Dave Sanderling

Hi Daniel,
I actually agree with everything you said. I know the guy who held the hand clapper, and I'm certain that he had no creepy intentions. My post was honestly more directed to the "well what about the whip lady then!!" and rules-lawyer attitudes, in a situation that would more benefit from... oh you know what I mean. Just going to click the Post button now.

Daniel K

Dave you bring up a very good point, that men and women have very different perspectives. It is easy to overlook something because it has never been an issue for you personally, while it might have been for others.

But to quote you directly - "Yes, consent is still fundamental. But let's be smart about the world we live in too. It's not about whip vs. hand directly touching ass, or Halloween costume or not. (I honestly doubt that anyone will complain about feeling violated by the dominatrix--that's my read on our Portland CX culture.) Is it a double standard? Yes, but a warranted one, based in kindness, understanding, humility... and a slow but hopeful move toward some kind of equality."

As a spectator of the races, the heckling, as well as the "butt slapping" incident that went on, I imagine that the spectators that were doing it honestly doubted that anyone would complain or have an issue about feeling violated by a giant green plastic clapper hand... Yes, thats right, the "butt slapping" involved no skin to skin contact, and was done by using a giant green plastic hand that is used for making noise at parties. Now as you said, it really isn't about whip vs. no whip, or costumes or not, but I do feel it makes a big difference in this case. Because the way that it is currently being portrayed is that it was much more inappropriate and sinister than it looked like, especially because they were doing it indiscriminately to men and women both who rode by them on the downhill while cheering for them. Some women even stopped and had beer and cookie hand ups from them, so while gender perspectives are definitely important and worth noting, it clearly wasn't something that everyone had a problem with. However one person having a problem with it is certainly enough, and she is certainly entitled to that, and has every right to not want to be touched. But from the sounds of it, she has personally communicated with the people involved as well as the officials, it seems like apologies have been given and there is no reason to dwell on this.