Gendered mobilities of cycle-touring women in Hainan, China

Mobility plays a crucial role in constructing gender. This study provides empirical evidence of this by focusing on both the embodied and situational agencies of women to explore gendered mobilities in cycling tourism. Interviews and observations were used to collect data in Hainan, China. This study found that the bodily practice of cycling allows women to exercise agency by permitting them to express and improve their skills, which further enables them to reconsider gender identities and challenge traditional gender dualism. However, this agency also depended on context. The widely accepted ideas related to cycling and rural public spaces were maintained in cycling tourism. This study contributes to understanding the intersection of cycling mobility and gender through embodied and situational agency.