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More and more women are carving out their place on motorcycles. Instead of subordinating themselves to the male-dominated scene, they are defying prejudices and organizing their own motorcycle clubs. At women-only rallies and festivals, they celebrate their community and their passion for heavy machinery. Machos have to stay out of it. Women are still a minority in the biker scene. Only just under 13 percent of motorcycles in Germany are registered to women. Irene Kotnik wants to change that. In 2016, she founded the Petrolettes: a network for female bikers in which men have no place. The Petrolettes are now a worldwide community that connects more than 10,000 women. Irene Kotnik's main goal is to increase visibility and create an environment in which women can meet each other safely - without macho comments and devaluation. When the Petrolettes Rally takes place once a year, women in several European cities drive off and demonstrate their solidarity. Irene gets goosebumps every time: "You see this endless line of motorcycles in front of you. And you just think: Wow, they're all women. This feeling of freedom is unique.” The Italian Domitilla Quadrelli is convinced that courage and a thirst for adventure are also feminine. She is fighting to get more women excited about heavy machinery. She used to be a model, but today she is a mother and businesswoman who drives through mud, dust and dirt with dedication. Her passion is the enduro - an off-road motorcycle. For this she needs endurance above all when she is out on the open terrain for hours. Domitilla regularly organizes off-road boot camps for women: “Most of them start from scratch because they are not taught to be enthusiastic about motorcycles as children. And when they do dare, they are often like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon.” Reportage (D 2024, 30 min) #biker #woman #motorcycle Video available until 02/10/2025 Link to the media library: https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/115493-... Subscribe to the ARTE YouTube channel: / artede Follow us on social networks: Facebook: / arte.tv Twitter: / artede Instagram: / arte.tv