Representations of Malaysian female motorcyclists in online newspapers and magazines

Zakaria, Nur Amirah and Rashid Ali, Farrah Diebaa (2023) Representations of Malaysian female motorcyclists in online newspapers and magazines. In: The GLOCAL Conference on Asian Linguistic Anthropology 2022, 19th - 21st December 2022, SOAS University of London (Virtual Conference).

	PDF (Full Paper) - Published Version Restricted to Repository staff only Download (1MB) | Request a copy
Preview	PDF (Scopus) - Supplemental Material Download (102kB) | Preview

Abstract

Motorcycling culture is often framed as consisting of outlaws, while being predominantly a male arena, in which bikers are always assumed to be masculine. It is often assumed that women’s roles in motorcycling culture are relegated to the status of ‘bystander,’ where they exist within the community as a support to their male partners and families, rather than actively participating in the culture as prominent members of the community (Plugfelder 2009). The fact that women’s involvement in male-dominant motorcycling cultures and activities is still limited in Malaysia places a high distinction between the roles expected of men and women. As such, this study uncovers the representations of Malaysian female bikers in online newspapers and magazines. All 20 articles available online on Malaysian female bikers were analysed drawing on Sack’s membership categorization analysis framework. We found that a greater emphasis was given to the roles of mother and daughter enacted by these bikers. Their role as wives was also suggested but with lesser emphasis. Apart from highlighting their career as female bikers, they were also represented as successful professional racers and travelers. From the findings, we conclude that, irrespective of how successful a woman is in a male-dominant activity, media and society anchors the women in socially expected roles as mothers, daughters, and wives.

Item Type:	Proceeding Paper (Slide Presentation)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Motorcycling cultures, gender stereotypes, female, social roles, membership categorization analysis
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Sustainable Tourism and Contemporary Languages
Depositing User:	FARRAH DIEBAA RASHID ALI
Date Deposited:	25 Mar 2024 15:38
Last Modified:	25 Mar 2024 15:59
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/111517

Actions (login required)

View Item