“People think that fat means lazy or ugly or undesirable. But really, fat is just a descriptor of our bodies.”
— Kailey Kornhauser
A new film set in Portland and Oregon and launched worldwide by Shimano on Monday wants to add some fat to the skinny cyclist stereotype.
All Bodies on Bikes is a film that stars Kailey Kornhauser and Marley Blonsky, two Pacific Northwest residents who working to change the dialogue around body image in the cycling world. The film follows the pair on their recent two-day bikepacking trip on the 65-mile Corvallis to the Coast Trail.
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Here’s more from a promotional blurb:
Filmed in the summer of 2020 using COVID-19 safety precautions, All Bodies on Bikes dives headfirst into hard conversations about society’s obsession with weight, growing up fat, and issues of disordered eating. It also explores how the bicycle community can bring people together to support one another.
“Nobody was talking about size inclusion or what it’s like to be a fat person who rides bikes,” Blonsky said in a statement. “We realized we could contribute to this and we could make a difference. We want people to feel empowered that they can ride a bike wherever they want to go.”
Kornhauser, currently a grad student at Oregon State, added that, “People think that fat means lazy or ugly or undesirable. But really, fat is just a descriptor of our bodies. So, I try and use that word to describe myself. And to take the world back and what it means about my body but leave those negative associations behind.”
Learn more about the film and get links to other resources by Blonsky and Kornhauser at Shimano.com.
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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Yes, more of this please. Rad women, rad bike tours, gorgeous Oregon scenery. “There is no one right way to ride a bike”.
Watched this when it was posted on The Radavist, yesterday. Biking is for everyone, and its important for riders of all ethnicities, sizes, and genders to be visible.
Biking is for people who have the ability to bike (e.g. not everyone).
This is fantastic. We should all be working to help overcome barriers to bicycling. Thank you to those who were involved with this.
Love this!
This is fantastic! I love that Kailey and Marley also created a resource and discussion guide. Seems like a great tool to help folks have some great conversations with others.
That was so great! Kailey and Marley are insightful, well-spoken and seem like a lot of fun!