Sports
Women in Sports: Men's Role and the Gender Dialogue
In a discussion at Stemma Performance, Aline Carvalho and Bruna Mahn reflect on women's cycling pelotons and gender empathy.
Aline Carvalho and Bruna Mahn discuss the importance of women-only spaces in sports and the workplace. Their conversation highlights how engaging men and rethinking childhood encouragement foster healthier relationships.
The creation of women-only groups and pelotons in sports often raises eyebrows. In a discussion at Stemma Performance, triathlete and executive Aline Carvalho and host Bruna Mahn explored how female solidarity is an essential step toward building strength and autonomy—both on the road and in the corporate world—without framing it as a rivalry or conflict with men.
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Women's Spaces and the Normalization of Male Pelotons
For Bruna Mahn, organizing women's cycling groups and pelotons addresses a critical need for safety and mutual empowerment, paving the way for a stronger female presence in the sport. Aline Carvalho highlighted the contradiction in how male-dominated groups have long been normalized in athletics and business, while women-only rides or meetings often receive dismissive labels like 'girls' club.' The conversation encourages examining how welcoming male-dominated spaces truly are when women attempt to enter them.
Raising Awareness and the Harm of Rigid Structures
Aline advocates for education and broader dialogue rather than isolation. For her, engaging male audiences requires connecting these issues to their personal lives—thinking of their mothers, sisters, and daughters—much like cyclists hoping bus and truck drivers have cyclists in their own families so they drive with greater empathy.
Aline also emphasized that rigid cultural standards directly harm men as well. High rates of mental health struggles, alcoholism, and suicidal ideation among young men, combined with the rise of extremist online rhetoric, show that hostile environments serve no one. Fostering relationships built on respect and active listening emerges as an urgent, mutually beneficial alternative.
Childhood Encouragement and Expanding Opportunities
Another central theme of the discussion was the origin of gender differences. For Aline, men and women possess far more similarities than differences, but are shaped by unequal encouragement throughout their upbringing. Recalling her own childhood—when she was encouraged to play sports, ride her Pantera BMX bike, and fix the household VCR—she noted that her passion for engineering and endurance sports stemmed directly from the practical opportunities she was given.
The evolution of shared spaces depends on men taking a genuine interest in understanding women's perspectives and joining forces. Rather than replacing men, the goal is collective growth, ensuring that sports and workplaces become safe, inclusive, and equitable environments for everyone.
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