Transcript:

Welcome to Keep Living. Happy Women’s Month and it’s Story Time with Jessie Almstead.Hello, everybody, welcome to Keep Livin the Women’s History Month take over, that is Jay, who’s amazing.This is usually here has allowed women to take over and bring a little bit of women’s history. So that’s what we’re going to do today. We’re going to read a book and it’s going to be great. I got my hot chocolate. So it’s a cozy evening.Raise your hand if you like to ride your bike.We’re going to read about this character who also you can see is a big fan of bikes. It’s born to write a story about bicycle face. Hey, everybody. And I’ll tell you, the cover and the title of this book is really what got me. Because Bicycle Face, what is that? I had to know.And I’m so glad that I picked it. I can’t wait to read it to you. I just want to say a quick thing, because how I know Jay is through the risk of it.Cisco Tanavoli Ethical Society. And we actually are in the midst of a 30 hour fundraiser called Raise the Region. And we’re raising funds to bring our ethical action work to folks here in central Pennsylvania. So if you see that link down there, we’ll take you to learn more about us at CBS and about that fundraiser as well. So check it out. All right. Ready to read, ready to get cozy with a story. This book is by Larissa Tool.I don’t know if I’m saying her name right. And the pictures are by Kelsey Garrity.Riley, to the folks on this.And then here it says, let me tell you what I think about bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel.That was a quote by Susan B. Anthony.Now, as we’re reading this, you’re going to want to pay attention to the pictures because the pictures are telling their own story, kind of in the background of the written story.This spread here is just simply an illustration in Rochester, New York.In the year eighteen ninety six girls and women lived by a long list of things they were told not to do. They were not to vote, for example, that was against the law. They were also told not to wear pants or ride a bicycle.That’s pretty hard to believe, right, if you were a woman or a girl. In this time period of eighteen ninety six, you couldn’t do any of those things you were told? No, but Louisa and Linda Bellflower had a mind to ride a bicycle no matter what anyone might say. Her brother Joe had been given a brand new Van Cleve and riding it looked like a whole lot of fun.I’m going to zoom into Belinda. What is she up to while her brother is riding his bike? I don’t know if you can see that she’s got some books about bicycles here. And then there’s another pamphlet about getting women the right to vote.This was Louisa Belinda Bel Flowers, everyday outfit. Not comfortable. I think you will agree. This was Joe’s everyday outfit. Also not comfortable, but at least one could cartwheel in it. Louisa Belinda cast aside her skirts and put on her brother’s pants. Teach me to ride, she said.What will mother say? Joe asked. She needn’t know, said Louisa Belinda. And see what mother is up to. Interesting, but what about Joe? Lowered his voice.Bicycle face.It’s real, you know. Everyone says so.Even Dr Brown. He says girls aren’t strong enough to balance that. Your eyes will bulge and your jaw will close up from the strain of trying. Maybe forever.What do you think about that, Louisa?Belinda had heard the rumors she considered for a moment. She had lovely eyes and how would she eat with a closed up job?But Joe’s eyes did not bulge, his jaw had not closed up, and she could balance the length of a fallen log just the same as he could. Nervous, she said.