On the road less traveled: women’s cycling and motorcycling in Iran

This paper investigates women’s cycling and motorcycling in Iran. We explore the experiences of women, the extent to which they face gender-based constraints in these contexts, and whether they are motivated to participate as forms of everyday resistance to gender norms. Drawing on 30 interviews, we found legally-imposed restrictions—particularly impacting women’s ability to acquire motorcycle licenses—are intertwined with societal interpretations of ‘appropriate’ gender norms surrounding leisure. Enforcement of gendered ideas came from both men and women, with women experiencing stigma from others when engaging in ‘masculine’ leisure activities. We also found women were subjected to sexual harassment when cycling and motorcycling, leading to contrasting perspectives about the organization of public space. Finally, our data suggests cycling and motorcycling are resistance strategies, acting as symbols of empowerment. Overall, this study furthers knowledge on women, gender, and mobile leisure, adding culturally diverse perspectives to the existing research.