Sirens Motorcycle Club of New York
June 16, 2020 2:12 PM Subscribe
The Sirens Motorcycle Club of New York (est. 1986) is the oldest club of its kind in New York City, and thanks to its 40 odd members, who range in age from 25-74, it’s also one of the largest in the state. Not only have they been participating in the New York Pride Parade since 1986, they've led it since 1987, and are also New York Milk Bank's Milk Riders: delivering donated breast milk to hospitals and dispensaries.
Leaders of the Pack [slVogue]: Though their ridership is predominantly lesbian, the Sirens welcome any woman with a love of horsepower and two wheels and where that particular combination can take her. Club lore traces its origins back to an ad placed in the Village Voice and a dozen or so women who gathered in a New York living room to rule out proposed monikers like the Skid Lids and the Sister Spokes before ultimately landing on the Sirens. That same year, they rode in New York’s Gay Pride parade. Their snarling engines have led the parade every year since, and they spend the weekends preceding it doing the same for the outer-borough offshoots in Queens, Brooklyn, and Long Island, where they are hailed by fans as hometown heroes.
Why these bikers crisscross New York delivering donated breast milk [slWapo]: April Diffut, a 36-year-old single mother, said she will never forget the first delivery of donated milk to her Bronx apartment after she brought her premature daughter, Arriella, home from the hospital in 2017. "I opened the door and saw this ‘biker chick’ in a cool leather jacket and bandanna, holding my baby’s food supply in her hands,” she said. “I couldn’t help but smile. I opened the door and we became instant friends.”
This Women’s Motorcycle Club Members Are NYC’s ‘Milk Riders’ [slScaryMommy]: Jen Baquial explains: “To become a patched member of the Sirens, a pledge has to complete several commitments within a 12 month period. These things include attending a certain number of club rides, group events, and Pride events. Ultimately, there is a vetting process in which we have time to learn more about a woman, how she rides, and her commitment level to the club before giving her the patch. Our patch (aka colors) is sacred to us, and not just anyone can wear it.”
And not just anyone can deliver breast milk to babies in the same dope way the Sirens do. They are a fierce group of women dedicated to this life changing and saving service.
Leaders of the Pack [slVogue]: Though their ridership is predominantly lesbian, the Sirens welcome any woman with a love of horsepower and two wheels and where that particular combination can take her. Club lore traces its origins back to an ad placed in the Village Voice and a dozen or so women who gathered in a New York living room to rule out proposed monikers like the Skid Lids and the Sister Spokes before ultimately landing on the Sirens. That same year, they rode in New York’s Gay Pride parade. Their snarling engines have led the parade every year since, and they spend the weekends preceding it doing the same for the outer-borough offshoots in Queens, Brooklyn, and Long Island, where they are hailed by fans as hometown heroes.
Why these bikers crisscross New York delivering donated breast milk [slWapo]: April Diffut, a 36-year-old single mother, said she will never forget the first delivery of donated milk to her Bronx apartment after she brought her premature daughter, Arriella, home from the hospital in 2017. "I opened the door and saw this ‘biker chick’ in a cool leather jacket and bandanna, holding my baby’s food supply in her hands,” she said. “I couldn’t help but smile. I opened the door and we became instant friends.”
This Women’s Motorcycle Club Members Are NYC’s ‘Milk Riders’ [slScaryMommy]: Jen Baquial explains: “To become a patched member of the Sirens, a pledge has to complete several commitments within a 12 month period. These things include attending a certain number of club rides, group events, and Pride events. Ultimately, there is a vetting process in which we have time to learn more about a woman, how she rides, and her commitment level to the club before giving her the patch. Our patch (aka colors) is sacred to us, and not just anyone can wear it.”
And not just anyone can deliver breast milk to babies in the same dope way the Sirens do. They are a fierce group of women dedicated to this life changing and saving service.
How about that? Sydney's Dykes on Bikes always lead the annual Mardi Gras parade, but were established two years after NYC's version.
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:09 PM on June 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:09 PM on June 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
Oh, that is terrible. I had noticed her picture in the Vogue article. I'm sorry to read that.
posted by Dip Flash at 8:13 PM on June 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Dip Flash at 8:13 PM on June 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
I love this article. I donated milk for a sick baby many years ago, but I do not think it was delivered with such style!
posted by mermayd at 4:53 AM on June 17, 2020
posted by mermayd at 4:53 AM on June 17, 2020
« Older antique milk | TSN already have a Black reporter, they don’t want... Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by AJaffe at 2:30 PM on June 16, 2020 [4 favorites]