More about the Tour

Why ride bicycles?
Over the summer of 2004, Raphael rode his bicycle from Brooklyn to Palm Beach to register voters for the 2004 election. The ride was supposed to be a vaction of sorts, but one that would benefit others too. What he found was that riding a bicycle was an exceptional way to communicate a message. "When you are a spandex-clad cyclist with 60 lbs. of gear on a bicycle, people approach you," he explaines. The unique strength of this platform derives from the magnetic power of spectacle. Spandex-clad, exuding an aura of health and adventure, and riding a bicycle with gear overflowing every rack and strut, the cyclist elicits countless questions. “Is it safe?” “Where do you sleep?” “How many miles do you ride in a day?” The mere presence of such a cyclist provokes unparalleled curiosity. A skilled activist simply leverages this curiosity. After converting curiosity to respect, he is able to deliver a credible, progressive message. Combining equal parts athlete, salesman, and politico, I rode through areas that had already been deluged with heavily-financed voter-registration campaigns and was nevertheless able to register over 3,000 people! Having proved to myself that the bicycle can be an outstanding ‘vehicle’ for promoting grass-roots social change, I founded an organization that will utilize the “macho” persona of the long-distance cyclist to reach a group not typically receptive to women’s issues.

What is your specific agenda?

In the United States, we are riding to raise awareness that men can work to end sexual violence. We are going to perform a 1-2 hour presentation in schools along our route that has been developed in coordination with our partner, Men Can Stop Rape. This presentation looks at how young men can use their strength for protection, and how to understand what a 'real man' is in terms of self-sacrifice and moral strength in place of a masculinity defined by violence and competition.

Our focus in Asia is the prevention of trafficking in women and girls. We are currently in talks with several local non-profits to develop activities for each country that we visit. Especially given the feared spike in this horrific practice due to the tsunami orphans, Tour for Equality wishes to raise awareness that there are solutions and actions that can be taken to combat the problem. We will be visiting organizations that have been successful and featuring them on our website.

Why are guys riding for women's rights?
This is the question that some of my friends keep asking me. And the answer is partly set out on the home page, but beyond that:

The inequality that many women experience is not a result of a few people sitting around and deciding to disempower women. It is the result of a system that is unfairly biased. The riders, who are all friends, were discussing the nature of this privilege that we enjoy as men, and we realized how shameful it is to enjoy the fruits of a biased system without attempting to change it. This change is best perpetuated by men, beacause as the dominany group the power to change the system lies with us. In fact, if men do not think seriously about questioning and challenging the unfair power that we receive, it will simply never go away. While this may be nice for us, it is nothing that we can be proud of. As men, we acknowledge the power of common assumptions and attitudes to create an unjust situation; we also acknowledge our responsibility to counter those soothing ploys with introspection and integrity.

Is there anything that I can do to help the cause without donating?
Absolutely. The most important thing in ending inequality is changing people's hearts and minds. Help children point out the sexist or destructive messages in pop culture. These messages take the form of blatant sexism or unfairly boxing in the idea of what it takes to be a "real man" or a "real woman". Don't stand by in abusive situations. And do not support industries that profit from the sexual slavery of women.

You can check and see if there are shelters in your area that could use help or volunteers. You can find out what is going on in your community and get involved.