RIGHTEOUS SISTERHOOD

Exploring the little-known subculture of all-female motorcycle clubs.

Hoiland, an associate professor of sociology at Hostos Community College, came to motorcycle clubs (MCs) through her long-time biker husband. When their marriage ended, she began interviewing other women with “various affiliations to MCs—including ol’ ladies, adult children of bikers, and a clubhouse stripper—to better understand their roles and my own.” That project led to the discovery of an all-woman motorcycle club that Hoiland studied between 2011 and 2019. Embedding herself in the group, the author gained access to the MC’s “initiation rituals, annual ceremonies, and extensive socialization process.” She watched as prospects ran a gauntlet of knowledge and character tests over periods that could extend anywhere from one to five years before they earned each of the patches that identified their “citizenship” status within an organization. Members were encouraged to strive for “righteousness” or “excellence,” which Hoiland points out is rooted in offering selfless service to group members. Despite the emphasis on sisterhood, “girl power,” and camaraderie, however, Hoiland discovered that the club was far from a feminist organization. When she first began her research, the MC, which lacked in ethnic diversity, admitted queer females; later, it rescinded that policy. Sisterhood and liberation appeared to be only for some and not all biker women, which indicated that the group had closer ties to the history that haunted male-dominated MC organizations. Hoiland's commitment to this project is admirable, and the stories she tells of her relationships with the women bikers are intriguing, if dry at times. Nevertheless, the details this book offers about a guarded, difficult-to-access subculture-within-a-subculture will undoubtedly prove useful to other social scientists who study the fascinating world of motorcycle clubs.

A thoughtful ethnographic study about women, belonging, and empowerment.