The Motorbike Gang Girls of Morocco Are Also “Moms Who Work 10-Hour Days”

A couple of weeks ago, the Guardian put up this highly inspiring set of photos of Moroccan women mean-mugging in heart-shaped sunglasses and Nike djellabas; Vice followed up by interviewing photographer Hassan Hajjaj about his project, asking him about the subjects of the photos in particular, who are all Hajjaj’s friends:

There is a group of women who work painting henna in this main square in Morocco that is popular with tourists. One I know was an inspiration for this series, Karima, she wears a veil and these really amazing textile abayas and djabellas and also rides a bike to work and back, she’s a normal woman who works 8 or 10 hours a day. She speaks about four or five languages, is a housewife to two kids, [and] built her own house.

No big deal, this house, I just built it. Hajjaj adds, “I’m impressed with their strength and really aim to show their independence as normal. If these photos were taken in Paris or Rome I imagine I wouldn’t be asked what is so unique about women’s biker culture.” [VICE]