Low riding has been a stable feature in Latino culture since soon after World War II. Although the media often associates this car culture with gangs and violence, it actually is a more family friendly affair. In fact, many lowriding clubs do not allow gang members to join. The lowriding culture focuses on celebrating their love of cars together at car shows and on the weekend.
Traditionally, the women who belonged to this culture have been mainly on the sidelines. They were the girlfriends or wives of the men owning and building the cars. Other women come to the shows as merely the pinup girls that help model the cars. Lately, this has begun to change as more and more Latinas are joining the lowriding culture on their own terms, building and maintaining their cars themselves.
The Lowriding Culture
The lowriding culture has found an important place in Latino culture over the past few decades. The owners gather together to talk about their love of cars, and often discuss other important events happening in the community at large. It is not a culture that involves just youths. In fact, in order to own and maintain the vehicle, you often need money and time, so many of the members are part of a mid to higher income level. People of all ages are involved in the lowrider culture, many of whom have been a part of it for decades.
Some academics, namely Ben Chapell, author of Lowrider Space: Aesthetics and Politics of Mexican American Custom Cars, have postured that lowrider culture is important because it provides social space of the community to get together and talk and discuss issues, especially as they are often discriminated against and feel like they do not belong in other social forums. Building and specializing their cars became a way they could express themselves. They trick-out their vintage cars using hydraulic systems, special paint jobs, chrome features, elaborate interiors, and chassis lowered almost to the ground. They see these remade vintage cars as pieces of art. There are national lowrider clubs with regional chapters all around the country, which are largely dominated by men.
The Difficulties Facing Women in Lowrider Culture
Women are now finding their place in many traditionally male-dominated environments, and the lowrider culture is one of the latest. These women are not doing so just to show they are better than men or do not need men. Instead, they are expressing their own love of cars in the same way as men. Women of all ages are now finding themselves an accepted part of the culture, although they still face difficulties.
Some of the male low riders are not as accepting of the women coming into their clubs. They assume the cars customized by these skilled women belong to their husbands or boyfriends, rather than them. Some of the clubs are not as welcoming to these women as well. In fact, about 65 percent of the 1200 clubs in the country do not allow women members. It is not just the men not accepting these women. Many of the girlfriends and wives of the male lowriders also make the female lowriders feel left out or not accepted.
Finding their Own Place
However, many women do not let this stop them. One such Latina lowrider is Patricia Hernandez from Albuquerque, who has competed at several car shows and has several trophies and awards. She also became the first female member of the New Mexico Rollerz Only club.
These women aim to change these men’s views of women, especially that they are more than just sex appeal for these shows. In fact, they will not allow the sexy models to help to show their vehicles. Instead, they let their cars speak for themselves. They work to change the traditional lowrider culture to be more accepting of female members.