One of the most well-known and notorious motorcycle groups in the world is the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. They have a tight set of rules and regulations for their members, one of which is that every member must be a man. Can a woman join the Hells Angels? No, is the response.
Women are not permitted to join the Hells Angels Motorcycle group as members because it is a group for men only. Since the club’s founding in 1948, this regulation has been in effect. Women can still participate in the group in other ways, though. They may be “hang-arounds” or “associates,” which means they are permitted to go to club functions and socialize with club members but are not actual club members.
This rule’s justification can be found in the club’s past and traditions. The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is a classic, old-school motorcycle group that places a premium on respect, loyalty, and brotherhood. They feel that allowing women to join as full members would compromise these ideals because they are embedded in the club’s ethos.
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club’s logo is a 3 patch. It has two rockers that read “Hells Angels” and the name of the chapter surrounding a circle patch with the club’s name and logo in the center. Only complete members are permitted to wear the 3 patch, which serves as a mark of club membership.
A whip dangling from a motorcycle’s handlebars is a sign of reverence and devotion to the club. It’s a custom that has its roots in the early days of motorcycle clubs, when club members would defend themselves by carrying a whip. The whip now serves as a decorative emblem that stands for the club’s core principles of loyalty and fraternity.
True motorcycle club status exists for the Iron Order Motorcycle Club. They were established in 2004 and have chapters all around the country. They are not, however, recognized as a real motorcycle club by either the American Motorcycle Association or the Federation of International Motorcyclists.
Popular television program Sons of Anarchy centers on a made-up biker group. The show’s characters sport patches modeled after actual motorcycle club patches. The initials “SAMCRO” on the main protagonists’ clothing represent for “Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original.” The fake “Men of Mayhem” patch, which denotes a club member who has died for the group, was made for the television program.