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Women bikers in India are taking the journeys of their lives. Let’s be a part of it.
Not so long ago, when a woman drove a bike through the streets and roads of a city, people would slow their vehicles, turn their heads, and look at her in fascination. Some people smiled, some smirked. Bikes and biking have been associated with men and their masculinity for very long. A girl driving a bike was considered tom-boyish. “There must be something odd about her that she drives a bike.” said the not so open-minded people. We owe it to those women who stood against this prejudice and inspired many others to fuel their passion for bikes and biking. Today, the number of women bikers in India are increasing rapidly.
Recently, a group of four women bikers in India made us proud. They rode their bikes for 10,000 km across 10 Asian countries including India, Singapore, Thailand, Bhutan, and Malaysia. They used their passion for riding to raise awareness for a campaign on female foeticide which is not only a national, but a global social evil in many patriarchal societies. Many similar groups have emerged over the years and women have begun using their passion to raise awareness.
These women bikers in India are breaking all stereotypes. They are riding bikes to send across multiple messages to the society that bikes should no longer be associated to being ‘manly’. Biking is a sport or passion meant for those who love riding through the roads, smooth and rough, whether they are men or women. With the increasing number of women bikers, society has begun accepting and even supporting them. Husbands are encouraging their wife to join biking clubs. There is nothing oddly masculine about women who ride bikes. The society needs to see that. Go girls! Barr all stereotypes.
Women bikers in India are using their passion for riding bikes to go places and raise awareness. Women riding bikes in itself sends a message of change in the society. It shows how far we’ve come. Women are reaching the interior corners and far lands where society has not evolved much, to bring knowledge to the people of that society for a better tomorrow. The aim is not only limited to raising awareness. They visit schools, universities, sometimes even politicians and government officials to ensure that the issue is taken care of, even after they go back. The aim is to bring a change. The aim is to make a difference.
Some women bikers in India have chosen biking to satisfy their hunger for traveling. Taking the bike to unexplored roads, to new cities, to mountains, to rivers, and to favorite destinations, gives a rush of adrenaline. Biking expeditions are a great way for taking a break to relax and enjoy life. The added plus in many cases is the company of friends. Many women are riding bikes in groups and gangs which means, apart from the beauty of traveling, they get the company and fun with their friends. For those who love solidarity, solo biking is the way to go.
Driving is a symbol of independence. There is no need to keep waiting for someone to take you somewhere. Just pick up the keys and accelerate to the wonderful places you have always wanted to go to. Driving gives a certain kind of freedom and control over situations. Biking in particular has an advantage in traffic. Women are taking up biking for its advantages and to be able to go wherever and whenever they please. They love the power and freedom it brings forth with it.
Biking gives a feeling of being in control. A feeling that you are in charge of the journey. All the choices are in your hands. This feeling of satisfaction and relief that comes from knowing that you are in control of where you go and at which speed, is one of the reasons why so many women are riding bikes.
An open road, trees swaying on the sides, and fresh air blowing on the face. Biking can make you feel liberated from all the worries and stress. It can help break the monotony of daily routine life. It gives a feeling of being free, the feeling of liberation. With each passing second, the stress unwinds, making space for better and happy things.
Biking is fun and thrilling. Women do it for the love of it. Everything isn’t logic. If women want to ride bikes, there is no stopping them. Follow your passion, your calling, your heart. Biking will take you places.
Some of us are taking trips to the rough terrains. Some of us are going to nearby cities. Some of us are training others to pursue biking. It is proof that change is coming. It may be slow, but it is coming. Let’s be a part of this change, you and me, for an adventurous tomorrow.
Image Source: FB Profile(Biking Queens)
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