Near the end of the nineteenth century women began to express their growing desire for freedom in a new participation in the more active sports. Tennis, skiing and bicycling quickly gained popularity, and many clubs organizing these activities were formed. In this picture taken in 1897, we see the Metropolitan Bicycle Club of the Methodist Church in Toronto. Such clubs were very popular with middle-class Europeans and North Americans. Though it was a sport enjoyed by both men and women, it was especially significant for women as it implied a new independence. It became acceptable for young ladies to go riding with members of the opposite sex without a chaperone. However ladies were admonished to behave in a genteel manner, and rules of etiquette were written instructing them how to ride in a fashion befitting their sex. Clothing was another problem, for the voluminous dresses of the nineteenth century were cumbersome and made riding a somewhat difficult task. Here another step forward was taken, and fashion soon modified clothing into less restricting modes. This trend of increased physical freedom marked a new era for women and was championed by most suffragists.
