverse individuals or to stamp out LGBTQIA+ discrimination by cycling governing bodies—in fact, by doing nothing, they are condoning it. This is the biggest challenge alongside funding. When the problem is ignored and people—as well as the sport or act of cycling—suffer.
POLIS: What challenges have you faced as a non-binary person in the cycling community?
Sutherland: As a non-binary person, I am pretty much told that I do not exist in cycling and that I am not allowed a voice. There are a lot of barriers when it comes to racing and events, too: 99% of the time I cannot attend because there are no pathways for non-binary athletes to sign up.
There is also a lack of education surrounding non-binary, transgender and gender-diverse athletes—this in turn creates a fear around us, causing friction and misunderstandings even at a local level due to the present bans and misinformation circulating. At almost every ride I go on these days, I am asked intrusive questions or am the recipient of homophobia or transphobia.
POLIS: What do you think is a neglected aspect of cycling for non-binary individuals?
Sutherland: Non-binary cyclists are completely ignored. Clubs, sports organisations, and brands are not doing enough or actively listening to individuals or organisations who have the information they need.
The best things to change moving forward would be providing better education and showing a welcoming acceptance of LGBTQ+ people, as well as including us in the conversation. It is very painful to be judged just because of who you are: I am just another person in Lycra who likes to ride their bike.
POLIS: Can you share any stories from your own experience or from Queer Wheels participants that highlight the importance of creating and fostering inclusive cycling spaces?
Sutherland: Every single ride I have with Queer Wheels, everyone is happy. They are thankful for the space and feel inspired and supported to carry on riding. This is why I do it: to give people the power to feel confident in taking up space in cycling. This year we had over 110+ people sign up for our annual Pride ride, which includes both allies and LGBTQIA+ people: it was a huge success, and everyone felt seen and welcomed, which is exactly how it should be!
POLIS: What are your future aspirations for Queer Wheels?
Pride Ride 2023, Amsterdam Pride and Sports
Sutherland: The future goals for Queer Wheels is to keep steadily growing and continue to provide a really fun and inclusive space for LGBTQIA+ people. Studies show that 30% of Gen Z identify as LGBTQIA+, and I want to continue to provide this space.
In the future, I would love to start a non-traditional racing team with the club where we can be represented at events and spread the message further. For now, we focus on what matters—which is the actual community itself and spreading more awareness and education on inclusion.
POLIS: What are your personal goals in cycling?
Sutherland: My personal goal is to continue spreading the message, and (hopefully) finally be able to race soon. There is a lack of pathways for non-binary people to attend cycling events and races. I am currently pushing to change that and continue to spread the message that inclusivity is hugely beneficial to the clubs and the cycling industry as a whole.
POLIS: What advice would you give to other cycling enthusiasts or organisers looking to create inclusive spaces in cycling?
Sutherland: My golden rule is ‘Educate, Invite, and Empathise.’
Do the work to educate yourself on what you can do to be more inclusive and figure out where your weaknesses are.
Speak to the communities that you want to be inclusive of: give them a seat at the table, ask what their barriers are and what they want, and invite them to events and conversations—but remember, do not expect them to do the work for you. Lastly, understand that you do not need to have the same experiences as someone to be able to be an ally: treat others how they want to be treated!
POLIS: What actions and measures do you believe would make a significant change and would you recommend to local authorities?
Sutherland: I would say the following:
- Invest in inclusion training and make it a requirement for all local sports organisations and coaching;
- Speak to local LGBTQIA+ sports organisations to support them and work with them to facilitate the above;
- Hire a more diverse workforce (& DEI roles) to ensure ethical and equitable practices that come from within your organisation;
- Engage with communities that you would like to get moving more and ask what their needs are;
- Prioritise cycling infrastructure over other forms of mobility.
POLIS: Are there any organisations or individuals you want to acknowledge for their work in promoting inclusivity in cycling?
Sutherland: There are many, so I will just list them:
About the contributors:
Interviewee: Sebastien Sutherland, Director, Thane-Aylwin Consultancy. Sutherland (they/he) is a cyclist and sports inclusion consultant. They come from Scotland but moved to the Netherlands in 2019 where they founded the only active LGBTQ+ cycling club in the country in 2021. They spend their time between riding their bike, advocating for better representation and consulting brands, institutions, and government organisations to create a more inclusive sports environment.
Interviewer: Alessia Giorgiutti, Communications & Membership Lead & Co-Coordinator Just Transition at POLIS. Giorgiutti coordinates POLIS' corporate communications and magazine and has been involved in several EU-funded projects as a Communications Manager. She currently supports other managers and officers on tasks related to content production and communication for their projects. Her work focuses on making accessible and inclusive content about transport, as well as highlighting the experiences of marginalised users.
Federico Vandone Dell’Acqua, @federicovandone