Robert “Bobby Elvis” Munson, the only Jewish member of the fictional Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club.
Big, sweaty, hairy bikers. The ladies love ‘em! They have a culture all their own that’s often associated with crime, violence, drugs, alcohol, loose women, and burning rubber on the open road.
When it comes to gender equality, the women’s liberation movement seems to have bypassed the true 1%er Motorcycle Clubs. Outlaw biker chicks are not on the same level as the male club members. In fact, a woman can never become a patched member of a 1%er Outlaw MC, rather she is merely another form of entertainment and recreation for the male club members to enjoy.
As long as a woman provides such entertainment for the club members, she can stick around and enjoy the kind of fast life these rough and burley bikers provide. The highest level of status she can achieve is to become someone’s old lady. Becoming an old lady basically seems to mean that she is now in a monogamous relationship with one of the bikers and she has become his property – this could include marriage, but not necessarily. In fact, many women sport tattoos or clothing that mark them as the property of a certain biker.
Men also wear patches indicating relations with the opposite sex. The patches don’t mark them as the property of a specific woman, but rather, showcase their various levels of sexual conquest. Men own women, but women do not own men. While there are arrangements between individual couples where the man stays faithful, it is culturally acceptable for men with an old lady to get a hall pass at club parties or road trips. As long as he keeps his dalliances away from home, it’s don’t ask, don’t tell.
Why would women be attracted to a bunch of sexist, grisly bikers? Some say it’s because they represent freedom from societal conventions and rules. The 1%er world is one where partying, doing drugs, and being promiscuous isn’t frowned upon, but encouraged. As long as these women are willing to accept a different set of conventions, no less enforced than those of civilized society, they can be a part of this exciting and dangerous world. Women who anger club members or appear disloyal in some way can expect to endure physical violence as punishment.
Despite all the seeming negatives, some women say that no other man can compare to a biker. They are the ultimate in masculinity and excitement. Real men are sometimes out of control and violent – it’s just part of the package. Being with a biker makes them feel like they belong to something larger than just themselves, despite the fact that they can only be involved in the club by association, and can never become actual members. Their proximity to all the activity makes them feel as if they actually are members.
So, you can probably guess by my post title, Sons of Avraham, that I can easily imagine orthodox Judaism as being one big biker gang. We women are the old ladies, and our men are the patched members.
Of course, our moral code is different, as most of the aforementioned vices associated with a 1%er motorcycle club are carefully avoided (the only exceptions being alcohol and sex with your spouse – within the boundaries of halacha). However, the purposeful division of gender roles is very much the same. Even the telltale physical signs of females being owned are present – with orthodox Jewish women markedly altering their appearance upon marriage with hair covering and ring wearing, while orthodox Jewish men show practically no signs of belonging to a woman upon marriage (save for some communities where only married men wear a tallis during prayers).
Also, let’s not forget that according to the letter of the law, similar to 1%er bikers, Jewish men with old ladies are still able to be with other women (marry additional wives), each one permitted to him alone, while he can continue to spread his seed far and wide (as long as it’s under the auspices of a marriage).
In terms of domestic violence, of course this is not condoned in 21st century Judaism. However, there are many discussions in Jewish texts espousing both assenting and dissenting opinions on the matter of hitting wives, as well as touching upon the subject of ownership and women as property. Fortunately, the majority opinions in halacha are against spousal abuse, so much so that wife beating can be grounds for divorce and severe punishments for the husband. However, the concept of wife beating, and even making it into a debate up for discussion, started with the original SOA.
Of course, in terms of appearance, there is a striking similarity between the two groups of men. Exchange the leather cut for a kapote? Squint and you can see it.
Similarly, like biker chicks, we can’t get enough of these guys – so much so that there is even a market shortage of men! Just as biker chicks aren’t bothered by the fact that they can’t attend church (club meetings) or have any control over club decisions, so too we don’t care that we can’t participate in shul services or be in positions of communal leadership or decision making. We feel a part of things simply because of our proximity to it all. Plus, at the end of the day, we get the men; those sweaty, bearded, burning hunks of love. Or is that just my husband?
The gender divisions created within these two societies help to preserve a mystique about the other sex, while at the same time firmly establishing roles for each that represent each group’s ideal archetype of masculinity and femininity.
Of course, both groups have seen an uprising of women wanting to do more than ride the rear seat and hang on for dear life. In the end, both groups of men fear the sentiment expressed below will become a reality if their women get too many big ideas:
