PEOPLE | interview www.womanthismonth.com December 2020 5 Could you tell us a little bit about Bahrain’s female biker community? Alexies P. Schuckert (Philippines): We’re a community of like-minded women who try to get together weekly to ride and support each other in our passion for motorsports. For most of us, motorcycle riding is not just a passion; it’s a sense of empowerment and independence… it’s freedom. Occasionally, we team up with the guys on their bikes and enjoy larger group rides among the other various clubs around the island -all of which have always made us feel accepted, looked after, and taken care of. To sum it up, I would call this community more of an extended family than anything else. Be it female or male, this is a community of exceptional people. People who are always supportive and completely uncaring of what type of motorcycle you ride. Aliaa Maher (Jordan): The social norm of a woman riding on the back of a man’s bike is changing fast, and Bahrain has seen a sudden growth of women riders in the past three years. The Bahrain female community is fast growing with more and more women, with diverse backgrounds, including two Bahrainis, young mothers, house wives and working womenventuring into this very maledominated sport. The community has women from a lot of different nationalities. Could you highlight this further on this? NadiaShariff (India): The women riders are predominantly from the expat community with riders from America, Germany, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Jordan, Greece, Lebanon, South Africa and, of course, Bahrain! That’s great! How diverse is the community in terms of age, nationality, etc. Any mums in the group too? Nadia Shariff: I am a mum and I am very proud to be part of this riding community. Almost, everyone is a mum save for one or two in the group. We are quite diverse, with the age group ranging from the youngest in her early 20s and the oldest in her 60s with bikes that range from Harleys to Ducatis and Kawasakis too. The female biker community goes on very early morning rides that help me unwind and relax during the ride and still be home on time to serve my kids breakfast. How has the community grown since you first started riding in the Kingdom of Bahrain? Anne Schumacher (USA): When I started riding in October of 2010, there were quite a few women riding motorcycles here in Bahrain with the HOG chapter. At the time I started to ride, I knew of only one Bahraini woman rider. Most of the women were expatriates, wives of Harley riders who were tired of being passengers and got their own bikes. As the expatriate community is so interchangeable, contracts run out or people move away, many of the female riders that I started my journey with are no longer in Bahrain. There was a point where I was one of very few females riding in Bahrain, at least publicly. I do believe there are many sisters, wives and daughters who ride, but only with their own family. Recently, there have been a few more women who have joined the ranks of rider rather than passenger and the female community is growing again; albeit, most are expatriate women again. I think the culture here and the image that motorcycles are for men inhibits some women from trying to ride. Sajida, we hear you’ve been a part of the community for a long time. What’s your story? Sajida Saeed Tabbara (Bahrain): I’m a retired University Professorwho fell in love with bikes at the age of six. I remember riding as a pillion when I was just eight-years-old. My father, who was a school headmaster at the time was so angry with the person who gave me a ride he nearly dismissed him from school! I was determined to have my own bike when I grew up, but females did not even ride bicycles early on in Bahrain. During my career as a Professor, I decided one day that I had to go after my dreams and created a bucket list; biking was at the top of that list. I believe I was the first Bahraini female to own and ride a bike, but there were other lady riders of other nationalities. As soon as I got my license, there was a trip organised by HOG to a rally in Jumeriah. Everyone said that I had to go although I was terrified! I had only just got my licence and had bought a Harley that was 200 kgs heavier than the one I learned on. I was told that if I didn’t muster up my courage and go to the rally, I would never do it! All the guys vowed to support me and they did. I will never forget how I was always in the middle between the Bahraini riders at the rally every time we rode. They kept an eye on me and built my confidence and I owe them that. I was a novelty and remember how my students at the university would come up to me and tell me that they had ridden with their brothers in secret, and how much they enjoyed it, but that their families would not allow them to get their licence. I supported them all and a few did proceed to become riders. One was a covered-up lady but that did not stop her becoming a rider. She went ahead, got her licence and bought a bike which she hid at
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk0MTkxMQ==