Not just for boys
June 2008 - NICOLE LAIDLER

“A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.”

This feminist slogan was first scribbled on some bathroom doors by Australian journalist, educator and politician Irina Dunn in 1970. “My inspiration arose from being involved in the renascent women’s movement at the time, and from being a bit of a smart arse,” Dunn wrote in 2002. “The doors, I have to add, were already favoured graffiti sites.”

Women have come a long way in the 38 years since Dunn made her youthful proclamation. We have broken through gender barriers at work, and are now taking up sports and hobbies that were once dominated by men.

From roaring down the open road to fixing the kitchen cabinets, modern women are truly doing it for themselves.

She’s got a ticket to ride
If your idea of a biker is a long-haired man in a leather jacket, then think again. These days, your long-haired biker is likely to be female, and she’s probably riding her own machine.

Just ask Jeff Duncan, owner of Rocky’s Harley-Davidson. Duncan has seen a noticeable increase in female riders in his nine years at the London Harley-Davidson motorcycle dealership. “We sell about 10 per cent of our bikes to women riders,” says Duncan. “And that’s up from single digits only a few years ago.”

In fact, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company saw U.S. sales to women grow from only two per cent in 1985 to nearly 10 per cent by 2003. It’s a lucrative trend that the company has embraced. “Harley is now coming out with bikes geared specifically towards lady riders. That didn’t exist at all five years ago,” says Duncan.

The company also encourages dealerships to host women-only Garage Parties – events where women can learn more about riding and meet other female enthusiasts. “Many women might be intimidated to come in to a Harley-Davidson dealership, so that’s one way we try to break down the barriers,” says Duncan.

He also says he wants women to feel comfortable whenever they come in to his store, whether they’re first-time bikers or experienced riders. His staff is split evenly between the sexes, with women working everywhere from the sales floor to the service department.

And surprisingly, the most popular model among female riders is also the biggest bike in the shop. “In here, most of our bikes are sold to ladies who have ridden before,” explains Duncan. “They’re an investment. A high-end toy.”

Haley Osborne is one experienced rider who turned her passion for motorcycles into a professional career.

Osborne started riding on the back of a boyfriend’s bike 13 years ago. She soon moved up front and decided to buy her own set of wheels, an ’82 Yamaha RD350. “When I first
started riding, I thought it was really cool. Being a female on a bike was an attention getter,” she says.

Osborne also enjoyed the freedom of driving her own bike. “When you can go anywhere by yourself, it’s a really good feeling,” she says. “It’s something that sticks with you for life.”

When her motorcycle developed mechanical problems, Osborne went online and learned how to fix it herself. “At the time, I was a single mom with four kids and I just didn’t have the money to pay someone else,” she explains.

Her enthusiasm and knowledge led to a career in the industry. This past March, Osborne opened her own motorcycle shop in St. Thomas, Redline Cycle Service.
“It used to be that we sat on the back. It was such a man’s sport,” says Osborne. “These days, women are a lot more independent. Now we’re saying ‘I want to do this myself,’ and we’re realizing that we can.”

Hit me with your best shot
Few objects symbolize manhood like a gun. “Shooting still is a male-dominated sport for the most part,” says competitive pistol shooter and hunter Shelley Sherman. “But more and more women are getting involved and it’s starting to level out.”

Sherman, a certified firearms safety instructor and examiner, has made a living teaching others how to handle a gun for 13 years. “I’ve noticed a big increase in the number of women who are taking our courses,” she says.

Local enthusiasts hone their skills at London’s Crumlin Sportsmen’s Association or the St. Thomas Gun Club. And while most women are still introduced to firearms by male relatives, a growing number give shooting a try because they have a female friend involved in the sport, says Sherman. 

The shooting range offers a level playing field for people of all ages and physical abilities, she adds. “Shooting is actually a very relaxing sport. You have to concentrate and forget about the daily grind. It requires a lot of patience and good small-motor control, which women usually have, so women are usually better shooters than men at the beginning. They see instant success, and who doesn’t want to see that?”

Everybody was kung fu fighting
It might take years to earn a black belt, but that didn’t stop Lori Harper from taking up karate. The mother of two attended her first martial arts class in 1990, at the age of 34. Today, she holds a fourth degree black belt and is an instructor at Bernardo Karate.
“When I first started, the classes were only about 20 per cent female,” says Harper. “Now they are split 60/40 in favour of women.” 

Harper attributes the explosion of female martial artists to the introduction of cardio-
kickboxing in the late 1990s. “Students can come in and hit a bag instead of a person,” she explains. “Most women prefer that.”

Darlene MacKenzie would agree with Harper’s assessment. The 52 year-old took up karate three years ago and achieved her first degree black belt last November. “I had to do some sparring to get my black belt,” says MacKenzie. “I think I held my own, but it’s not something I like to do for fun.”

MacKenzie’s daughter has no such hang-ups. Megan first fell in love with karate after watching a demonstration at Masonville Place mall. She began training at Bernardo Karate at the age of five, earning a spot on the Canadian National Karate Team three years later. She has since won 14 world titles and was named Number One Overall Youth Weapons Competitor in 2006.

Megan, now 15, sees karate as an expression of female empowerment. “In the real world there are still sexist attitudes, but in karate girls kick butt just as much as the guys do,” she says.

“If it had been up to me, I would have put Megan in dance,” her mother admits. “Karate is such an aggressive sport. It was not something I would have chosen for Megan, but she just loved it right away.”

Many parents share MacKenzie’s initial reservations, Harper says. “When kids are very young and still defining their gender, we see more boys than girls. Most girls get on board at around (age) six or seven.”

And only a small percentage of women who take up the sport choose to compete. “Most women come here for stress reduction and fitness,” says Harper. “Our job is to show them that the limit they have set for themselves is a figment of their imagination. As soon as they hit their wall and get over it, they feel like they can do anything.”

“Every woman should have a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill and a black lace bra.” ~ Pamela Redmond Satran

Kim Madden may not be much help with the black lace bra, but she can probably set you up with some nifty screwdrivers and a hand drill.

Madden has been assisting customers with their woodworking projects at London’s Lee Valley Tools for 19 years. “Many people are still flabbergasted that a woman can know about this stuff,” she says.

Not only does Madden know her stuff, she’s a graduate of Conestoga College’s Manufacturing Technician of Wood Products program. “In a class of 48, I was one of four girls,” she remembers.

While most of Madden’s female customers are still accompanied by male partners, more and more are shopping by themselves or with female friends. “We’re definitely seeing a lot more female customers than 19 years ago,” she says. 

The increase may be due to the growth in female homeowners. According to the 2007 Royal LePage Female Buyers report, 30 per cent of single, never-before married Canadian women now own a home, with 45 per cent of divorced or separated women and 64 per cent of widows owning their own house. 

Women are realizing they don’t need to hire a man to complete their home improvement projects, says Madden. “It’s just a matter of overcoming the fear and breaking out of the stereotype. Women are supposed to cook and clean. Well, I don’t think so. We’re good for so much more.”