the iranian Maryam Talaí broke barriers in her country on the back of a motorcycle, at a speed of 160 kilometers per hour on racing circuits.while unable to drive two-wheelers on the streets, which is prohibited by law in Iran.
Talaí (1980, Shiraz) grew up in a house with four brothers who were obsessed with cars, racing and adventure, and does not let restrictions on women in Iran thwart her dreams.
“I love motorcycles. They are part of my life”, He said to Efe who was wearing a racing driver’s suit.
“It gives me the power to be on the back of the bike and it’s kind of a meditation for me,” he said.
The Iranian reaches 160 kilometers per hour on the circuits and reaches 190 on straight roads on his 250 cc motorcycle.
But the path to fulfilling her dreams has not been easy in a country where laws and customs limit what women can do since the Islamic Revolution led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1979.
Talaí began riding and racing in Canada in 2009.country where he moved years ago.
But back in her home country, the Motorcycle Federation did not allow Talaí or other women to use circuits.
“We tried over and over and in 2016 they allowed us to use a circuit one day a week, two hours, to practice,” he explains.
“For three years they allowed us to compete in addition“, Add.
So far, about 30 women are competing in motorcycling in the Persian country.
NO ON THE STREET
The pilot finds these difficulties “strange” to compete in cycling. And here it is added that the law prohibits women from driving motorcycles on public roads.
“If a woman is a passenger with a man driving a motorcycle, that’s fine. But if it moves 25 centimeters forward (in the driver’s position) then it’s a terrible thing, ”he explains.
“It’s just weird. Women can drive large vehicles and even fly airplanes. But we can’t do it specifically, ”he continued.
When Police stop a woman driving a motorcycle on the street, they can fine the driver and even impound the vehicle.
Despite the developments in recent years and being allowed to compete on circuits, he still faces taboos on being a motorcycle.
“They looked at us as if weird. Many are not acceptable to us”, Said the Iranian.
In fact, during women’s competitions, men are not allowed on circuits and these races are not televised.
“Even my grandfather can’t go”, Explained the pilot.
This despite them wearing racing driver suits that “hide” the body: “You can’t see we’re women”.
In addition to being a pilot, Talaí is a photographer, makes documentaries, pimps cars and has a shelter for hundreds of dogs in a country where these animals are frowning because they are considered unclean. .
FOR ALL WOMEN
His greatest adventure was in Africa, a continent he visited in 2019 for six months, where he “learned many other cultures” and “how far he can go”, something he is proud of.
“I did something that an Iranian woman hadn’t done before. something completely different“, it said.
All of this is a way of fighting to expand the limits of what a woman can do in the Persian nation.
“We are trying to change the system. We try to get people used to it and get the organizations used to it ”, he asserts.
And not just for him.
“I broke down barriers for Iranian women. I don’t just do it for myself, I do it for all women, ”she said.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
